Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1923-07-14
CHAPTER XII
In Which the Robberv Is solvsd.

ui"LHtHS VI EITHER nShlnS or playing
golf. Barley had left in such hurry
that he had given me 70 instructions
as to what ! was TO do in his abb
sence. But when | came down to
breakfast, by my plate was telegram
from him, reminding me to see the
boy in the garage and learn from him
what he knew of the robbery. | had
entirely forgotten the chauffeur's dy-
ing statement.
After a late breakfast, l took the
car and drove once more TO the Slyke
! house.
Leaving the car in the driveway in
front Of the house. I went around to
the rear. The house appeared de-
serted although 1t was the day Of
Sykes funeral.
The garage was some yards from
the house. half hidden among the
trees. 1t was two stories high, built
Of stone, the upper story being used
as living quarters for the men EN-
| poyed in ii. The door stood open
and l entered. Coming from the
| bright sunlight into the darkened
room, it was several moments before
l could see clearly enough to make
| out that 1t was occupied by a large
touring car, two small runabouts and
a large truck. There was no one in
| sight, and after waiting a moment,
called loudly. The boy wished to
see slouched out from back room.
lie was about eighteen, with heavy
| figure. red face and unbrushed hair.
His suit was dirty with oil from the
| cars. If ne wondered what | wanted,
he gave no sign of it. His eyes met
mine clearly and honestly, as If he
/ had no secrets to hide.
At first he stoutly denied that he
knew anything at all about the rob
berry. He seemed to have the idea
that thought he was implicated in 1t.
| All he admitted knowing was bit
of gossip that he had picked up
around the house at the time it was
| committed The more | questioned
him the more he insisted that he knew
nothing about it, and | almost be-
| lieved him But the chauffeur at the
point of death, had said ASK the
| boy II stood to reason then that he
must know something of Importance.
| At last l told him that the chauffeur
| had insisted that he knew. and asked
/ il anyone had ever told him anything
about the crime. A startled look
int to ma nv a tn,
me excitedly, his words tumbling over
each other
Maybe that's what he meant. But,
good Lord, I thought it was joke.
darned If / didn't | thought he was
kidding me he was drunk, you know"
"Who was drunkT ! asked
"Bnheur. He was very drunk, sir.
You see, you asked me did I know
anything about those men breaking
into Sykes, and I didn't; but Brit
feur told me one night"
He paused.
Go on" ! commanded.
ut was one night soon after the
trial Briffeur came drifting in here,
pretty well lighted up When e was
that way, he used to talk lot; but
| he never told the truth at such times,
as I'd often found out. He never
knew afterward what he had been
saying. He would tell awful yarns
about women, and the like. No one
ever believed him"
7 brought the boy to the point by
asking what it was the chauffeur had
| told him. He hesitated, then In a voice
| that showed that he thought what he
was going to say was almost too fool
ish to mention, he added, HE got 20
talking about that robbery, and said
1t was TO laugh. the way the trial had
gone That no one knew that he had
/ committed the rObbery-no one except
| himself and one other. thought. q
course, it was one OF his wild yarns,
/ and laughed ~ him. When l asked
/ him why he did it. he said Slyke owed
] him lots Of money. and that he was
/ after It."
| It was natural that the boy should
I have thought this conversation Of 30
/ more importance tnan many others oi
/ the chauffeur. when he was drunk and
/ Boosting about things that bad never
/ happened
The chauffeur. ne sale. had come
| Into the garage, cit up like 9 battle
ship" The talk had veered around
to the robbery and he had boosted
/ that the two men were in jail fcr the
robbery that be himself had comm E
+ ted. Who had helped him. he did not
say. He claimed that Slyke owed him
7 'lots Of money" It seemed absurd
/ that q wealthy man Ike Slyke should
/ owe his chauffeur money and not pay
/ Il. He had even boosted that the eFi.
dence against the men in prison was
+ arranged by himself
CTO BE CONTINUED