Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-05-06
CHAPTER ".
TWO Hats on a Rack.

olle CASUAL lSIldlh vi
had given Kate a clew. Even before
she had explained it, Curly caught the
point and began to dig for the truth.
For though he was almost a boy, the
others leaned on him with the ex-
pectation hat in the absence of Ma
loney he would take the lead.
In the morning he and Kate had a
talk with his uncle on the subject.
Not content with this, he made thee
whole party adjourn to the club
rooms 50 that he might see exactly
where Luck had sat and the different
places the sheepman had stood from,
the time he entered until the poker
players left. j.
Together Billie Mackenzie and Alec
Flandrau dramatized the scene for the
young people. Mac ~personated the
sheepman, came into he room, hung
up his hat, lounged over to the poker
table,, said his little piece as we'll as
he could remember it, and passed into
the next room. Flandrau, Senior, tax
ing the role of Cullison, presently got
up, lifted his hat from the rack, and
went to the LOO
With excitement trembling in her
voice, the girl asked an eager ques-
ton. "NVere their hats side by side
like that N adjoining pegs" =
That's how 1 remember it." ,. :
Both gray hats?" Curly cut in.
Cant be sure of that. Luck's was
gray all right"
Curly looked at Kate and nodded.
Il reckon we know how Cass got Mr..
Cullison's hat. 1t was left on the
rack"
"How do you mean?' his uncle
asked.
Don't you see?" the girl explained.
her eyes shining with excitement.
"Father took the wrong hat. You
know how absent-minded he is some
times"
Mackenzie slapped his knee. "T1l
bet a stack of blues you've guessed it."
'There's q way to make sure" Curly
said. "Fendrick couldn't wear Mr..
Cullison's hat around without the risk
of someone remembering it later.
What would he do then?'
Kate beamed. BUY another at the
nearest store"
"That would be my guess. And the
nearest store is the New York en-
porium. We've got to find out whether
he did buy one there On Tuesday some
time after nine o'clock in the morn
ing"
The girls eyes were sparkling. She
hustled with businesslike energy. "Tll
go and ask right away"
Don't you think we'd better let
Uncle Alec find out? He's not so
likely to stir up curiosity" Curly sug-
gested.
Within a quarter Of an hour Alec
Flandrau Joined the others at the
hotel. You Kids are right at the head
of the class in the detective game.
| Cass bought a brown hat, about $50
in the mo'ning. Paid five dollars for
it. Wouldn't let them deliver the old
one but took it with him in a paper
sack"
With her lieutenants thanking her
Kate went straight to the office OF the
sheriff. Bolt heard the story out and
considered it thoughtfully.
"You win, Miss Cullison. You
haven't proved Fendrick caused your
fathers disappearance by foul play,
ant you haven't proved he committed
the robbery. Point of fact I don't
think he did either one. But it GER
tainly looks like he may possibly have
manufactured evidence"
Curly snorted s%cornfully. You're
letting your friend down easy, Mr..
Bolt. By his own story he was on
the ground a minute after the robbery
tool place. How do we know he
wasn't there a minute before? For
If he didn't know the holdup was 60
ing to occur why did he bring Mr..
Cullison's hat with him punctured so
neatly with bullet holes?"
Hold your hawses a while, Elan
drau. and look at this thing reason
able. You're all prejudiced for Gull
l1son and against Fendrick. Talk
about evidence! There's ten times as
much against your friend as there is
against Glass;"
"Then you'll not arrest Fendrick2"
when o give me good reason to
90 It," Bolt returned doggedly.
The four adjourned 10 meet at tho
Del Mar for a discussion of ways and
means.
WEI keep a watch on Fendrick-
see where he goes, who he talks to,
what he does. Maybe he'll make a,
break and give himself away" Curly
said hopefully.
But my father--we must rescue
| him fret"