Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-09-02

or any paper made In imitation of the
Paper on which II Is printed is Fell
ony, and Is punishable by Five Thou
sand t$5.o00) Dollars FINE, or Fifteen
(16) years Imprisonment at Hard La
bour or both"
"Well?" he said, looking up.
You wouldn't amount to much In
working out one of these advertising
puzzles where they offer a prize for
finding the misspelled word" replied
Poe.
There was something near the
last" reflected Mitchell. Some
word seemed out Of Its regular appear.
ance."
Read 1t again." suggested Poe.
"Oh, / see!" cried the other, having
glanced through the last line once
more. ITS the word 'labour;" that
should be spelled labor"
That's what Webster says"
TITS not one OF the usual ways Of
detecting counterfeit. I wouldn't
ever think Of reading the printing on
a BILL"
THE little things count"
But surely you can't see any clue
In that misspelling?"
Il certainly have an inkling to the
counterfeiter from It." was the abrupt
reply, as Poe rapidly thumbed through
the stack OF five-doilar bills, looking
first ut one side and then the other.
and paying no attention to Mitchell's
importunate questions.
Finally he folded the roll carefully
and placed 1t In his breast-pocket.
I'll take these with me. IL you
don't need Them he said. TELL me,
where have those things been passed?'
Mostly around New York. It's
funny, the counterfciting band doesn't
seem to have many agents outside,
most OF II has cropped out In Brook
lyn: but then. this Ia the first batch,
and I suppose we'll soon be- getting
others from the interior states"
Poe secured list OF the banks that
had been caught on the bills anu. de-.
parted. .
He went at once to his rooms, where
he spent several hours closely exam
Ing each BILL Finally he separated
one from the lot. the only one which
showed o slight difference from. the
others. This he put beneath the mag.
nifying. glass, and studied It at great
length. Only one portion OF the bill
interested him; 1t was the white spot
on the back. at the left. balancing the
frame which contained the printed
notice with labor" misspelled.
On that blank spot was the light
impression OF q finger. Poe bent close
over 1t. and followed the light ridges
which had left their impressions. Evi.
IDENTIFY he was classifying the kind OF
mark 1t was. In accordance with the
system OF finger-print Identification
He studied away. mumbling quick
phrases to himself, according to a
habit he could not break:
First finger. right hand. Loops ap.
prox. tented arches--eleven ridges
ulnar--outer -accidentals.
Callus--engraver- -grayer, Hmmmm--
curious = twins -- needles. no! - an
East India. Fakir. Paper. L."
Christopher Poe dropped the mag.
nifier. and swung around to the tele-
phone at his elbow. In q minutes
time he was connected with Mitchell
'.How about the Coney Island bank :"
no asked. How much OF the queer
was showed or thereg"
They took in seven thousand OF II,
nearly. Got In heaviest there. Doesn't
seem possible: but It's the cleverest
counterfeit ever made"
And the Brooklyn Nationals"
Stuck for nearly Ave thousand"
"Good!" Poe started to hang UP
when Mitchell's voice broke in axious.
ly:
Il hope you're not trusting entirely
to that misspelled word? Il don't see
anything in that
"No, I've got a tinger~print to work
ON now. Just discovered 1t on one oil
the notes."
rs that soe" the voice became anx
ious. suppose run over and have a
look at it,"
Better hurry. then" replied Poe
ITS after three now, and I've got te
get out to Coney before supper" He
paused. started to hang up, and then
called, Bring Burns with YOU"
The pair OF bankers arrived shortly
| and Poe showed them the finger.prints
he had discovered. Both looked at 1,
| carefully. but neither believed that Il
was an important discovery.
Why insisted Mitchell. that I'm
ger print could have been left by any
OF \ hundred people who might have
handled the bill" -...
Then how on earth are you goins
| to ind the mang It's impossible, You
| say he can't be an old crook. and his
| work certainly isn't that of any one
recognize. You aren't going 10 looi
ut everybody's fingers until you find
the one that matches this, are your
Queried Burns.
Hardly that" smiled Poe. "Since
you fellows are SO skeptical. / wont
trouble to tell you my theory at all
But Burns. suppose you run over &c
Coney Island with me this afternoon
We may bump into something interest
ing
"All right" Burns shrugged his
shoulders doubtfully. You dope things