The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-12
A Detective
Episode
BY ANDREW CUMMINGS

Of detective bureau, persuaded him
to give me trial. lie said he would
as soon as he had simple case, for
since / was not experienced he would
not trust me with difficult one.
In due time he called mo to his Office
and said TO me:
II have a letter from a woman this
morning to say that Jim Harker, q
crook we have been looking for. is to
leave the city by a certain train to-
morrow We have him corraled, but
he is going to make an 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
a retreat. can give you a man to as
sist you IL you like
II occurred to me that IL I were sue
cessful my assistant would claim the
credit, and if failed he would point
out wherein / had been mistaken. /
preferred to choose my own helper and
took with me Frank Walker, a chum of
| uiibC w III uGu Wlitttn u dclCIllfc hlOig
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 as 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 a fashily dressed woman, who
betrayed her anxiety for him constant
ly, despite her efforts to conceal 1t.
Walker from the start manifested q
disposition to take the most important
part of the work into his keeping. leay-
ing the unimportant part to me.
II think we had better divide the
watch between u.s." be said. They
are liable to separate, and we should
have 1t arranged which one you win
shadow. I'll take the man. If you like.
and you take the woman"
I suggested that we had better ar
rest them both at once, but Walker
seemed DESTROYS to make something
dramatic OF IL and demonstrated, urg-
ing that we must first get them where
they could not get away. / 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 is an ex-
act duplicate of his picture"
That's what spells the job" was
Walkers reply; tits altogether too
dead easy"
A woman sat in a seat on the other
side Of the aisle from us who seemed
to be interested In US. ! whispered to
Frank caution not to appear to be
our quarry. for suspected
this person OF having noticed US doing
so. Presently Frank went to the end
Of the car for a drink of water, and
while he was gone the woman OPP
posite came TO me and said In q low
.one:
Reckon you're on TO Jim Harker
Al tAS fHiAy thot saw thc hAoA /
ion on the bloke. Don't try to take
him unless you're armed and get him
where he can't shoot He's a desper-
tie man. The woman with him Is
wanted, too, but IL you get him you'll
10 well. Don't try to do too much"
BY the time Walker returned to his
eat the woman had returned to hers.
un - 4
ance just before we pulled into the
tadon the woman with Harker got
p and went to the saloon, which was
I the rear of the car. A moment later
iarker bolted to the front car door.
rank dashed after him, and started
} go in the other direction to the sa-
ION when the woman who had given
8 the information got in my way.
Where are you going?' she cried
rcitedly. Don't you see that your
ian has gone out by the forward
corr
Let me passw said angrily my
lend is going after him. I'm to get
lie woman" -
See here" she retorted. bristling.
I've put You on to this thing, and
mt propose to have It spoiled by
our stupidity. ! tell you Jim Harker'
Is gone In the other direction
She kept me as long as she could,
en- let me go by. When got to the
loon found it empty The woman
ID gone out by the rear door. I went
to the platform. but there we're so
any persons moving hither and thith-
that / could not distinguish her
1ong them
There seemed nothing for me to do
{ wait for Walkers return. Within
IL an hour he came In with bis
airy. Frank had armed himself with
'evolver. a deputy sheriffs badge and
pair Of bracelets. the latter articles
Ing now on his prisoners wrists.
I got him." said Frank. evidently
~ proud OF himself
I'm glad you didn't get killed on the
y" replied. Mine was too smart
me-"
We took the crook back with US TO
ice station.
What are you givin us?" exclaimed
sergeant THAT fellow is made
lie was not only made up. but he
ned out to be a woman. Hsrker. In
nale toys hnxl escaped through the