The Irish standard., 1915-10-09

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There was something near the
last" reflected Mitchell. Some
word seemed out of its regular appear.
Rnce."
Read it again." suggested Poe.
"Oh, sect" cried the other, having
glanced through the last line once
more. cts the word Iabour;:" 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
q bill"
1.-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-dollar bills. looking
first at 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,
"1'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 counterfeiting band doesn't
seem to have many agents outside,
most Of it has cropped out in Brook.
Ign; but then, this is the first batch,
and suppose we'll soon be getting
others from the interior states"
Poe secured list of the banks that
had been caught on the bills and 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 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; it 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 finger. Poe bent close
over it. and followed the light ridges
which had left their Impressions. Evt
IDENTIFY he was classifying the kind OF
mark 1t was, in accordance with the
system of f1nger-print Identification
He studied away, mumbling quick
phrases to himself, according to
habit he could not break:
First finger, right hand. Loops ap
prox. tented arches-eleven ridges
ulnar-outer neutrality-suspicious.
Callus-engraver-graver, Hmmmm-
curious - twins -needles, no!-ahl
East India. Fakir. Paper. L"
Christopher Poe dropped the mag.
infer, 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?"
he asked. How much of the queer
was showed OF the 'e?"
They took in seven thousand of it,
nearly. Got in heaviest there. Doesn't
seem possible; but it's the cleverest
counterfeit ever made"
"And the Brooklyn National?"
stuck for nearly five 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? / don't see
anything in that"
mo, I've got a finger.print to work
on now. Just discovered it on one Of
the notes."
us that so?" the voice became anx.
ious. Suppose run over and have q
look at it,
Better hurry. them" replied Poe.
TITS after three now, and I've got to
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 it
carefully, but neither believed that It
was an important discovery.
why" insisted Mitchell, that fin.
ger print could have been left by any
Of hundred people who might have
handled the bill"
Then how on earth are you going
to find the man? 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 to look
ut everybody's fingers until you find
tho one that matches this, are your"
queried Burns. ::
Hardly that" smiled Poe. "since
you fellows are 50 skeptical, won't
trouble to tell you my theory at all.
But, Burns, suppose you run over to
Coney Island with me this afternoon.
We may bump into something interest
ing"
"All right" Burns shrugged his
shoulders doubtfully. "You dope things
out pretty well. Chris. but haven't
much faith In your clue this time. It
leaves too much to chance"
Burns and Poe started in . taxi for;
Coney Island ct once, leaving Mitchell
behind.
Arrived at the famous resort, the
taxi lodged in and out among tho
erowding vehicles. and finally came
70 . quivering halt before the central;
police station. Leaving Burns out;
side, Poe hurried In, and was at once
admitted to the Captain Of the dis
trict, under the name Of Hardy. BY
showing credentials from the Bank
Srs' Protective Association Poe gained
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