Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 524 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘Then you mean to investigate further?” ‘* Most assuredly, sir.” “Well, I wish you success, but I am afraid the mystery will always stand just as it is,” ** You give the case up, do you?” ‘Yes; the verdict of suicide takes it off my hands. There is nothing further for us to do, unless you require our aid in the matter of the robbery.” ‘* And that we shall investigate ourselves.” So they parted, and so stood the case then, Redlight Ralph, Footboard Frank, Luke Warren and the others of the railroad men who had been present at the inquest, all returned to the station, and Ralph and Frank entered the former’s oftice. ‘** Well,” remarked Ralph, as they sat down, ‘no need for us to assure each other that our opinion of the case remains the same.” ‘‘ Not the least.” ‘* Well, what do you propose doing first? As I told you, I shall let you take the case, and will give you all the help I can. If, however, we nd it too deep for us, then I shall send for one of Pinkertor’s best men,” “ It will not take us long to test our ability, I guess.” ‘‘ Perhaps not. But, go ahead and give me an idea of your intended first move.” * Well, first of all, { mean to ascertain be- tween which stations that safe was robbed.” “Ha! you take hold like a veteran! How will you set to work to learn that ?” ‘*] will tell you: [ have asked some questions already, and 1 have learned that the agent at Greenwood sends more or less money by Ex- press to this city every night. I must learn whether or not he sent any last night. If he did, that must be a part of the stolen money, and it will prove that the safe was robbed be- tween Greenwood and here.” ‘* I see; a good idea.” “* The safe 1s locked now, just as it was left on the finding of the robbery. I shall go down to the car and overhaul it, having now your per- mission, and the empty money-envelopes will tell their own tale.” ‘* You are right, and the idea is excellent.” “Then, if I find that the robbery was com- mitt2d after the train left Greenwood, it will be roof positive, to our minds, that it was the rob- ber who killed poor Daddy.’ ‘¢ Exactly.” ** Then tery of how it was done,” ‘ And that, from all appearances, will prove no trifling task.” ‘* You are right; and I have fears that I shall not prove equal to it.” After some further conversation regardin the case and the details concerning the funera arrangements, Footboard Frank left the office, and Ralph turned to some business, of which he always bad plenty to attend to. Frank went first to see Ethel Gray, to inform her and Mrs. Raymond of the result of the in- uest. . From there he went again to the Express-car, where he was to take first step as an ama- teur detective. Letting himself in, he locked the door after him, and then turned his attention to the safe. Taking the key from his pocket—the same one yoor Daddy Gray had carried for so long a time aan ggpplied it to the lock, turned it, and raised e lid, The safe had not been disturbed, and its con- tents were the same as on the ae night. Frank took up the envelopes, and began to ex- amine them one by one. Presently he found two that were directed from Greenwood, and they, like the others, had had been relieved of their contents. The next step was to ascertain whether these two envelopes bad been given to the messenger on the previous night, when the train to at Greenwood Station, or whether they had been delivered to him on his down trip in the fore- nvon. Going back to the station, Frank entered the agent's office, and inquired: ‘* Gilsom, have you the Express-bills—the way- bills, I! mean—that came on the Night Exipress last night?” ‘* Yes,” the agent replied: ‘‘do you want to sse them?” ‘“* Yes,” ‘* Here they are,” handing them over. you lookin into the mystery?” .. ** Yes, a little for Mr. Raymond.” | | “We anything I can do to kelp you, just give m=: the word. _** All right.” Frank looked over the bills until he found the 6 Are u e shall set to work to solve the mys- ~~ as The Engineer Detective. one that had been sent from Greenwood with the two packages of money. : It was dated on the phew day, and bore Daddy Gray’s check-mark, but there was noth- ing to show whether it had been delivered to him on the up or down-trip. It was to be tei that he had received it on the up-trip, but supposition would not do. Detectives want facts. Finding that he could not get at the fact by means of the way-bill, he thought of another lan. r Turning again to Gilsom, he asked: ‘““Can you speak with the agent at Green- wood by wire, Gilsom?” ‘Yes, ge 8 ” and the agent turned to the key; ‘*‘ what shal T say to him?” “ Ts he there?” Gilsom called for a few moments, and then getting an answer, said: ‘** Yes, here he is,” | * Well, ask him if he sent any money by Ex- press to this place yesterday.” Gilsom asked the queston, and got the reply, ‘* Yes, he says he sent two packages, and that he gave them to Daddy Gray.” 3 “All right. Now ask him if he gave them to him on the down-trip, or on the up-trip last night. Mh onthrese exchange of words by wire. ‘* He says he gave them to him on the up-trip, last night.” ‘s right again. And now, one question more: Ask him if Daddy was alone in the car at the time, and what his manner was.” This was soon done. ‘* He says yes, that he was alone, and that he was in apparent good spirits. Says he was in a jolly mood,” ‘Good again. That is one point settled, and one step mada, I will take these bills with me to Mr. Raymond’s office.” ‘* All right; I have copied them all.” ‘Frank returned to the superintendent’s office without delay, and found Ralph in. ‘* Well?’ Ralph questioned, ‘‘T have gained one point,” Frank announced. ** And what is it?” “That the robbery was committed between Greenwood and Oakvale.” “You found, then, that the agent at Green- wood did send money by Daddy last night?” ‘Yes; and I took pains to make sure that he gave it to himon the up-trip. Here are the en- velopes, and here are the way-bills. And fur- thermore, the agent at Greenwood says that the old man was alone in the car when he saw him, and that he was in good spirits.” ‘Then you have peated: the robbery to a cer- tainty, and now the real work begins.” ‘* Yes, sir; the first step is taken, and was an easy one. The next will be harder.” ‘’ And what will be your next step” ‘+ T shall make another effort to find where the bullet from Daddy’s revolver went to, provided he fired at all.” “* But, Frank, we have made a careful search of the car.” Having given the case into Frank’s hands, the superintendent was not making a minute study of all its points. ‘“‘T know that,” Frank returned, ‘‘ but I have a new idea.” ‘* And what is that?” “Why, you know there was a considerable quantity of Express stuff last night, as the bills show; boxes, cases, etc.; and the bullet may have lodged in one of them!” ‘“A good point, by heavens! Frank, I see you are into this case in earnest. I have so many things to think of that I had not put my mind strictly down to the work. I believe you are more capable of working it than [ would be if I tried it. Go on, and doyour best. [ will help you inevery way. Try your skill, and if you have ve up, then we will call experi- enced help. ButI am satisfied that you can do it. You certainly have more ability than Spot- tem: Go on, and do your best!” “Thank you, sir,” Frank returned. ‘ Yes, I will go on, and if I can solve the mystery you ma he sure that I will.” staf ‘“T know that; but solved it shall be, if it is within the power of man to doit, I have vowed to clear it up, and I will, if it costs, a fortune!” “Have you any theory to advance?” Foot- board Frank next gsked. ‘‘ Have you any idea that can give me a start, or help me to a clew?” ““No,” Ralph answered, ‘‘ I have not, for there seems to be no clew whatever, ed hose thut Spottem has used to advance his su You will have to put in your best strokes, and see if you can find a thread that will lead to one. cide theory. | ‘* Well, I am going now to look further for that supposed missing bullet. It will be no eas task to trace the contents of that car to the present whereabouts, but I am determined to do it if possible. Some of the boxes, ete,, were for merchants here, and no doubt can be found readily; but there are others not so easy to trace, For instance, here is a bill.for two trunks for Mrs. Palmere, with no local address whatever, Perhaps Gilsom can—” ‘Two trunks, you say?” interrupted ‘*T think I cun tell you where they went, will find them at the Grand Hotel.” . ‘* All right. No doubt a little patience will bring them all to light. 1 will see you later.” CHAPTER VI. FRANK FINDS FIRE, FooOTBOARD FRANK went back to the sta- ti . ma? ou on. There everything was all hurry and bustle, as usual. The death of one man, no matter how great he be, makes little difference in the ebb and flow of the human tide. And it was so in the case of Daddy Gray. He was scarcely any more missed from that great tide, than would be a drop of water from the ocean. Trains were moving as usual, and another man now occupied the position the fuithful old messenger bad held so long. Frank went at once into the office to get some points from the agent, before setting out upon the errand he bad planned, Gilsom was bu y at the moment, but soon found leisure enough to give the Engineer Detective the in- formation he wanted, frank ascertained where nearly all of the Express packages of the previous night had been delivered, and picked up all the points he could. “ps he thought might possibly be of use to im. ‘*“You have a bill for two trunks, have you not?’ Gilsom asked, as Frank was about going away. ‘* Yes,” Frank answered. ‘They were taken to the Grand Hotel,” the agent explained. ‘‘So Mr. Raymond said.” ; : ‘Yes, he was here, come to think of it, when they were called for.” ‘Who called for them?” ‘* One of the hotel porters,” +A thought has just come to me,” Frank observed. ‘Is it not unusual to have trunks sent by Express? I thought they generally were bandled as baggage.” | “No, it is nothing unusual.” ‘‘ Perhaps not, now that I reflect. Baggage cannot be checked, of course, unless there is a assenger with it, These trunks may have betel forwarded to a pe” and in that case they would not be chee ed. " “You bave it right, so far as that is concerned, but in this case there was a passenger, I be- lieve.” | ** Indeed?” “Yes; but, then, the trunks far exceeded the limit of weight allowed as baggage, and no doubt it was as er to send them by Express as it was to pay the excess rate on them as ba Sy Rat explains it, no doubt.” ‘‘T think 1t does.” ‘Let me see—they woman, I believe,” looking over the way-bill, ‘Yes, here it is; ‘Mrs, Palmere, Oakvale, ‘“‘ And she is an actress, I understand,” Gilsom remarked. “* An actress, eb ?”? rink ‘“* Yes; ‘Madame Sibylla’ she is called, I think.” . “That accounts for big trunks, then.” ‘Yes, for actresses, as 4 rule, do not lack for clothes,” ** So I am told.” pe do ant know, wink as he e. Gilsom wars hinting at a desperate flirtation Frank had had some years previously with a then, eh?” with a sly — little song and dance artist who had taken rey Oakvale by storm, 80 far as the young men of r the place were concerned, Roe ‘Not I!” Frank averred, however, as he left the office and turned bis steps up the street. His first call was made at a Store where two | or three of the boxes had been addressed and delivered. , . “Entering, he asked for the head clerk or the The head of the establishment out,to him, Frank approached him a explain- 4 ed what he wanted. The man listened attentively, and then at ayrap were addressed to a - + a. , . , = ~ Ete. # - . 6 - . . -. tn ” + ‘ - . 3 ts ‘ = * > i, . ; ‘ . : as ne: _ A as a?) “) % ors ~~ Lt Sar. ae 2, : of Pom " a Pe: ee . = oN ny a oer et ak fa 2 7 ¢? "4 ‘ , x ; = / — . ‘ ‘ < 4 * 4 % < { \ ~ a, é , a » » a ¢ ; E at wna oa. Ste ? 4%; — > . ¢ — a -* ees <gute : ats a - » = r ‘ P et ee as - . we.