The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-05-06
True
Detective Stories
ALL EVIDENCE
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Copyright by The Wheeler syndicate. Inc.

leaned back In his chair and placed
the tips Of the fingers OF his left hand
precisely against the tips Of the I'm
gers of his right. habit that was sec
ondnature to him during the consid-
Grafton Of difficult problem.
"Why on earth, Edwards. didn't you
come to me with this story before7
It's too late to help you now. Your
stocks gone, your credit ruined. and
they've MIXED you dry. A word to
the association in time would have
saved you money and us time"
Il didn't dare to come out In the
open" croaned the man on the 9th
or side of the desk "They had the
goods on me. too, remember. ! did
hire II private detective agency,
but
Private detectives snOrted West.
detectives OF any kind are practical
ly useless In cnses connected with COM
mcrcial crimes. ''There's nothing that
can be done in this case, but there is
n way in which you can assist the law,
land the men who feeced you, and pos
slhIy make II grubstake for yourself.
Listen
Less than six months litter. Abe Elm
stein. who called himself a "credit
manager wandered INTO the Office or
Henry W. Easton. lawyer, and after
seeing that all the doors were care
fully closed. inquired II Easton re-
membered Edwards, the shoe dealer.
whom they had nicked some time be-
fore.
"rhe names familiar" replied the
lawyer, but don't recall the de-
tails"
"Oh. II was the same old gnme.'
grunted Einstein. Il got him to come
up and talk to y0,i-yOu suggested
that he ship the bulk OF his stock out
OF town to me-l'd sell 1t. and we'd
split with him after the usual fees
had been deducted
Il remember now. Then, when he
came back here and timldly asked for
his part OF the rnkc-ofr, l told him he
was lucky not to he In Inil for VIC
lntin. six or eight different statutes.
orr fees MS carefully explained to
him. more than ate up the proceeds
of his stock at a forced snie. and he
really owed W. money! You should
have seen his face then. But what's
the trouble? Has he made a peep to
the police?
y mo. nothing like that" Einstein re-
piled. ''But ] happened to he pass
ing through Wilkesbnrre the other day.
and who should i run into but Ed
wards. Prosperous, too. knew him
I'm u minute. and wondered where he'd
gotten his money. Followed him down
the street awnys. and found that he'd
opened another store. Flashy. but
gootl-IookIng. Somebody's evidently
staked him. and he's trying his luck.
but-and here's the part that concerns
us-hes nearly on the rocks again.!
"Whnt? ON the verge OF bank
ruptcy!"
"Exnctly; only this time he evident
~ Intends to work the gnme all his
own. You emit blame him for that.
inter he's been burned once
But protested Easton. "he can't
hnndle II by himself!
THAT'S what l figured" said Elm
stein. "!ut. naturally. l didn't put the
matter up to him. Things hive been
pretty dull around here for while
Why don't you run up and see Ed
wards? Admit that we didn't do as
well for him the first time rs VIC might
have. and make him guarantee Of
$500 on 1890 split.
"Right!" snapped the lawyer. I'll
take run up there tomorrow"
The following afternoon. In the pri-
yate office OF his store, Edwards and
Easton thrashed out the details Of
their former arrangement the lawyer
stating That he had come to pay over
$1,000, (which had been unexpectedly
saved from the wreck"
"Incldentully," he added. ~ under
stand that you won't he here much
longer. Going to try the snme game
YOURSELF"
possibly" replied the shoe dealer,
-Why noti'
"You can't do II without an organi-
zation." insisted the lawyer. You
need us. and we need you.
Then. while Edwards nervously
played with some papers on his desk.
Easton outlined his plan--how the
goods were to be shipped. how Elm
stein would handle them, and the 81
FOO guarantee which would be paid
the shoe dealer for his part In the
fraudulent bankruptcy proceedings.
Terms were finally agreed up. and
the whole court proceedings Went for
ward without n hitch.
The day after he had been declared
bankrupt. Edwards accompanied East
on to the bnnk, and there received the
S2,5O0 which had been promised him.
As the lawyer handed him over the
money. he heard = voice behind him
say:
Nab him. boys"
Turning, he came face to face with
rnthar ANAL nlea sa MT -farpd man of