Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1943-02-11
Silver Belt Buckle
By V. YARDMAN
Associated Newspapers.
WNU Service.

N LEN listening 10 Oy VeSCd
"A story of the hold-up, Sheriff Jim
Kohr got into his ramshackled, top
less car and drove out toward Tenn
pie Valley. Vesta had said that the
bandit was masked, neatly dressed
in a light gray suit and wore silver
belt buckle. HE wasn't any one
I'd seen BEFORE" the banker stated.
"He came in at noon when Brig
was out to lunch, paused in the entry
way. / suppose, to slip on his mask,
then stuck a gun under my nose.
He trussed me up, helped himself
from the cash drawer. I watched
him remove the mask when he
reached the entry, unbutton his coat
and slip his gun into his hip pocket.
must say he was pretty cool and
matter-of-fact about it ALL"
1t was the silver belt buckle that
set Sheriff KOhr to thinking. There
was only one man living anywhere
around Shapleigh who would wear
a silver belt buckle. That was young
Clark Eldridge, Jake Eldridge's son.
Jake owned the Triangle E, and
Clark had graduated from the state
university that spring and had come
home to live with a lot of high ideas
in his head.
Clark was sitting on the veranda
|: reading a book when the sheriff
drove up.
Your pa home, sonny?"
mo ones home, but me. Why?"
can you amt got nothin' to do
but sit around readin' books, eh2"
IF it's any of your business, I'm
reading up on law. Dad wants me
to take PIG. in law this fall
Cit your coat, you're coming
with me.
what for?" 90
you'll find out. Git your coat or
I'll take hold of .yuh." }ci-"
Clark went into the 6 house and
came out again wearing his coat.
HAS anything happened to my
dad?" he asked. ~. E
Jim stared at him. Sight of the
boy all dressed up gave him new
train of thought. =,
No." he said, speaking less
harshly, your pas all right, as far
as I know" On the drive back to
town, Kohr said: 1.-THE bank was
robbed this noon. Cy Vesta's de-
scription of the man that done it
fits you perfect. "
q: What? Why, / don't even know
Cy' Vesta. I never saw him in my
life. Tom Hardy was in the bank
when I went away" ..~-.
- "All the same, Cy described you
pretty perfect" e - %.
''Pshaw!" said Clark, more
amused than alarmed, you're vast
:. ing your time with me, and mine,
.too.,'a -. =. -:.;--..3....--,, $50. 80
Sheriff Kohr made no further COM
ment. There was multitude of
thoughts running through his mind,
among them the decision to have a
talk with Jake Eldridge about this
boy of his. 1t wasn't good for a
boy to hang around home doing moth
ing but read books. -
The bank had closed for the day
when Sheriff Kohr and his compan-
ion reached town. but Cy Vesta's adj
mitted them through a side door.
The banker looked sharply at Clark.
'"This looks like the chap who held
you up, Cyl" Sheriff Kohr asked.
Vesta nodded without moments
hesitation. That's him. That's the
suit he was wearing. I'd recognize il
anywhere" 18Th. -. =, 49,. -,
- Clark Eldridge lighted cigarette.
81 suppose" he said. you're Vesta,
treasurer of the bank, And / sup
pose you're also accusing me of rob-
bling your bank" He blew smoke
through his nose. ''Do you mind my
telling you you're crazy as loon!"
Vesta bristled. Sheriff Kohr said
"Hold on minute, Cy. There's one
or two more questions I want to ask.
In your description of the bandit you
said he wore . silver belt buckle,
That's what made me suspicious Of
young Eldridge. He's the only dan.
dy around here who would wear q
silver belt buckle. Clark, unbuttor
. your coat and let's see what you
hold up your pants with"
Clark started to protest, Their
changed his mind. He unbuttoned
his. coat, revealing the silver bel,
buckle -; =
That's it," Vesta exclaimed ex
ultantly. ..I'd know it anywhere"
"'Humm,''' said the sheriff. 'That
suit, Clark's wearing is q double.
breasted affair. You couldn't see
. the buckle less his coat was unbut
toned"
Vesta looked blank. "Wel, what
about it," '.e>,
''Nothin', except that you explained
to me how the bandit paused in the
entry to slip off his mask. You also
said he unbuttoned his coat anc
slipped his gun in his pants pocket
Now if he unbuttoned his coat, he
musta had it buttoned, and if he
had it buttoned you couldn't o. seer
the belt buckle. Which leads me tt
think. Vesta, you're dirty liar anc
that you stole the money from you,