The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-04-23

| LIE rOUueIy at OIlNcE OISch AS-
manned a myster. Despite the SUBJ
stantial reward offered for their cap
ture, the guilty parties were yet at
large. The sheriff and his posse had
failed to find the least clue which
might identify the culprits.
The robbery had taken place ten
miles south of Silver Creek. James
Palmer, owner of the Bar x ranch,
started home from the Silver Greek
bank with pay roll of three thousand
dollars. Three miles from home he
was held up by two men who relieved
him of his money, bound him and left
him beside the trail, where he was
found by one of his riders about night
fall.
"Beats all how those fellows got
away clear" James Palmer said as
he stood conversing with his son about
two weeks after the robbery. "Seems
though the sheriff might find some
thing"
Tracy, the strapping young lad of
eighteen years, looked up with smile
on his face.
dad, they're looking in the wrong
direction" he remarked.
"What do you mean?" inquired his
father.
Don't you think this was an in
side job, rather than an outside one ?"
His father laughed. "Pooh, son,
you're crazy. Who have we in our
employ that would rob me like that ?"
dad, I am positive I can name the
two men who did that job, yet I
haven't the least evidence against
them. Hammond, who left our en-
ploy three weeks before the robbery,
is one of them. The other one 1 won't
name at present"
"Hammond?" exclaimed the older
Palmer. "He went to California"
"He said that was where he intend
ed to go. I wired the destination he
gave me and received word he hasn't
been there"
"That doesn't mean anything" the
father countered. "He probably
changed his mind and went else
where"
"He went somewhere else, all right,
but he didn't change his mind. He
never intended to go there. If you
will give me a months leave from du-
ties on the ranch 1 can find the guilty
parties"
James Palmer laughed in a pleased
fashion. "Son, sure am glad to hear
you express such confidence, even tho
1 doubt your ability to accomplish
more than the sheriff and his men.
But just to encourage you, will grant
you the time you request. More than
that, I will give you half of the money
you recover"
"Terms accepted" Tracy declared,
extending his hand. "Only don't
breathe a single word Of this to any
one"
Tracy based his conclusions on two
things: First, that Hammond had
acted contrary to his word; in the
second place, Hammond and a rider
by the name of Knight had met for a
long talk on the trail the day HAM
mond left the ranch. Tracy had watch
ed them from the shelter of a wooded
foothill and had forgotten the event
until he associated it with the rob-
berry.
Hammond and Knight were familiar
with the customary payroll proceed
ure. Having accomplished the rob-
berry, Hammond could take the booty
to some rendezvous while Knight re-
turned to the ranch. There was plenty
of time for this before the captive
man was found. But wasn't it Knight
who had found his father? Tracy
slapped his knee a resounding blow.
eff 1 watch Knight, I think the
proposition is settled" he declared.
Two days later Tracy pulled his
pony to a stop just below the tip of a
foothill. Crawling to the ridge, he
peered over to watch the coming rid
er. With quiet satisfaction he saw him
pause where the trail met Cedar Val