The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-03-05

who served him with some marina
lade, tea and bacon, saw him climb
up into the Ford and drive away.
The man was known at the shop as
Ralph Robertson. There is no doubt
that it was his car.
Half an hour after the robbery,
Robertson was arrested at his hou Sc
he was cleaning the car at the
tme-and although he had change!
his clothes, the light gray suit
which he had recently worn was
discovered in his bedroom, and the
Panama hat. warm with perspira-
ton. in a cupboard. His excuse for
changing his clothes was that he
put on Older clothes in which 20
clean the car, and his account If
his morning was that he had driven
straight up to Bailey's stores for
some groceries and straight ba TX
again. Two witnesses are ready TO
swear, that they saw him get out
Of the Ford and go toward the
bank; the grocer's clerk who served
him. is absolutely certain that he
was in the shop within thirty sec
onds of the Ford's pulling up out
side. and that when he left he drove
straight away"
What sort Of man is this Ro-
bersOn?" ! asked.
"A man Of bad character" was
the reply. "IIe was once a book
maker, but failed. He has been in
prison for obtaining goods by false
pretenses, and there are half n dOZ-
en- summonses for debt against him
ut the present moment. The only
little money he earns, nowadays,
seems to be by acting as book
makers tout. He knew the neighbor-
hood we'll, and has once been heard
to remark upon the isolated posi-
ton of the bank. In every respect
he is just the man to have done it,
and yet there are all my witne sses
swearing to different things. Fur
thermore, he had scarcely IA shil-
ling in his pocket, and he confessed
that he was going to try and sell
the car that afternoon to raise a
little money"
~ seeiHeS 10 me, admltteQ,
that you have been little prema-
ture in framing your case against
Mr.. Ralph Robertson"
$50 the magistrates thought"
Huntington rejoined dryly. I'VE
managed to get two demands. This
morning he was discharged"
"1f the grocer's assistant is. tell
the TRUTH" l remarked thoughtful
ly, Robertson could not possibly
have committed the robbery. What
sort of young man is the assist
ant?
Highly respectable and very in
telligenti" Huntington replied. 1t
would be quite impossible at any
time to shake his evidence"
$50 much for Mr.. Ralph Rober-
son." | said. "And now who else IS
there?"
That's the difficulty" Running
ton confessed. Zone doesn't know
where to turn. The only other two
people who were about the spot at
the same moment, where man and
his wife touring up to Scotland in a
big Darticr car. They stopped to
make some purchases at Bailey's,
but neither of them alighted."
ANY description Of the man."
asked.
Eyes, the grocer's assistant who
went out to take the order remem-
bered him. He describes him. as a
sporting-looking gentleman wearing
brown alpaca dust-coat and gray
Homburg hat. Such person could
not possibly have left the car and
walked down the street without no.
tice."
ANY description of the woman ?"
Huntington shook his head.
ITO tell you the truth" he con-
fessed, 81 didn't ask for one. There
were guns and cartridge magazines
and golf-clubs on the top of the car
The two were apparently motoring
up to some place they had hired IN
Scotland"
On the face of it. there seems no
possible connection between these
tourists and local bank robbery.
Yet the thought of them fingered
obstinately in my mind. A man and
a woman, bank robbery, and the
fact that / was supposed to be safe
in Norway! began to take up the
pieces Of the puzzle once more, and
fit them in according to my own
devices.