The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-09-16
CHAPTER v-continued

mo; not wasting their time or
mine. Those Perthdale people didn't
have thing on these chaps; nothing
more than that they happened to be
driving car that looked like one
somebody had seen going through
their town. With fifteen or twenty
million cars chasing round over the
country"
"Sure," said Markham; then, did
these men say which route they were
taking to the West?"
"No; I didn't ask 'em. But. If
they're making for Colorado they
probably took the National to st.
Louis and Kansas City,"
Entirely at a loss as to what to do,
other than to wait for the news of
another mysterious robbery, Markham
and Lands spent the greater part Of
the forenoon making guarded in
quiries at the various garages and
filling stations in the hope of hearing
something which might indicate the
direction taken by the black touring
car in leaving Terre Haute, but black
touring cars passing through, in all d.
rections, were as plentiful as falling
leaves In autumn.
SWELL" Markham announced, 1--WE
got one more shot In the locker. I've
just remembered that l know the tele-
graph editor of the Chicago News and
I'll wire him to let me know If any
thing breaks. He'll do it, I'm sure"
Markham wrote his message and
dispatched 1t, and within the next
half-hour an answer came. Early in
the morning. too late for the news Of
1t to get into the morning papers, a
bank had been blown up in the small
town Of Smithbury. ILL.,. and nobody
had heard the noise of the explosion.
A hasty examination Of the route
map located the small town three
fourths Of the way across Illinois, and
a start was made at once. By hard
driving the scene Of the new devasta-
ton was reached little before dark,
and inquiry proved that the Perthdale
raid had been repeated, this time,
however. with murder added. The
body Of the town Waterman had been
found in the debris of the wrecked
bank with bullet through his heart.
Again. as In Perthdale, the accepted
theory seemed to be that a hitherto
unknown and noiseless explosive had
been employed. At this, Lands, with
a growing sense of his culpability as
the inventor of the box Of silence, in
sisted that 1t was no more than right
that he should tell the story Of his in
vention and its loss, regardless of the
consequences to himself. But to this
Markham objected strenuously.
ut wouldn't help matters in the
least, and it would most likely mean
all sorts of trouble for you," was his
emphatic protest. "You are no more
responsible than Is the inventor of
the nitroglycerin or dynamite these
yeggs are using"
''But am I not Withholding informa-
ton that the authorities ought to
haye?"
'They would doubtless say you were
and give you the third degree to try
to get more out of yea. No; thus far
we have the only clew that promises
anything at all, and these city sleuths
would only make hash of 1t If we
should pass 1t along to them. Wen
get bite to eat and go on"
''Where to, from here?" Lands
queried.
'.rll show you, after we get lunch
put up. We can eat as we CO."
1t was still early in the evening
and, driving out Of town to the south
ward, Markham made a half circle,
cutting all the roads leading to the
westward. At each intersection he
made inquiries at the nearest farm
house, and by this means they were