The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-01-09

The marshal clutched at the arm Of
the banker. "Did you ~see-thatf' hs
whispered.
His finger pointed through the dark
ness 10 the other end OF h room. In
the faint gray light OF coming day
Macdonald could see q huddled mass
on the floor.
There has been murder done. III
get a light. Don't move from here.
Jones. I want to look Mt things before
we disturb them. There's no danger.
The robbers have been zone for hours
by the light OF another match tho
mlne-owner crossed the room into the
sitting room OF the cashier. Presently
he returned with n lamp and let Its
light fall upon the figure lying slumped
against the wall. A revolver lay close
TO the inert fingers. The head hung
forward grotesquely upon the breast.
The dead man was Milton. His en-
ployer saw nothing ridiculous In the
twisted neck and s%prnwling limbs. The
cashier had died to save the money
entrusted to his care.
Macdonald handed the lamp to the
marshal and picked up h revolver.
Every chamber was loaded.
"They beat him to II. They were
probably here when he reached home.
My guess Is he heard them right away.
got his gun, and came In. He's stu
wearing his dress suit. That gives W
the time. for he left the club about
midnight. Soon as they saw him they
dropped him. I wouldn't ave had this
happen for all the money In the safe"
"How much was there In itf"
81 don't know exactly. The books
will show. I'll send wally down u
look them over"
"Shot right spang through the heart.
looks like commented Jones. follow
Ing with his eye tho course Of the
wound.
wish I'd been here instead of him."
Macdonald said grimly. His eyes soft.
med as he continued TO look down ut
the employee who had paid with his
life for his faithfuiness. at wasn't an
even break. Poor old fellow! You
weren't built for u Job like this, Robert
Milton. but you played your ham M
TO a finish. That's all any man n
do"
He turned abruptly AWAY and began
examining the safe. The silver still
stood sacked In one large compart.
ment. The bank notes had escaped tho
hurried search of the robbers. but tho
gold was practically all gone. One
sack had been torn by the explosion
and single pieces of gold could be
found all over the safe.
Macdonald glanced over the papers
rapidly. The officer picked up n OF
dozens scattered over the floor. 1t was
II mortgage note made out to the bank
by n miner. He collected the others.
Evidently the bandits had torn or the
rubber, glanced over n or two to
see II they had any cash value, n
tossed the package into the air as a
Disguised gambler does IA pack OF
cards.
The bank president stepped TO the
door and threw II open. lie explained
the situation In three sentences.
~ can't let you In now, boys, until
the coroner has been here" he went on
10 tell the crowd. 'But there Is one
way you can all help. Keep your eyes
open. II you have seen any suspicious
characters around. let me know. Or
II anyone has lett town In n hurry
or been seen doing anything during the
night that you did not understand at
the time"
A man named Fred Tague pushed to
the front. lie kept n feed corral near
; the edge OF town. 81 can tell you one
p man who mushed out before five o'clock
! this morning-and that's Gid Holt"
; The eyes OF Macdonald, cold and
> hard as jade, fastened TO the man,
How do you known"
THAT dog team he bought from Tim
. Ryan Well. he's been keeping II In
! my corral. When / got there this
morning II was gone. The SNOW hadn't
wiped out the tracks of the runners
; yet, so he couldn't have left more than
{ fifteen minutes before"
. "You don't know that Holt took the
team himselfT"
: "Come to that. I don't. But he had
' n key to the barn where the sled was
Holt has been putting up Mt the hotel
=, . itNhou II u tuSy W Iuu Out u nc
!. still there"
Macdonald's keen brain followed the
= facts ms the nose Of bloodhound does
a trail. Holt, an open enemy OF his
, had reached town only two days be
fore. He had bought one of the besI
and swiftest dog teams In the NORTH
q and had let slip before witnesses tn,
remark that Macdonald would soor
4, find out what he wanted with the out
NJ. The bank had been robbed afteI
midnight. TO file open the grill and Z,
y blow up the safe must have taken sew
eral hours. Before morning the dog,
of Holt had taken the trail. II theil
owner were with them. II was a SAT,
=. bet that the sled carried forty thor
sand dollars In Alaska gold dust.
I" (TO BE CONTIEUEDl