The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1917-09-15
A Detective
Episode
By ANDREW CUMMINGS

Having an uncle who was ut The head
Of u detective bureau. ! persuaded him
to give me trial. lie said lie would
AZ soon as he had IL simple case, toi
since was not experienced lie wcuid
not trust me with dilllcrlt one.
In due time he called me to his Office
and said to me:
II have letter from q woman this
morning to say that Jim Harker,
crook we, have been looking for. Ii to
leave the city by certain train to-
morrow. We have him corraicd. but
he is going to make MI attempt to
break through. The reason given by
the infOrmer is that he Is going In COM
pany with another woman, who is her
rival. Such communications may be
sincere or they may be tricks to cover
q retreat. can give you man to as
sist you II you like"
1t occurred to me that II / were sue
cessful my assistant would claim the
credit, and IL l failed he would point
out wherein l had been mistaken.
preferred to choose my own helper and
took with me Frank Walker, chum Of
mine who Ind written detective story
remarkable for its ingenuity. He
would have been glad OF an opportu-
nifty to show that he could do as well
In real detective work rs in fiction had
he not considered the case beneath his
ability.
had been shown a photograph OF
Harker on file In the rogues' gallery
and noted his features carefully. fixing
them In my mind. Consequently had
no difficulty In recognizing him when
saw him In the station in company
with fashily dressed woman, who
betrayed her anxiety for him constant
ly, despite her efforts to conceal 1t.
Walker from the start manifested
disposition to take the most important
part Of the work into his keeping. leav-
ing the unimportant part to me.
II think we had better divide the
watch between u.s." he said. "rhey
are liable to separate, and We should
have 1t arranged which one you will
shadow. I'll take the man. II you like.
and you take the woman"
suggested that we had better ar
rest them both at once. but Walker
seemed DESTROYS to make something
dramatic of 1t and demonstrated, urg-
ing that we must first get them where
they could not get away. 1 yielded to
him, and when the fugitives entered
the car we got In too.
II don't understand, Frank" ! said.
"why the crook is leaving town with
out disgusting himself He ID an ex-
tn r,f hfa v,iCttpra"
That's what spoils the job" was
Walkers reply; Its altogether too
dead easy"
A woman sat in q seat on the other
side Of the aisle from us who seemed
to be interested in us. l whispered to
Frank caution not to appear to be
watching our quarry. for suspected
this person of having noticed us doing
80. Presently Frank went to the end
of the car for a drink of water. and
while he was gone the woman op-
pOsite came to me and said in q low
tone:
Reckon you're on to Jim Harker.
I'm the party that gave the informa-
tion on the bloke. Don't try to take
him unless you're armed and get him
where he can't shoot. He's 4 desper-
ate man. The woman with him Is
wanted. too. but II you get him you1l
do well. Don't try to 10 too much
By the time Walker returned to his
seat the woman had returned to hers.
As we approached town of impor-
lance just before we pulled into the
station the woman with Harker got
up md went to the saloon. which was
at the rear of the car. A moment later
Harker bolted to the front car door.
Frank dashed after him. and started
to go in the other direction to the 81
loon when the woman who had given
us the information got In my why.
where are you gOing?" she cried
excitetily. Don't you see that your
man has gone out by the forward
doory'
Let me pass!' 1 said angriiy. MY
friend Is going after him. I'm to get
the woman"
See here" she retorted, bristling
i've put you on to this thing. and
don't propose to have 1t spoiled by
your stupidity. tell you Jim Harker
has gone in the other direction
She kept me as long as she could,
then let me go by. When I got to the
saloon found 1t empty. The woman
had gone out by the rear door, went
on to the platform. but there were SO
manly persons moving hither and thith
er that could not distinguish her
among them.
There seemed nothing for me to do
but wait for Walkers return. Within
half an hour he came in with his
quarry. Frank had armed himself with
\ revolver. deputy sherin-s badge and
4 pair Of bracelets. the latter articles
being Eow on his prisoners wrists.
II got him." said Frank. evidently
very proud Of himself.
I'm glad you didn't get killed on the
job" replied. Mine was too smar.