Evening star., 1925-06-30

NO. sir
Hear anybody go by late last
night"
NO, sir"
What time did YOU go to bed?"
About half-past 1o.''
Up late, weren't you? At that
shine at the schoolhouse?"
Yes. sir
''On Your way home, did YOU hap
pen 10 see anything of a fellow pack
ing Gunny sack and heading this
way"
Hake asked the question iocu!arly:
but Tim found it an accusation The
policeman knew all about it, and was
merely playing with him big cat
plays with A miserable little mouse.
There was no use lying. When the
mounties go after A fellow they got
him. and that was all there was to it.
Yves. sir he faltered.
What" Hake exclaimed sharply.
why didn't YOU say so before?
What's the matter with you? Come
through with every darn thing you
know. And hurry up"
III get il for YOU" said Tim.
You'll get it for me, What the
devil do YOU mean?'
IN get YOU the sack and all" Tim
told him. ITS all there. ! was afraid
10 give it to the kids, and | ketched
it in the hay. But ] was going to
take 1t back tonight. honest. | was
DO you mean TO tell me-" the po-
liceman demanded incredulously, that
you found this sunny sack and its
contents?"
NO, sir, said Tim, determined to
make a clean breast of it. Il took
it myself
"You-what"' Hake exclaimed.
Il took it while Jackman was in
the schoolroom.' Tim explained.
"Jackman.' the policeman ejacu-
lated What has he to do with it?''
1T was his, of course" said Tim
wonderingly.
His" Haie repeated. "Pshaw.
Jackman hasn't the nerve-where is
this sack now?'
I'm the hay loft
Come on and get it," Hake or
dered. swinging down from his horse
Tim groped for some minutes in
the hav before he dragged the sack
That's funny" he said, regarding
it. 1T don't seem
But Hake. seizing it, cut the string
that bound its mouth and dumped It's
contents on the loft floor.
by the Lord Harry" he said AS he
stared at "A mass of currency loose and
in fat pa c6a Ges. mingled with checks,
notes. money orders and securities ne
gotiable and otherwise, the kid is tell.
ing the truth. You're sure, are you,
he said to Tim. that Iackman had
this sack in his possession? You took
it from him. did you? Remember,
You'll have to swear to it.
But that amt Jackman's sack at
aIl,' cried the pop-eyed Tim.
IT took some questioning before
EIake got the straight of it. and then
told Tim of the bank robbery.
This is the bar loot. no doubt OF
it" he said. Now. how did it get
here"
II dunno" said Tim. But some
body stabbed a horse here last night,
and he left a fivedollar bill.
Have you any idea who it was?'
Tim with some reluctance told him
of the visit of the generous old man
on the buckskin pony with the loose
shoe, and under questioning furnished
a description of both, though he vol
unteered no information on these
points At Hake's orders he brought
a hay fork and investigated the loft
thoroughly. They found no other
sack The policeman chuckled-
From the look of things this hold
up came here in the night, stabbed
and fed his horse, and slept in your
hay. He is a nervy bird, all right. And
then. after doing all that, somehow he
picked up the wrong sack in the dark
switched them himself. Tim. I'd give
lot to see his face when he finds out
that he's held up bank for few
kids Christmas presents
Maybe he'll come back" Tim sug-
geSted.
Not chance. He won't find out his
mistake till he opens that sack some-
where back in the hills. Then he'll
dope it out that the sack of presents
was cached in the hay for Christmas
morning, and that his sack will be
found instead This is apt to be
good nights work for you SON.
"Me?" said Tim. 'All | done was
to swipe Jackman's sack. | thought
you'd come to arrest me for that"
Forget Jackman's sack" said
Hake. 'I'll explain that, and you
needn't tell anybody. But the bank
will give you a reward for finding this