The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-09-23
CHAPTER V-Continued

"All right; we'll cross that of.
Next comes this shifty bit of business
In Chillicothe yesterday; selling one
car and buying another; and the split
and pickup at the town where the
last bank was touched off. And, back
of that there's the fact that we trailed
them out of two other towns where
smashes occurred. Rather too many
condolences, don't you thinl-? We
may have been chasing the wrong
bunch; I'll admit it looks that way
now. But the fact remains that we've
been right on the heels of some bunch
that has been raising cain with these
country-town banks, and doing it with
the help of something that biots out
noise. And the last Of these cain
raisings is only few miles-and hours
behind us right now"
swell, where does that leave us?"
"Pretty well up in the air, I'll have
to admit. We've been concentrating
so pointedly upon these three Louis
Vile chaps that we haven't been able
to see the wood for the trees"
A few minutes later, when they
were settling their bill, the clerk said,
You were inquiring about these three
Louisville gentlemen who left this
morning. Are they friends of yours?"
"Not exactly friends" Markham
evaded. "But we are slightly ac-
quainted in Louisville"
Il see," said the clerk "You may
Overtake 'em yet. Somewhere east of
this their car gave out, and two of 'em
decided to quit and take to the rail-
road. But the other was game; sold
the disabled machine, bought another,
and wired the train-takers to stop off
and let him pick 'em up-which they
did"
THAT'S that" said Lands, as they
turned away.
zone little flaw in that story"
Markham criticized. 1T was the two
train-takers who sold the disabled
auto; not the one who bought the
new one"
II noticed that; but I guess It
merely means that the clerk didn't get
the story quite straight"
They found chairs in quiet corner
of the lobby. After thoughtful in
terval, Lands said, I'm on the fence
again. Wally. What you said-that
we've been right on the heels Of some
bunch that is pulling off these mystic
rious burglaries-is the one fact that
can't be ignored. But I don't want
to drag you into it any further. Suppose
you turn me loose and go on back
home. It's like this; these bank
blasters, whoever they are, have my
black box. I'm confident of It. The
chances are they'll keep on going
west. 1 can't quit while there is a
chance of catching up with them;
that's my responsibility. II you go
home, I'll take the railroad and go on"
"Huh"-disgustedly. ''Think I'd let
you do that? Not much! Well stick
1t out together, and, that being the
case, we may as well go get the car"
The garage was at the rear Of the
hotel. and as they were turning the
corner. Markham saw a handsome
limousine pull up at the hotel en-
trance. Markham caught fleeing
glimpse of the driver.
"You go on, Owen" he said, "and
let me go back and get some cigars.
/ forgot"
Lands walked on slowly, and in a
few minutes Markham reappeared,
saying. "You can't guess what I went
back for? Did you see the car that
came up as we came out?"
''I didn't notice it particularly. Was
It the Fleetwing?"
mo; it was Canby's Nordyke.
Thought recognized him as he got
out and l went back to see If was
right. l was"
Candy? What is he doing here in
st. JosephT
"That's what wanted to know. He
was talking to the clerk when I
slipped in, and neither of them saw
me. Candy has two passengers"
"People from homer"
"very much people from home ;
Betty and her father, If you'll be-
lieve it."
Lands stopped short and faced
about. He would have gone back to
the hotel If Markham hadn't caught
and held him..