Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-24

chief they explained, and he agreed
with them that the situation justified
extraordinary measures. But" he
( declared, studying, IL haven't got a
detective that could turn that trick
with Burke. I've always known Burke
was crooked" he added. What /
never could understand was, what
you kept him around headquarters
for"
'T mean to clean him up" averred
Roy briefly, "but the truth is we are
after a 'higher-up' and want to get
him first. Chief, you've got to help
us out somehow. What are we to
do?"
The chief studied again. "I'll tell
you," said he, finally. There's an ex-
pickpocket herc--a station trusty-he
might be the man." Speaking, he
touched a button, summoned the
trusty and talked to him in low tones.
The trusty looked the visitors fur
lively over, muttered something and
the chief turned to Helen and her
companions: "He says he is out of
practice" grinned the chief. no
body much to work on around here,
but he'll try it,"
"What's his manner" asked Roy,
looking the slippery candidate over.
''He claims" explained the chief
dryly." that somebody picked his
pocket when he was a baby--and
along with his gloves sand silver
spoon he lost his name. They call
him "Mouze' around here and | think
Mouze will do your job. You'd bet
ter all Of you put your watches in a
safe deposit box before you start out
with him."
At this thrust Mouze looked re-
proachfully at the chief and while
Helen and the others laughed he went
to change to street clothes.
When he returned he started out
with his new employers. They went
directly to the depot-Mouze with
the revised contract already in his
pocket. He was instructed to catch
the train that Burke was to take to
meet Hogan, When Burke arrived,
Helen pointed him out to her agent
and disappeared. Mouze walked into
the station to buy a ticket--ai d COM
plications began. A policeman spied
him and concluded that the station
trusty must be leaving town. Acting on
this suspicion the officer arrested him.
To explain the peculiar situation back
of his persistent attempt to buy
railroad ticket was beyond the elo-
quence of Mouze. Nothing he could
say would convince the officer that he
was acting under the chiefs orders
and Mouze was harshly taken in
hand and hailed back to the station
from which he had started.
The chief was appealed 10 and nat
urally felt greatly crestfallen at the
blunder. Me called up Helen and in
formed her of the new and unexpected
turn affairs had taken. With Roy and
Webb she fastened TO the police sta
tion again. But invaluable moments
had been lost and the train, with
Burke aboard, bearing the coveted
contract for Hogan to sign, was now
gone.
II looked for moment as il
their efforts had failed and Desmond's
treachery would win. But the chief
came once more to the rescue: "You
can make It yet" he declared sudden
ly. As he spoke he looked at the
clock. The train has Just gone.
hasn't i'll Take police machine and
beat it to the next stop-can you do
it?'
I'VE can try" exclaimed Helen in
stantly, and the quartet accompanied
by the chief himself, who seemed de-
termined to repair the mistake of his
patrolman, sprang into police car
and away the party went.
The county road for some distance
from Mountain Springs parallels the
railroad track on the south and racing
along the highway, the machine man
aged to oyertaks the train and at
length to pass it. By urging the mo-
tor car they even managed to gain
little on the train. At some distance
ahead of them, however, the roadway
shifted with grade crossing to the
north side OF the track and to hold
their advantage il became necessary
for the machine to make the danger
GUS crossing ahead OF the train. The
chauffeur put on extra speed. The
train lcemc going faster than ever.
Only gradually were they able to pull
ahead Of it and at last with terrify-
ing burst of speed, and with all hands
even the chief himself clinging to his