\ 1 ' • ♦ . * • ■ V ■ , • • Q • * * • » • * • • • - ' ' ■ . ■ *■ • . * * • r " • J « <' ■■ ■ «■ ■. '' ' '. ■ " y 1 * ' ^ • A.1^' \V <►, V <*, ^ .^ # \ IMAOI IVALUATION TEST TARQET (MT-3) W •i* -^ ./A ^T* .<' -» •>* 1.0 rHt,i» i:i t^ 11.25 mu^ '.•H» t t _ \- ^. ^. ttw t lon/ D Nfinatlon aontiiMM HMIMOM IfWCXfMl/ Ml IflMi HMIM TitI* on hMiw tthoh from:/ U IKm 4t I'mi-MM proviMit: □ Titl«PH*ofiMiM/ Nfli * titrt da la I livraiton .-*: I I Titradi 'X ■ laliwaiton qi iii r Hm(»fcl nll iM|il . atgnMla "A •UIVIII". la aymbolo ▼ wgnNlo Laa oartaa* ptanohoa. tablaauM« olo.. pouvont Mro fNmM % doa tavM da raduotlon dNfaranta. ' ^, Loraouo la dooumont oat troo orand bout blvo rapvoidult an un aaul oMohA, N oat fNnU i partk da I angbi^napafflour gauoho* do gauoha a drwta« I at da hapt pn baa. an.pranpnt la nombro d'Imagab iKipaaaaka. Laa dl ig r t mrnaa auhmnta Rhiatrant la mothodo. \ ■■.. " . J 2 A f e 12X / / ■\ l\ fttwtfAtb to ofth* |btUjgrsttg of Toronto V. Drj.%[.'McKi»y i ■ y- ■ • ;■- ~.,r^!jf:.- ^s^ ' I ■ ■'.. , ■. ■ ♦ \*, «.>i^- '■ ** ■' * 1 . ; ' ■ ■ ^ . 'I ALLAN PINKERTON^ Detective stories. K A **»% V t*f.- ■>J li'' *f ■» h u r. ^>^'' ^ »*t ' ' -i"- *f *T 1. .. M ^^!W§llk4 (iP*" '.iT!:. i,>\ f :V'' / if»T; *«(• ( , ^ mjF ' h " **> ' Tim DETECTIVE Afii» rh% SO.MNAMButlST. TKK Ml KDEkER Mt*> THE FORTUNE TELLER. hv ALLAN PINKERTC^N. TORONTO , H E h FORD r. K T it k K S . 18T7. 1 ! , 1 , ( * -w , -^Ar- 1 -'■■ ! . S( 1. AS - . . ■ .J >' - :•: ■ ■ AOTK ,.".,. .. .: IJ .-^'^■, >;r,■ # V: ■B^ THE MURDERER THE FORTUNE TELLER. By ALLAN PINKERTON, AonioB or **nn AMD Tin Dl •V M CtAOOB MBUIOrm.* TORONTO: \ B ELJOBD BB OT H £ B S . ii^^fei^^5:r^_ Wm^mWTfB^ sraE«'»jic;5t. .L^-i. .K^jf-5-%, 'N^ 5^ A. ■'WV^' .„> r /» # X .'''% _^.- i_^ . ^■■^ , ^. », ^' - » '" •" PREFACE IN presenting to the pablic my third^ volume bf Detective Stories, I desire to again call attention to the fact that the stories herein contained, as in the case of their predecessors in the series, are titenUy^tme. The incidents in these cases have all actually occurred ai related, and there are now living many witnetite^ tQ oorroborftte my statements. Maroney, the expressman, is living in GeorgU,' having been released ^ during the war. Mrs. Maroney is alio alive. Any one desiring to convince himself of the abso- lute truthfulness of this narrative can do so by examining the court records in Montgomery, Ala., where Maroney was convicted. . ' ■■■•.,,;, ^ . y ^_.^ The facts stated in £e sMcmd vdlilme iie 1M^ kahmk to many residents of Chicago. Young Bright was in die best society during his stay at the Clifton House, and many of his friends will remonber him. His father it now largely interested in business in New York, Chicago^ and St. Louis. The events connected with the abduc- tion of ''The Two Sisters," wiU be readily recalled by W. L. Church, Esq., of Chicago, and others. The story of ''Alexander'Gay," the Frenchman, will be found In t^iai ^ .^^i- \ . "'''^. '«r ■ \\ PBBfACB, r **» the criminal riscords of St. Louii, where he wii tenteticed for forgery. So with the ttoriet in thii volume. The chiracten in "The Detective and the Somnambuliit," will be easily /recognized by many readers in the South. As the family of Drysdale are still living and holding a highly respecta- ble place in society, the kKality is not correctly given, and fictitious names are used throughout. — — ^-^-- By reason of the peculiar nature of the circumstancea, the facts narrated in '* The Murderer and the Fortune- Teller," are known only to a small circle, but they can readily be substantiated. CapUin Sumner was never informed of the means employed to influence his sister, •lid«his first knowledge of them will be obtained in lea^g this book ; but he will lememb^ his own visit to "Lucille," and will undoubtedly see that the adair was managed exactly as (have stated. In reading these stories, the reader will probably come to the conclusion that the detection of criminals is a very aimple matter, and that any one with a moderate amount tlf intelligence could have done just as well. To a certain extent thiis is true, but not wholly. The plan once adopted, it is not diflicult to put it in execution; but experience, judgment and tact are req^iired to forma plan which will bring out the real facts connected with the crime. This done, the cwliiie of the ciiminul if only a question of time. * Legitimate, honest detective business is yet in its IniiBtncy, but the, trade, as at present generally conducted, ^l^)pn>ache8 the dignity of an art — a black art, unforta- nately, the object bcfa i g acCT i r afri y to d is ri n gn iih t h r p e r - #f /•^ f fk&FAQJL eentage of plunder which will tAliify the cnminali and the real owners, the remainder being 'divided among the •o-called detectives. • In point of fact, these fellows are worse than the acknowledged criminals, since they rob under the guise of honest men, and run little or no risk, while the aotual thieves take their lives in their hands. It may safely be jaid that the average detective would rather be in league with the criminals of this city than opposed to them, and the great majority are so leagued ; and until such a state of aflSdrs is broken up, the criminals who have money will surely escape punishment. ALLAN PINKERTON. September, 1875. '9 • ^-- '%% ■ ^ ».•' « « «« ••• A / t»« TH}I DETECTIVE MW CMAJPTER /.r ABOUT nineteen yeart mgo, I wm enjoying a tbort relaxation from the usual preia of buiinesa iii Cki- cago. I had only one or two really isportant caaet on hand, and I was therefore preparing to take a mudh needed itfl. At thia time, my buiinets waf not nearly to extea- •iTe as it has since beciome, nor was my Agency to w^ known as it now is ; hence, I was somewhat surpiiaed and gratified to receive a letter from Atkinson, Mississippi, asking me to go to that town at once, to inTctdgate • great crime recently perpetrated there. I had intended to visit my former home in EM^ee, for a wf^ or ten days, but, on receiving ihii lcttei» I pottponsd ax Yicft- tlon indefinitely. V| ^ *- -The letter was written by Mr. Thoinat McGregor, cashier of the City Bank, of Atkinson, and my services were called for by all the offir<»r« nf th^ H«% Tlif dr SOMNAMBULIST. H *^'' ■\ ■*' \ .t^- ;f t* PiNltMMra^^X DMTKCTiVM STOMiMM, ctimiunce* of the cam wtre, in brief, that th« p«Tin|h teller tuul been bruUUjr murdered in the benk ebout three Off fear months before, and over one hundred end thirty thouiend dolUre had been stolen. Mr. McGregor uud thel no eipeote should^ siNired to detect the crtmineli, even though the money wee not recoirered ; thft would be •D im portent cooatdftitioiii of course, but the Artt object ' sought «Mi tlM> etplqn df Ik* atuderert oC poof OtOffi Gordon, the tete peying-teller. Hiving alreedy errenged vay business for e brief eb> •ence, I iree ell reedy for the journey, end by the neit train, I wee speeding southward, toward Atkinson. I arrived there early in the morning, of one of the moet delightful days of early spring. I had exchanged the brown Aelds and bare trees of the raw and froely North, for the balmy jdnK blooming flowers, and waving foliage of the sunny South. The contrast was moei agreeable to me in my then tired and overworked condi- tioQ, and I felt that a few days in that climate would re- •tore my strength more effectually than a stay of several weeks in the changeable and inclement weather of northern WiMbk For sa^itaryv as well as businese ilbasont, Uim»* flMi^'liid no occasion to regret my Southern trip. Ify aaeumed character was that of a cottop specuUtort/ iad I was thus able to make many inquiries relative t/ii l3bm town and ju ihh^itants, without exciting suspicion. Of coonc, I ihould have^nConsiderable businese at the jMUik, and thus, I could have frequent conferences with Hie bAnk officials, witliout betraying my real object in tUting them. I sent a note to Ifii. McGregor, on my ■Hr TWB BE TKCrtrM AfiD SOMHAHtHUUST. M •nd I %tMx\ received # reply requeuing me to come to Iht tMBk «l eight o'clock that evening. I then ipent the d«y in walking about the town and plheriag a general idea of the lumnindiogi of the ptact. Atkinton waa thm a town of' median aiae. pleaaanllf •ituated near |he northern boundary of the State TW •urrounding country waa well watered and woodaOt ooa. ^ AHif of alternate arable land and rolling hiila. Tto inhabiunti of the town were divided into two geneml lilMMt : the ihop-keepert, mechanic*, and laborerv, fomiad the bulk of the poi>ulation ; while the capitaliita. pUuitan and professional men were the most influential. Moat of thcic latter owned country reeidences, or planutiona oofe- tide of the town, though they kepi up their town caUb* liahmenta alio. A small water-course, called Rocky Craek« •kirted one side of the place, and many of the moat haad- •otne houses, were situated on, or near thia beautiibi rivulet. The whole appearance of Atkinson, and the sur- rounding country, indicated a thrifty, wtU-tiMkv popuhu IIOB* Having roamed about to my satisfaction, I spent the latter part of the afternoon, at the hotel, where I met « ^, nomber of the professional men of the coonty. I found that the hotel waa occupied by many of tha baat f^mii^ dtiring the winter and ipring, and I lomi^brmad tho ac quaintancc of several of the genUemen. They grectid^. . DM with characteristic Southern hoapitattty, and Irmik pleated to see that my r*i& at a Scotch speculate' ^ qtriteaDeatyonetopUy; «t leaat. no one ever appealed to auapect my real object in Tiatting Atkinfon. At the appointed hour I went to the bank, and waa ^-4 W ^ 'h 00 i -k ouuukt by Mr. McGrtgor, to whom j had bc«ti inlrtMluccd during xhm day. Ii« took me in thnMigh th« privaUi m^ IraiM e, and w« wtrc |<^iifld tn a ftw minultt hj AUnandef Bannaiinc, prmident, and F«ltr A. Gotdon, vk«-pnMid«fil, of the baalu Mr. Baiuutin« waa about Afty yean of age, but h« looked much older, owing to hia cootinuoui and jnlMMMting Ubort •• ft lawyer, during the «arly part of hia llkb Having made a Urge fortune by §i|Ketaful practice ABd Judicious inveatments, ha had retina from the active panuit of hia profeaaion, and had Joined aeveral old frknda in- the banking buaineia. lir. Gordon waa, alao^ •botit flfly yean old. He had bcccmie wealthy by inh«r* Itaact, and had increased hia fortune by twenty yean of caftefiil at^stion to buaineaa. He wat unmarried, and Oeorge Gorlon, the murdered bank-teller, had stood ia tb* relatkwi of a son to hia uncle ; hence, there waa ■dditional reason for the capture and Hhviction of ■MdHiMk Tbt recovery of the Urge sum of roon Molen, woal4.ft^n^, have bten an important consider- ation, but ll£y|br^n waa willing to.spen^ a very e% timvagant *"°<^diihttf ^^^^^^"^ ^ ^^ cfiinin«l% flHIi' UKMglft the "*<^%|nP|yfl^*' bci discovered, 'u ^ • 'i ,.^ Ptaeated oupjip|Ju Ublei|^M»e caahier's rooo«,iM I prepared tb takt "no&i of all the (acts then koowi^ by Iha gentWBBca present. ' '^Now, Ifr. Bannatine," I said, '*pleaae tell me every* thing coaaaclad with tha caaa, which may b« of lonca tome '* Well, Mr. Pinkerton, I have not been connected with the bank so long, or so doaely aa Mr. McGregor," said Tl ■A^- DMrMCTtVM AND SOMMAtHBUUSt, ^ 1 M^ llAiiiiAiiM. *'mwI (wrluipt IM iMd hmm gif^iiM •iMlch ol foung Clordoii'i comMctioa with lh« b«Ak #rli,*» •• G«(Mf« Ctordofli WM tak«fi into tnir «mt4oy Aba^ng.t«lkr. i- ftia» than hia obUginK diapoaition, roortcooi maimai^l and faithAil parfomianca of ^uty. hav« endeaml him Ki , all hia aaaociataa, and have given him the confy enc e of all pcraona with whom he came in contact. Hia charac- ter waa ipotleaa, and hia devotion to duty waa atiperior m \ all allurementa ; he would neve? aacriAce one moment to* ^ pleaaure which should have been riven to bulineaa." * ** Had he any aaaociatea amcwc the faat men and women of the placer 1 aaked. . j ^ 4? No, air, pot /lliore valuable Jewelry every afternoon to put into our Ytnlt; he would pnt it into a small box and leave it here •bottt five o'clock. Then, our county clerk, Mr. Drys- gdale, used to stop frequently to make deposits in cases Twhexe other parties had paid money to him after banking boon. He was very intimate with George, and he used to stop to see him sometimes and walk out with him after hit' work was finished. Walter Patterson, also, was one of George's particnli^ firiends, and he has often stayed with George until nine or *ten o'clock in the evening. t^i^csides these there were several of our leading planters who wonld come in as late at eight o'clock to deposit lands, or to obtain cash for use early the next day." ''bid yonng Gordon have the keys to^e vault?".. I jiked. ''Oh I yen," replied Mr. McGregor; ''I was often called away on business for several days, and he uaed to act as cashier in my absence. He was in the habit of ^omrying the keys with him at all times ; but his unde jMlvised him not to do so, as theymi|i^be taken from /♦' rwr DBTECTrVE and StXMNAMBUUST 10 him by a gang of deiperate characters, and the bank robbed. He had, therefore, given up the practice of taking the keyi home with him after night-fall. Juit •boat the time of the murder, we had one of the buiieit seasons ever known ; the cotton crop had been enbrmoos, and sales had been very rapid, so that our deposits were unusually large. One morning I found that I must go to Greenville for several days, on business of great impor< tance. Before going, I gave George foil instructioBi^ upon all matters which might need attention during my absence; yet I felt, while on my way to the depot, that there was something which I had forgotten. I could not define what it was, but I hurried back to ask whether he could think of any thing further upon which he migfit wislj my advice. I found him chatting with his frien^ Mr. Drysdale. Calling him to one side, I said: *** George, is there anything more upon which I can advise you ? ' ^^ "*No, I guess not,' he replied; 'you will be back so foon that if there should anything new turn up, it can wait until you return.' " * Well, be very careful,' I continued, 'and dont aUow any one to come in here alier dark. It may be an unnecessary precaution, but I should feel easier if I knew no one was admitted to the bank during my absence.' ***Very weU,' he rejdied, 'I shaU aUow onlyone ortwo of my personal friends to come in. There will be no harm in admit^g them, for they will be an additional protection in case of any attempt on the bank.' . ''i could offer no objection, and so we parted. I wat gone iabout a week, when, having settled my business in V, \ Pri^JCBRTOJrs D$TSCTmE STORIES, Greenville, I ceturaed here. The firit news I received^ was, that George Gordon had been found murdered in the bank that morning, the crime having been committed the night before. I will now let Mr. Peter Gordon, George's '' ancle, tell the circumsuncet, so far as he knows them." Mr. McGregor was a careful, methodical man, about sixty years of age. He alwafys spoke directly to the point, and in his story, he had evidently made no attempt to draw conclusions, or to bias my judgment in any way. Nevertheless, he showed that he was really affected by young Gordon's murder, and I saw that I should get more really valuable assistance from him, than from b^h of the other two. Mr. Gordon was greatly excited, and ne-cOuld hardly speak at times, as he thought of his murdered iiq>hew. His story was told slowly and painfully, as if the details were almost too much for him. Still, he felt that nothing ought to be negjjected which would assist me, and so he nerved himHlf to tell ever^ little indde&t of the dreadful crime. **I remember the day of the murder very distinctfy, Mr. Pinkerton," he said. '* Mr. Bannatine was obliged to visit his plantation that morning, and Mr. McGregor being away, as he has already told you, I spent most of the day at the bank with George. He was perfectly conn petent to manage all the business himself, Mr. Pinkertoii,> fof he wai a very smart and trastworthy young man, the very image of my dear brother, who was drowned twenty yean ago, leaving me to bring up George like my own son ; bat, as I was sayings I kept George company in the bank that;/day» more as a measure of safety, than because he needed me. Wel^ we received a large amount of ■ .V r«* MTMcTirs dim saUjtjuiMausT. n money that day in bank notes and specie, and I helped George put the iLoney into the vault. When the bank dosed, George said that he should work until ive o'clock and then go home to dinner. I was anxious to go to my re, as business had been very heavy that day, and I had no opportuni^ to attend to my 6^ aflairs; I |herefore left the bank at fourjo'dock. George and I boarded at the hotel, and at dinner time, he came late, so that I finished before he did. Abdut sey^ o'clock, George came down to the itofc, where I had gone after dinner. He sat a litUe while and sitidkM a cigar with the, and then said that he. must retuhi to tfte bank, as he had a great deal of work to finish up oil the books ; he told me, also, not to sit up fbr him, as it might be quito late before he came home." "Were there any other persona present when he said this, Mr. Gordon?" I asked. "Yes; there was a shoemaker, named Stolx, whom George had just paid for a pair of boote. Mr. Flanden, the jewder, wa^ there also,^and he had his box of jewdiy for George to lock up in the safe. There had been so many customers in his store that afternoon that be had not bten able to take the box over before. There were •everaJ other persons present, I recoUect now that you ask me about it, but I had not thought of the matter be* ft>re, and I cannot recall their names." f "Well, I guess we can find oiit," 1 rq)lied ; "please go on. By the way, one question : had George drank any- thing at all dur^ the day?" • **No, sir, nothing whatever. George used to smbkeT great deal, but he never drabk at a bar in his life ; all hia . ■ ' ? - — — —^. : — • ' . ^ X. ^•#1 ;**s.-. . »'% ■-/.* M ... .11 «... »»i« wm*. He ionieumet ,o„„gfncnd. •'" '*"J^:^;,^?»d•.«->•^''«"- a,«k wine « meJ. »t !»• ow» ^^, hiOf-put «»en o dock. » ^^ „;„, ,„d b« Wve *» jewelnr. P"]^^ ^^ :*. . ^ time. H.^ «K>n '«^,"f^„j j a»aght nothing of that, a. I .«PP<»«» *^J**ned a cigar, and tfien jpat to mr .tore. » Vf ^.^e in ««1 «« : ^ta. an «xount ^ *f J^ "^ .t the V»nk thta "'Mr Gordom what u t^ «"»«»" " '" _. j^.j, noming? It U pow after ten o doclt. ana rtin Ant upA I _ . .a,.b«Bkiiotopenrfr*« **y :£-'ri"^tX''.iwiS.r.„-tonce.M..^ •^orn^U.-^ , JJ«M a rabinet-maker named Brcea, iiy«HI £^ ^kLuv..! *iKy ICt ha out itO that . ♦ tho too hcM ten.** xnild lued'* 9tiee »thing bank. I tfien RolkH / f»p»T^«lS / t « t k this hingii t! My steiday xvingafc 1, trying rsevenil #♦' .^ I i f\. THE iOiTMCTiVM AND SQMMAMBUUST. H thBMi but no one oum. 1 .tte»4NBl.:t». tlM pf^Mt iMtnuMit MM! fAt« the tigild bj^rappiB§, to IM tik^ itttidt kBow that on* of the beak oAeHiJM|ia| tlio dobf, '^ We h«d ft piiintte iignAl kaown only t6 Hm^oAomi, m ^ that I WM.Mile theie ooHiet b# miietl^ wnig ulieii 1 iMod it wuaewerad. I had a #ifedAil fcilil« k i^y hMic that lomethmg horrible had happei^wAIVM afaottt to iiany away to^tfie hotel, lo wm i£ Oaotp ««• . thiN^whea IcaiuaUy let ay hand faU oiMMi.tk^ Mid tallMd it ; to my tmiKiae, the.door.yiddi&' *% thit time, quite a'cvowd had frtlMMd attMCted bythe omiaiial ipectade of theidonyl aatf die hBocking at the doors. I thesefomlall and Mr. Breed t9 ^eep the osoird ftooi' fl|lieiii% entranoe, while nqr ckrk and I thaew d|MB Hi^ thnttdrpof thii room where we are now littiif. Ute entered the oMdn bank thiongh jrooder dodr, aftd'^Wic J ireat to open' the ontiide ldtnd% wfaidi. i||p|pdtd'«mf particle of light, my clerk walked down Urilft. the 1|«dt ' counter. He aiiddlnly ttombled orer •^^^h^ and' ftO/ and ag he y>t>up, he gaid that theloor t i i^niii . At^tMa J Slilant^ I ilnng open one- of the thollim, and wkm^l^ ilMDMy Iheirda'oryofhonorfiiNhlmydeik.: /RiuiaiBf , io the ooniMr; I kx>kod bvcr and Mma.tMfate ii^ Uiittm.^nffTTr ■ ;.-;:f ;-^ ■' , . , .; .Ka^ .i/'-'V-^' 'r-^- AfUi Mr Gordon's fieelingi orBreaBOihiB^ Jn^l^jt ^^m tdki* tiihe bMbte he w had been dealt Juft back of the left ear while George irai ttaading at hisdeik; he had then itaggered back- ^Waid two or three atepa before fidUa^ and the lecond and third blows had been itnick as he lay on the floors- Although it waa evident that the Ant blow alone wM faftdent to canae death, the murderer had been anxious 4p complete hk work beyond any possibility of failure. W <*Th« some was most ghastly ; George's body lay in a , ^yool of blood, while the desks, chairs, Uble and wall, were spattered with Urge drops which had spirted out as |lie blows were struck. I shall never forget that terrible mdmAa%t And sometimes I awake with a horrible choking fsnaation, and think that I have just renewed the sicken* fog experience of that day. ' ^'Well, I immediately suspected that the murder had been committed to enable the murderer to rob the bank. I knew that George had no enemies who would seek his ^ife, and there could be no other object in killing htm Iniide the bank. The outer door of the vault stood tUghtly ajar, and as so)^n as I had satisfied myself that my nephew was dead— as indeed was evident, the body being quite cold— I sent ny clerk to call Mr. Rollo aid .:.! Mr. Bleed into the bank, while he remained aAtf door. I told him to send any perKm whom lie might see ontiidA for the sheriff and the coroner. As I was saying, the / vanlt door stood slightly ofieBi and when ihe otber, gR^^ ^^ ,j=*' -r^ r-,\'.-'*~ ^ l»,Jf TMM *r */ '"•' # 4»ti^^MN4MMtfLfsr. m tleni«n Joined mc I cidkd theur attcntioii to the potitbo of trerything before I «nter«d the vault. I found th« keya in the lock of the inner door, and on opening thl» latt«r we taw that everything intide wat in gnat coiw fusion. Without making any examination, I cloaed and locked both doort, and sealed the key-holes with tapt and sealing-was. J determined to leave everything jost iilllilWiUI the inquettshould f«lMii tltil^^ and coroner soon arrived, and a Jury was impancM immediately, a% by that time, the news had spread all over town, and the bank was surrounded bf nearly «U the best men In the place. In summoning the jury, th« coroner put down for foreman the name of Mr. DryidAle^ George's most intimate friend, but it was found that h^: was not in the crowd ouUide, and when they yent for hifll he begged so hard to be excused that he was let off. **The inquest ^ held in this room, but nothing was moved from the ^nk except the body and the canceling hammer. The ji^ elicited nothing more than what I have told you, and they therefore adjourned to await th« examination of 6ur vault when Mr. McGregor aad Mr* Bannatine returned, in the hope that some clue might bt found therein. I forgot to mention that we found inF George's hand a bill of the Planters* Bank of Geisha, of the denomination of one hundred dollars. It was ditched tighUy, and he had falleti on that side, so that the murderer had not noticed it. Here it is, partly stained with blood," and Mr. Gflfdon haodcd ^t « taJt^ note. He then continued : ** A messenger had been dispatched to inform Mr. Ban. natinc of the diMuter, and he amvvd in town almo^~ .' r. '^k^^- ■A •£ m PfJ^JCMM rOM*S DM TKCTTPB ttOifiMM. timuluncoutly with Mr. McGregor, who wm already on hia way home when the murder occurred. A» Mr. Ban- Badne b well acquainted with all the •ubiec^uent events, I prefer that he ihottid (ivt Um aowuAt oT 9or action •ince that time.'* ♦ ' It waa clearly very painful to Mr. Gordon to ulk upon tlie anbject of hia nephew '• murder, and Mr. Bannatilii^ willingly took op the thread of the story. He had pra^; tkcd at the bar so long that his style resembled that oi a witness under examination, a|^d he was always card^ul to give his authority whenever he sUted facts outside of his own observation. Hit testimony was of the greatest importance to me, and 4 |^ very fuU notes ae ^ J**^ along. • t«M>/ •• •'•;,-:•*' ;^ -l - %^i * • ''.••. « «V'«j i tt-m-ir r- yUli^*-* • -' --«»--, ^V ■*■■--?- - I '-, ,#;.• W ■■i CHAPTER II, iiRECEIVED th« intelligence of George Gordon*! murder about noon, by a Aiettenger from Mr. Gordon, I immediately rode into town and went to the bank* whin I arriTed aboat two o'clock. The inquett was not completed, but at the theriff't tuggcttion the Jurf adjourned until the next morning. The cause of deaths according to the testimony of Dr. Hartman and Dr. Lari* more, was concuAiion of the brain, produced by thrHr ' Mparate bkmt on the back of the head ; the blowt might have been dealt with the canceling hanimer, which, Mr, Gordon laid, had been found cloae by the body. The lattar wai removed to th« hotel preparatory to the funeral. ** Mr. Gordon, Mr. McGregor, and myself then pro- ceeded to open the bank, taking the sheriff to assist us in Marching for clues to aid in the detection of the crimi- nals. We first opened all the shutters to give as much light as possible. We then examined the interior of the bank ; outside of the counter nothing whatever was found, bat inside we discovered several important traces of the murdei^r. The fireplace showed that something had recently been burned in it The grate had been pev* fectly clean all sammer, and Mr. Gordon tells me such was the case when he left the bank at four o'clock. The Mm •I i ■ ^ «1 Iiaiacter of the athet— «f I am assured by expert cheia* f .^■aV, „...,.: \ iitt*-4«iioltd tMal clothing ha^ bttti burned, aikI white •gamiiiinc them I found Mv«ril buttoni ; heft th«y «i«," te added, producing four or flv« ifon tntttont, and tht * itfuirrwl remAtna of two or thnm horn buttoni. , , ^ While feeling Around in th« Ught Mhet twneath th« pMb** Vontinncd Mr. lUnnatine, **l found a picc« ct ' piptT twitted up And chArrtd At one end i its AppeATAnlit — indicAted thAt it hAd been used to light the Are in the grate. On unrolling it carefully, it proved to be A frag- ment of * note for $9^7.78; the lignAture, pArt of tlii date, and the amount of the nqte were left uncharred, but Moat of the upper portion wat whoUjr burned. The aig- aature waa that of Alexander P. Dryidale, our ettet^mc^ . %ounty clerk.- ■■ ■' %^,-— -*---'"^' ^ • • ' ^ .. . . Hl^ BannAtine here ihowed me this fhigment preaaed out between two oblong pitcea of heavy plate glaaa. I g^ced at it a few minutee, and then placed it betide t|lp|| buttona for future exAminatioii. ^ Among the few tcrapi of paper found," retumed l|l^ Banpatine, '>wa8 another one, which we found under George't body, aaturated with blood. The murderer had t. fvidently destroyed every pi«of of paper that he could find; but thii one had probably been lying on the floor, ^gnd when George fell, it waa hiddp by hit txxly. Thit,* ' and the note, were the only papert found op tf^e detka or •boat the floor of t^c bank which had^ aiiy,writiiig, upon tlicm; eren the watte paper baakj^ and t|i«ir cofiiftotf^ had been biuned, Here ia the p«|N^f Ijf^. Pifikertoi|r^ we have preterred it carefii^ly, beq^ we thoi^g^ tl^at '■ it n tigh t twggett lomcthing toa4^Yft|,tftQujfe'i>.b^.. ^I^^m^'m^^* ^'t .*■ . ...^ .. ... .- i «.% ■"t ".f • lit ^ndfd iii« the p«()er, ii Im ^poU. It «M • Hi^ ■letil of Utter paper, •hmit Ihivt bf dl iachee in ti^ib^ H WM ftttined A bffownlih red try poor fwa^g OpnSon't Ui!i« ' blood J but hencAth th« stain, were pkinly visible th«fi| markf of the murdered roan. It h«d ■ aumtier of flfur« ' on one tide, arranged like eiamplee in addition, though thejr wtfi •catt«red careletaljr, a« if he had bttn theckijg- lOf lalancea, and had used Ihia fragment to Ttitfy Ug •dditiona. The rtvtffic %{A9 waa blank. I Uid thii papff hrnkA* th« notOi tnd Mr Bannatine conti|itfed hia etoryi ,-,^W« **>«« opened the safe, and counted the iponeyl/ dlia was eaetljr done* tot we found that aU the looee tiwnif^ IWi PB% leaving only a imall quantity\of coin and % number of paekegea of bill*. Thete Utter were put uj^ in tote of Ave thouiand doUan eaCh, and were wrapped ii^ • bright red «»««"1 ^r,^ George had put up over oq« hundrtKl ttiU e^ee and ilfebM^ eaglei, were also missing. A few days after the murder, * ' one of Col. Gamett's slaves found two twcntydoUar gol■# > ■%mSR' M II /;» . .- ) . ' . .. '•' ' <^ • » J* e V (V I- > « •■ '- ;.i • ', ii. PtHKERTON'S DBtRCTtyB STORIBS, /,* from miles around, and there waa a general determination shown to ipare no paina to bring the murderen to luitice ; large rewards were offered by the Governor, by the bank, and by the county officiali, and some of the best detect- irefi in the country were employed, but all to no purpose. When the gold pieces were found, a number of George's * intimate friends organixed a party to search the adjoining woods for traces of the criminals, as.j^ was thought they might have camped out in that vicinity, before or after the deed. AH of George's intimate friends joined in the search, except Mr. Drysdale, who was so much overcome at the terrible occurrence, that he was quite prostrated. Nothing was found by this party, however; neither have the various detectives, professional and amateur, who have investigated the case, made the ■lightest progress toward a solution of the mysteiy. We have determined to make one more effort, Mr. Pinkerton, and therefore we have aent for you to aid us. It may be that you will see some trace which others have overlooked ; ' yott can take whatever stejpa you choose, and you need spare no expense libenlly, l^des^the rewards Offered. *'One of the rules of my Agency," t replied, ^forbida the acceptance of rewards; hence, I wish it understood in advance, that my onty charges will be accprding to my legnUr schedule of prices, and that I expect nothing more. This is my invariable culitom, whether the case be one of miirder, arson, bui^glar^, or simple theft; the number of detectives,«and the timle they are employed, win determine the amount I shall charge. We then arran^ the financial portion, of our a^pree- '<^-t .-a' f ' i,"' If you aie successful, we will pay yon itfe" • ■ '5 • THE DM TECTIVR AND SOMNAMBUUST. Wl »■ I. ment to our multial i»tiifactk>ni And I bcpui ngr >Ay^|i- >^^M>i ft*. T a ' l» e • »v;. ■■■ :; %■■':;■■.'/■ V-;. •:-■-. d Q ■ " i !■ ■:--;'^ ■; d ,--^ T ■:":;■: « t » le ^^ ;.• ^ .;4 ^ .V.:- - k' f.' ■ ■ ■ •'I gutioni. ''What detective! have you. hUhtitp emplojredi Mr. B»nnarine?"lMked. " * ' ** I first Uid the matter before two New York detect! vet, who had been highly recommended to me," he replied ; ''bat they could offer no satisfactory theory to work upon, ' and after stajring here three or four weeks, they said that Ihe murder must have been committed by tome membtf~^ of a gang of gamblers ; they thought the murderer would probably go to New Orleans to exchange his money, and that it would be easy to learn by going to that city, whether any gambler had had an unusual amount of money about that time. We were not very well satisfied with this theory, and so the detectives returned to New brk. We next engaged two detectives fipm New leans, but they were equally unsuccessful. Wit. then allowed the matter to rest until about a month ago, when fre heard such a favorable account of the manner in irhich\ you had conducted a case of great difficulty, tha| we began to discuss the propriet]!' of engaging you in investigating this affidr. The more we heard of you, the better we were satisfied, and finally, we authorized Mr. McGrejor to write to you on the subject."' ** Well, Mr. Bannatine, I shall do my best," X replied, "but you must not expect me to work miracles. Now, I am going to ask you a number of questions, and I wish yott to answeV them without regard to their appai^ drift. Who w^ George Gordon's intimate friends?" , "Mr, Flandei^ Mr. Drysdale, Mr, Patterson, and Mr, v| ff', /^, "^W M^ .Jk^ M%* v""t' ^ m riMXSSTON-S DBTECTirS STOKISS. ttenry Canithen ; 1 think Uwy wew the only onei he wu leall^ very intimate with ; isn't it so, Mr. Gordon ?" •*Vei; George had very few croniei," replied Mir. i^ Gordon. , ^ ; ' ^^ •* Who U Mr. Canithen ?" I asked. f He is the son of a wealthy planter living a few milM, ^ ftom town," repUed Mr. Bannatine. ^. *• Where was he the afternoon previous to the murder?" ••He came into the bank for a few^ minutes," said Mf." Gordon, " and asked George to spend Sunday with him on the planution ; then he rode home." jf Were there any strange men in or about the bank that ••None, so far at we could learn; neftriy every person i that I can recoUcct having seen that day was a customer f. or^towniman whom Ikncw^* '; ^^W*hfn George gave up carrying (he safe keys home with him, where did he leave them ?" /There ii a secret drawer in that desk, which opena by pressing this knob, thus," said Mr. McGregor, suiting : the action to the word; "we used to>eep the keys ''there. *'.':/:;■:."•■•.. .■,-•'>•,,,■ . '"'''''■'■'.■" 4.. ' - ^ DJd any one beside you four gentlemen know ons ^•P-^":- 'hiding place ?" • -'rM: ' ^ . ■ . ., ■ • ; ■ , ;, ^^ •■ W- w "■" **I am sure that no one e|ie knew it,** saia Mr. ■, McGregor, ■■v.- ■:■:,._.;; :-.;,:y*v.;, ■■.,.: ■.;:-.... .>,■'■ ■,; ' "Was it necessary for (^eorge to open thie •afe that, Qi^ or cottkl he have done his work without going into^ ■ . :J.h- the yaalt at all ?^::..^i..^-;:_v,- x^._iJi^^..L^-^-.;_,_^.._^_. ■ .' , a ^^-^ •* He had work to do on the journal and ledger, and he irwld h*ve to use the keys to get them out of the vault. :.* i I -'-^J^/mAr, *'-.■ > k ' rJ^£ bETECTIVR AND SOkifAMBUUST. M Me did n6t need to open the Inner lafe where the money was, however." -; '* Doet the ou^er Vattft Itey 6p«n both ddbti ?" "No; but they were kept on the same chain for con- venience." '*Were the ledger and Jouhialon George's desk when you entered the bank, Mr. Gordon ?" ^ "No, sir; they were put away in their isiual placii hi '#. the vault." . " Did they show any mailcy of blood ?" ** None at all; they were perfectly clean." "Could you tell from their appearance whether George done any work upon them that nig^t ?" " Yes ; I am sure he had done a great deal ; In fket \m had finished up all entries to date/' " We^ there any^fipapers missing besides die ^A^HOfff* ^'^ Yes ; one or two bundles of old checks, drafts, etc, were used to assist in burning the murderer's clothes, tlieywere fastened in packages with fine wire, and ne found the wire in the grate." "Then this note, signed 'Alexinder P.* thyidite,' might have been gijilled out of one of these package!?" "I suppose 80 ; I don't know where else it came from ; do you, Mr. McGjegot?" udd Mr. Gordon, rather .bewildered. .;..:; ;■■'■;-,,•■,■'■ ■■.:.■,..■. " No ; 1 never thought about where it came ffbm," isU Mr. McGregor. " I suppose the man built a fire of old papers and the fragments of the wast^ |»iiper bksk^ and then used that note to set theni on fire from the lattip." "There were no papers of any value used, then ?" I continued. 1' %\ \ W'f -\ II PiNltSMTOirS DBTMCI^VM STOMiMS, -01^ tio ; the papm were old bundle., merely kept u archives of the bank/* * - . ■ I thei picked up the note and glanced at it ; ai I dkl .0. ^wnething caught my eye which .ent theJ>lood^»»~J; bing through my vein, at a feVerUh n>e«l. Enough of the date remained to .how that it wat drawn .ome time during the ye^r of the murder, hence it could hardly be one of the archive.. Be.ide.. a note, if Ipaid, wouW be ^ returned to the maker, canceled; if unpaid, it would be kept among Jhe biU. receivable, in the inner ttfe; m neithte ca.e could it have been .towed away wnong the old check* and draft.. Thi. reawning pawed through my mind quickly, and I realized that that littie pieceof ^ paper might pUy an important part in the tragedy aftet ^OL I did not form any definite theory on the in«tanV^ but rtiU I had a K>rt of pre.entiment that I had touched a .pring which might open the window, of thi. dark myatiry and let in the light of da^. I did not .how What I thought to my companion., but continued to Mk queations. ^ . -j ** Wa. Mr. Patterwn in the bM* the day of the murder, |fr.Gordon?" , ^^ ^ Oh, no; he wat not in thi. part of the country at thi| time- he hii been in MobUe for wme week.." ^- #r "I under»tood you to wy that Mr. Flander. went\ilO further than the private door with George; ^ .« ■:-^'f^'' le »f Ml rk »w ik I'-. ■■ -v- Ult ■ .\f. : ' 4 ■".. ■ • ", ,M*-f-'"r, • . :' no UbC" ■'.: *.. ■ -^^ '"*i •' \ y > rge a".- ■ to the B . too ^ ' ^„ r« DMTMCTiyE AND SOMNAMBUUST, %\ buiy to entertain Itim. Mr. FUnden then ouhe straight hack to my store ; but he said at the inquest that he heard George lock the door behind him, and that he saw no one Around the building." ; * k v, , . * ;^ "Do you know anytliing about his circumstances «t that time ? Was he in need of money ?" ^ ^ : **No, indeed; he had a large balance to his^re ■■ '--^ •;,'■. ,^ . • Mr. Mctiregor immediately examined the ledger for tiic previous year, and reported that the balance due Mr. Flanders at the time of the murder, was over iwehre thousand dollars, v. . ^ , .•^ You see, Mr. Pinkerton," he,wen^ on to tay, **we balanced our books up to^ that date, and thus we know Just how each person's account stood that day." s^ ^ "Well, did you fi^d that any of those gentlemen, who wdre in the habit of entering the buik after business hours, were in debt to the bai|k, or that they wer« leramped for money at that time?" I asked, carelesilyr • "i« »inountt laid; "iuit gi« "« . memortaaoBi o « lUnding to each one'i credit- ^ j, -Who- «xi-»t. .hi! w. give T«~ """^ >„ , McG«go,. e«d.«tly wondenng -»»» object I h«l •'^en-let «.»»». tho« of Mr ^^'"•'^'■^ • ^ . «^ Mr Dmdiae.MdMrOm.then; d».»«tm«^ pMtefion, Mr. uiywrnie, •"" c. j -..He «nv lo«n . Vnmr whethec .nr of thoK gentUmen h«l made any loan , know wneinci •"/ i- ., ^_., „d if to, the amount, ftom the b«.k during that yea., and « , date, etc., and whether a note w^ given, or .ecunty ''L^'IkGteBor, «ia the other two gentlemen. We« Mr. MctfTcgor, •— implied n,«^.i;L ftta^»; Carathera, t8i7.48. •»« '" J* r^o, nC of them h-J made lo«» ftom *e bank. eicei« '-F" , j^ ^^^ ^e gave no •^"^ hT^t^fX .mount. None or the o.h«. note, ai he wm goou \w »t»j -^ illd gi^ . not* »o *« "^ »' *" ""^ °"? ^1 « ^tao*n. for »«:;«p' J .^ uke me into the ••Now. ffentlemcp, I •«<»» P»««^ "** .^ «,*»-« tJlIirowmee-ctlyhowth. P--'^^. mI! Gordon fi.4 diacovered that G««ge h«d »*» »« *^*krd»n roae with gr^t^^ «H^ Mr. Wttoon iw- »- -Uh the main hwik. I* eonnecting the pnTate o«ce wnn uie u ■ ' .1 1 '' 1 ■ ' m\ ' ■■' ■ v» ■■:^"J i^ ■■ ■ ,; • .■- ■ ""'< ■ ■'■^/' ■ 1 ' \:x '~i'~ t the . rhen , inix^ .'■■>■ - ' ■' V ■ r^/'^^ - , ; .i4:l door _^.^_.,_ r It," ;"■„■■;. .• . 1 1 r •\ H T»E DBTECTtVE ANDSOMNAMBCUST, M Wii vMtm&f Tery patnAiI to hiii\ but he did not i brink. Turning to me, he Mid : **Mr.^Pinkerton, let Mr. McGregor go ftrtt, and light the Ifmp; I will then proceed Juit aa I did that morning, and will point out the exact position of ererything in the bank." . ", Mr. McGregor accordingly lighted a large lamp, which threw a loft radiance over the whole ,in^rior, and the . two moved the furniture into the position in which it had be^ found on that fatal morning. Mr. Gordon then showed me the exact position of the body, the spot where the paper lay, the canceling hammer, and the blood-marks. After I had been shown everything, I itood and thought over the matter in connection with the surroundings, aiiid endeavored to re-enact the scene of the, murder in my own mind. Bit by bit, I brought apt fome of the surroundings to my own satisfac'tiolA an4 wj[ien I went bfu:k to the private office, I had a well- define4 theory in my mind. Not that I had so narrowed down^my suspicion^, as to fix them upon any particular individual ~T I had not yet gone so far -^ but my theory was (ully established, and I felt sure that by working it up carefully, I should soon discover some traces of the guilty party. The ofl^cers of the bank followed me In lilence, and on resuming our seats, \ said : "Gentlemen, I wish to take a day to w^igh'the testi- mony in ithia case, before I can give you any opinion abo4t it I would like to take this note, the memorandum, and the buttons to my room, and tD>morrow evening I win jteil yon what conclusions I have leached, la that satis* H A' HKwryr ■ ■■■I '.v. '-. .""! ,'« 3 ■ ' ' - '. * 1 ' » • 1 - 1 ^ «*.- \ I- K 7 x ■ • (. M PINKMTON'S DM TMCTIVM STOM/MM. "Ceruinlr: we do not »ith to pfoe««« l« h**^ »'• Wnkerton." .«d Mi. B.nn.UD. ; " « irill m«« yoo th«l mi the Mune hour to-morrow. . 4- - « I do not wi.h to ««n impatient." t^d Vr. Oorfon. •b«t cMi you not tell m. now whether you »^« °bt^»~ J^due ftom wht w. h.« told you. which will enable •ou toleammote?" / / .^ , _i i.^ ,« ' m. Gorfon-. »xiety w« «r ke«. th« 1 wiAed to .diere hi. mind «>mewh.ti but. on the other h.nd^ *d not wi.h to r«« hL. hope. unnece.»nly, le.t wm. •nfore«en thing might occur to overthrow my th«o.J tetirely. I lepUed, therefore : • , /.,. *-Mr. Gordon. I m.y think I h.« . eta. •«•. ^ «, man.™ reflection. m.y P"ve worthl.-: hence. J rtiould prefer to Uke .d.y. before P™? "l^.^""^. *..Yo« «e righ.; Mr. Pinkerton." he .-d, '' I ^ fcelwor- to h.Te my Hope. r««a. only to be d-hrf *wn agdn. th«. if I h«l never "P~^ »'?'?* TAe your own time, md then let u. know the ««»«'v^. - -There Ire two queetion. mote, which I would Uto Vn.wei«d." I itid. «Wm it po«n>le for «iyi««m » have enteted the bM* by force? ThM i.. were there w h.„ ,i«ibly gpuned entwnc dnrmgCeowe. t»a>ck -Ho/; none t dL The .henff made . T«T «»«« ennOMtion of dl the window.. «.d both doon, tejlied Mr McGregor. " He thought that . g»g oT gmbta»»<^ who topped here a few week^ might have «.d mw«» rV k^f the ride door after 0«»ge h«l lo^J^- Wia^ t h^ had the n rtol e a upon George, at htt deifc. ,■• "■* -7 ",J •\\ rjrjr pmrMCTiVM amd somumMbvust, and killed him ; but, thtre wtrt , no evidcncet UuU tudi wu the case.'* , '. js * -H^. "Well, Hid Uiy one, except yqu three genUemcn, know . t^ private signal bjr which thoM inside the i)ank could - tall that the person at the door, waa one of thf tma fc officers?'* t^ ; 4 .** I am not sure about that," said Mr. Gordon ; ** poMibly ' "iome of oyr well-known friendi might h«fi bten with at when we gained admittance to the bank, bi^t I caaaot M^ that I think they ever learned the signal.* ^**You think, however, that Patterson, Drysdale, Flan* Mrs, or Caruthers, mtgA/ have khown it?" "Yes; in fact, on thinking it over, I feel quite sure that Mr. Patterson and Mr. Drysdale di4 know it." "WelVI don't think I have any moK questions to •ak," I said. "I shall be here prom|)tly at eight o'clock to-moiTow evening, and if you should wish to communi- cate with me before that time, send me a message, and I wiU call at the bank. This wiU not attract attention, aa my business is supposed to be cotton buying, aoil a riait ' at the bank will not be considered unusual." I then took charge of the papers, etc., and went to my n»m at the hotel. I mcr^^ glanced at the buttons, arid— ^ bank note, hastily, as I knew ih^ could serve only aa corroboratory evidence in the event oTobtaining a weak chain of proof. I then tumei to^the note, which I ■ studied long and carefully. I 4a8 Ahvinced that it wat ^ of recent date, at the time of the murder, although only the last figure of the date was visible. I finally looked over the blood-stained piece of paper,,which George had \ n e arly cove xt d w ith figures. I »w at a glance, that there w * M piifKBHTOifs Ditraerivn sroKtMa. «, M ,..*», «««« o» U, bu. I b.«« « to o«r hto «,„«. h.>f m.dunic^y. ««uUy folte-.ai W. •d<»"'o'S to verifjf it ' ' . i_.,«« 8u atked him to write the name and addrett of iopie reliable cotton factor in my note-book, and he complied very willingly /\ I theo returned to the hotel, and patiently waited untiT eight/ jj'dock. .a, • ;. . . / ■<■* X fr ^\ , ^ tl ' .^ii J0- *i' -jA-* - + 4*/ Z-^: GMAfrMM 4* tl4 ON going to the Unk I found lh« thrw gtnllcroen •waiting mc m««t w.ioutlr. AlUf th« u«i*l p^ng we wratad min^Ww at the tabU. I tftwiged my MM fof coiit«ii«il wftwuci. and b«^» •»*«« •f «*€kiitkW I h*ve ipproached thii ciie with « great 4M af.<^ Md Have given it much thought. 4«d« ftOBi^th* importance of the inter«.tt involved, there aw JS ^iimhit which render me cwjtioui in forming and Sk^d^B ; other detec t»^e» of ainttty and experi- .2S^Yt pttn baflled; ttvetal moiitha have eUp«d Si thi'^ifimw weft committed ; and, laatty, the theoiy ^L^iclr I have i«aK«ed hai led me in wch a direo- tiotfWt nothing but th« itrongeat conviction in my own nihldVouW warf«nt me in making the tatement whichl^ «m nbw about to gi^ yw. Let me flrtt, then, review th#f caK, and show the chain of evidence aa it appcw* to m«: «'G«orge Gordon appeaia to have l)een a young man of more than average •«»••* »>«^ officer; he wai ttodoui in hit habits aaJWhii particular time he had- racenUy been ipecially amtion«l by Mr. McGregorj oottMqaently it it likely that he^would have been unuitt- ■fl y ou e fol to a dmit on l y tf > 0M with whom he waa very weU acquainted. Again, the portion of the furniture end the appeanmce of the blood-mariHb #m thatj^wrgt ,? *\ > 1 # bablx short of funds | ' lltnca I conclude thai he waa paying it pyt. It ia ako clear that the antounA muiit have been large, aa ahown |^ ttw denoroinatloQ jUit tht biU^ — one hundred ckMlara. ^ *Thea« facts ind Inferences lead me to b«)i«ve the murdewr waa a pencmal friend of Georgs, aod tomer of the bSnk ; and I may aay that I had reached thip concltiaioii yeaterday evening, while listeniag to the U^itimony of ymi three gentlemen, before I had dia(U)vercd any cortobofltivt evidence. I will now givf lonae of tlM additional poinu which I have brought out itnce then; but I wish that you would flnt tell me whether thii ai§> nature is genuine," I taid, potnttng to Akiaader P. I)i]rt- dile's name on the note^ **Oli, yes; there is no doabt of that," laid Mr. McGregor; *'I am perfectly familiar %ith hit signature. And there is no question in ny mind but that he signed tiiat himself" ^ ''Well, gentlemen, I will now make np a possible aM% tad you can see how nearly it compares with the present' matter. I will suppose that a man of wealth, refinemei^ md r**«* ioo, should becoBMf-crampcd for money to sui ipplyi V If is il^pate wifcl^^ihe officers of # ^^^. '•■} « 0' .0^ • •N ^ •i * s f ■^ - v^ wealthy bank; he goei there one evening and it admitted by hit friend, the acting cathier. He explain! hit embar^ rsMment, and *hi8 friend agrees to lend hitn the amount Vliich he requires. The friend completes his work, putl Away hu books, and figures up the amount needed. The borrower has a small balance to his credit, and he gives a note for the difference. Then the teller opens the safe, brings out a roll of bills, and begins to count out the iHnount. The safe door is left open, and the visitor seer~ within the piles of bank-notes and the rouleaux of gold. ■ A fortune in cash is within his grasp with only a human life standing in his way ; his perplexities and embarrass- ments come upon him with added force as he sees the means before him by which he may escape their power to annoy him. Like Tantalus, dying of thirst with the water at his very lipsy^this man gazes on the wealth piled up in that uit. Glancing around, he sees his friend slowly ootmting the paltry hundreds he is to receive ; dote by lii{8 a heavy weapon, heretofore used for ipnocent busi- ness purposes ; another glance into the safe and insanity is upon him ; his brain is a perfect hell of contending palaions ; again the thought flashes into his mind— 'Only a life between me and that money.' He seizes the heavy hammer and deals his victim a tdrrible blow behind the tax; as the latter falls lifeless, the murderer strikes him twice more to make sure that there shall be no witnetfes to testify in the case. The deed is done, and there remaini nothing to prerent him from seizing the contents of tbe safe. But firsts he must protect himself from the danger of discovery; to this end he carefully riemoves his bloody dothingi gathers every vestige of paper within ./.., ' ttiA' TMADMTMCTiyjk AND 9MiNAMBUUST, ' «t tight, «iid breaks up th^ watte paper baskets for fu«L He needs more flame, however, and he taket teveral packaget of old papert to i(nake the flre fiercer; then hit eye falls on a slip of paper lying on the desk, and he twittt it nervously into a lighker to convey fat from the lamp to the matt of material in the fire-place. The flame it ttarted, and soon the clbthes are reduced to athet. Stealthily he packs the packages of biUs and the lollt - -of coin, and when he hat taken as much as he can carry, f he slips noiselessly away, lekving no trace of his identity. Naone has seen him entei or depart ; his position is far above the reach of suspicion; every clue hat been dettroyed in the fire-placi and no witnett to hit guilt .can possibly be raised^p. So he thinks; and as month after month passes, as detictive after detective abandoni the case in despair, as the ezcitemen|». diet out in the public mind, and as the friends of the deceased appar- enrty giye\ip the hopelesJ task of seeking for the mur- derer, his confidence becoines comi>lete, and he no ^g y r fean detection. *But tt^I when his victim ftOl a bkxxly corpse at hit feet, was every witness destroyed? No, gentlemen; helplest and lifeless as that body fell, it yet had the power ^ to avenge itself. The right liand Convulsively gratpt A bank note, and' it it hidden from tight by, the poiition attumed in felling; a tlip of white pi^r dotted with |vfigure8 at r^dom, it alto covered, and it quickly tatu* rated with blood ; a fragment of paper it found below the giate, twisted to tightly at to have burned only in part ; lattly, the direction of the blood-tpirtt thow that the firtt Wow WM ttrogc on the left tid^ Now, gentlemen, ^ \- * .. -: -\ I i .%' rJJfXiRTON'S DETECTIVE STORIES. you think you am read the teitimony of Uieie iritnesiet ?" ^ - \ ^ V **My G• ■ ••Gentlemen," I replied, solemnly, ** 1 have formed no hasty fondusion in this matter, and I should not accuse lily man without the strongest reasons for believing him guiky; but I think that when I have connected together the liriks which I have gathered, you will agree with me in the moral certainty that George Gordon was murdered by Alexander P. Drysdale, and no other." ♦*Go on, goon, Mr. Pinkerton," said Mr. Gordon, in great exdtemoit. "It seems impossible, yet there ar© toKie slight fancies in my mind wMch seem to confirm that theory. Tell us all your conclusions, and how you 'have arrived at them." ,''.''• -"-■:■_ .^■'■':^. -•',-" v':'' : :/"«i^-. ** WcU, first, I am satisfied tiiat only a particular friend would have been admitted to the ba^ by Geoige tiiat ni^t; second, the btowwas struck from behind, on tii# left tide, showing tiiat tiie murdeiwr was probably lcft# httided. Mr. Drysdale satisfies boUi of these conditions; I Tisited him to^y and saw lum write an address in my notft-book with hu left hand. Third, I have here a noir fi>r $9S7.78^ signed * Alexander P. Drysdale ;* the signap tm c y yon i i y, is genuin e, and fi | rt h cry yon told me yeitcf- S!?*' . J* THB DBTECTIVR AND SOMNAMBUUST. ' dtjr tftikt yoa luul lurt held a nota of Mr. Drjndale't for •ome yean. On reflecdon you will tee that this note 1^^ could not have been taken from the packages of bank archives which were burned, for it never could have been put there; moreover it is dated '1856/ and must have been made *;fl|||^® ^^ 7^'* '^* V^ ^▼^ >^ record '* of such a noflPPI^er that it was drawn the night of the ■' murder. Fourthly, I have conclusive evidence of ihalii fact in this slip of blood-stained paper," and so saying, I ' produced <* the slip upon which George had done his ..■;. figuring. :;-■•;■-,:,. ,^^,/.:^.j . /..^ ,;:••■ ^■■, , :.-;,;,^:... "How! where 1" exdaimed niy listeners. " :,»;^^ .^ : **Near the bottom of that paper you will find in Ughl pencil marks three numbers arranged like an example in ::7: subtraction, while the rest are all additions in ink. The figures are: first, 1,251.00; then, 384.29; and 997./# • below the line. Mr. Drysdale's balance was 1324.33, and the amount of tiiis note bearing his signature is 11997.78. It looks to me as if he wanted to draw 11,959.00, and that George subtracted the amount of his balance in bank, \ 11394; 9 3, from the amount he wished to draw, J , $1,359.90, and that Mr. Drysdale then gave his note fimr . the difierence, $997^78. Whatdoyou thinkof my witness, gentlenien ? >, The three gentlemen put their heads together over tl . ■ ,4. paper long enough to convince themselves that the fi were realfy there, and then they resutned their seats silence. I had watched their faces carefully as I . my conclusions, and had seen their e3q;>re88ion8 c from incredulity to uncertainty, th<^ to amatementy .le/7 1 Replied ; *' the fearch haa hitheito ||{f^|nost impossible thathei should be guilty ;l>li^ \ vn the lace of the strong array of acciia^g circwtiitanoM ' dtMl by you, Mr. Pinkertdn, t ci^ only say; .'Gp on with, your woirti in your owti way.' The innocent have . jBOthing to fear, an^ the guilty deserve iip mercy." ' ' / "Amen," luid both the other gentlemen.^ , ;; -f J *«What1s your pUn?" aiked Mr. Gordon.^ ^ Well, gentlemen," I replied,, " I biave been struck with ' idme' strong points of resemblance between Drysdale and one of Bulwer^s characters, Eugene Aram. You are . aware^ that the only evidence we can bring ^gainlt ,. ;, Drysdale, is circumstantial, ■ and tl^t We could hardly obtain an indictment on the stren|^ of it| still lesf a conviction for murder. Besides, there .tr a laifF iunouitt 'm^ money at stak^, and it^is deinrable to recover that / liimey, a^ well at; to omviei'the murderer. We muat,. ^■ir •J*. A. 0. Ik ;::| ' ^ ■^ c ■ 4 4 f^y^'.i^^pw^HP" 9 m ^INXEMTON'S DfTMCTiVM STOMiBi, proceed, therefore, with peat cAutkm, lett we delutt. our . own plant by premature .action. I have arranged m •cheme to obtain a direct proof of Dryidale'a guilt, ' and with your content, I will pot it in operatic inoM- . diately.'* ' •■ '■'•■i* •'•.■...,•'■■'.";■'•:»«: 'tit. •'•■t- I then gare the detailt of my plan, and the gentle- ^ ; men,' though tomewhat nenrout at to the rwulti fina^y f cquietced in it. • ^ The next morning, I left Atkinson, for Chicago, where . I duly arrived, tomewhat improved in health, by , my Southern trip. I immediately tent for Timothy 'Webtter, one oC my mott expert detectivet, to whom I gave fill] charge of the cate in Atkinton. I explained to him, all the circumttancef connected with it, and / ^- inttructed him in the plan I had arranged. Mrt. Kate > Watne, and % young man named Green, were attigned to ^ aititt Webiter, and aU the necettary diiguitet ami clothing, were prepared at thort notice. -^v V Mrt. Wame wat the fint lady whom I had ettt f .employed, and thit wat one of the earUett operation! ;^^in which the wat engaged. At a detective, the had no Superior, and the wat a lady of tuch refinement, tact, and ditcretiofi, that I never hetitated tio entmkt to her tome of my mott difficult undert^ingt. It will be underttood by the reader, that each deteetSft made dally reportt to me, and that I conttantly directed ' the operation by mail or telegraph. Thit hat always . been my invairiM}le custom, and no important ttept are ever taken without my order, unlett circumttancet thoold OGpiirw|iich #ould^ not admit the delay. ■J V . ■ .-■■ m: ■ 'W V . A;. " • ■■■ - X « ^ , • « ■ ' , '■'1 ' ''.* • f ^ ■»' • •''^_-f9tf. ■r ,., . V ■■•,. Mj^ < * ,• ■ 1 i "" 1 • i: ■' •■■■.*"- ■ l'.^ .\ . \ CffAPtSX IV. t,^/^. ■'.:■,■•• ■■ ■..•";u- 4'- ■■.■■■['' te'V^,". BOUT *A week After my departure ftoih Addntoii, i gentleman arrived there by the evq^ing train, and Wtnt to the hotel. . He waa in inteltigent,'ihicwd; AgiM- able busmeti man^ about thirty-five yeara old* «Dd lii impreaaed all who made hia acquaintance, aa a gentUnmui of ability and energy. He aigned the regiater, aa ' }6bg^^ M. Andrewa, -Baltimore/ and the landlord aoon learned ftom him that he had come to Atkinaon to reaidit perma« nently, if he could get into buaineaa there. Mr. Andjrewt waa evidently a man of conaiderable wealth, though 1m madf no oatentatioua diaplay, nor did he talk about hk ptoperty aa though he cared to impreaa upon other licoj[)to the idea that he waa rich. StiU, it came^ be genefa%' underatood, in a few daya, thit he had made quite a fortune, aa a cotton bidter^ in Baltimore, and that he hid • conaiderable aum in caih toinyeat,whM adeainl^ opportunity ahould offer. Thia fact,- to Jher Jwith. hia Agreeable maanera, made hia society quite an acquiaition to^the town, and he waa abon on familiar terms with aU the regular boardera in the hotel* and. with many promi- nent reaidenta of the place. '^ ■ ) ^ Some daya /after Mr. Ai^drewa arrived the liotd .received another equaDJ^pop^dtf gueat. She gave her name, aa Mra. R. C. Potter, andher object 'in yiaiting Atkanson, waa to improve her health. She was accom* V \- _$,__ • J — « . HHKRnTOIt^S DBTBCTiVM STQMiMM. panied by her father, Mr. C. B. Rowell, a finoiilooking, white-haif«d old gentlenuui, but he remained only long •nough to set htr comforubly lettled, and then returned to their home in JackaonYiUe, Florida, aa hia tmainrte uired hia imti>fMiiftti» preaence there. Mra. Potter wu a dibtfnguahed lodking brunette ; ahe waa a widow with no chUdren, and ahe might h«ve paaaed for thirty yean of age. She was UU and graceful, and her entertaining c- 'f •\ '.f- V •-V. ooDYenation made her a general favorite among the ladies •*Haveyoamether,Mrt; Potter?" * "^^Not yet, though I have heard of her, so frequently, that I fed almost asif 1 knew her.** • "Well, I think you will like ench other very much," i - laad Mrs. Rkhtqr, " and we will introduce you to her." | On reaching the gate, therefore, the ladi«s presentecl^ 'llfis» Potter in due form. - — **I have bfen intending to call on yoy; Mrs. Potter," - ■ '^V- ■ :yf ■'^,, -rjiw nMracTtrM and somnambuust. Mid Hit. E>rfMl«k, ** but my youngett child hit not well, ind I have i^t gobe anjrwfaere fbr,wir«iml w^cki. In Ctct, I «m quite « hom^ body «t all timet, «nd I always tipect my frtendi to waive cemnony, and vitif me • great deal more than I viait them. I hope you will not wait for me, If n. Potter, for my domettic aflain keep ni« very busy Just n^; I ahaU be glad to lee you i^y l^pM that you feel Uke dropinng &." '* I ihall b^ very 'glad to diapenie with formalitiet," anawered Mn. Potter/" and you can depend upon tefing me aoon." , ' ' After aome further conversation, the three ladies returned .their homeward 'walk, leaving Mn. Orytdids atill waiting for hier husband; He was soott tetn by th« ladies, rapidly walking up the street toward his hom«i. Hs was on the opposite side, so that he mtrely burned to them, and hastened on. i ^*ir^ *' There, ieems to have been quite a change in Mr. D.rysdale during the last year," said Mrs. Richter. " My husband was speaking of it the otl^er day. He said that Drysdale was becoming really unsociable. I hope he ii not growing d i ssi p a ted , for the sake of his wiDe, wly» It a lovely ^oman.'*> ■ ■ ;^- A./ ::•■-''-•:■ ':■■■-■■■"'■'":-'■: '\:±: ' ■'.: > ^Yes; she seems to be a most devoted wife and^ mother,'' siaid Mrs. Pottet. ''Possibly, tiie chenge in Mn . I^ryidale, is due to^bnsineu troubla." - '^Ojit no; thiat is impossible," said Mrs. Townsend; ''he is very wealthy indeed, and as he is not engaged in any regular business, he cannot be financially embarrassed: No, I attribute his recent peculiarities, to religious doubts ; he h as n o t been to ichurch since lait faU." — — ^^-^ m V- \ ^ *=■*! without rtac «| Iff, ili|idak> s ' . i, . - ; *lllt W loBf M thitr asked Mn. Rkhltr, ''- \ n.Yfij I ficoUcct it, Ymtmim ht- did not go to tht ifciimJ oT poor 0€ortt Qiidop, lad kt iMii aot itttt^^ jtrncc itoce then." 7 ^ *• W«ll, if h« really it in religiotit trouble, the miniiter * lioght to viMt him and give him advice," said Mra. Richtw. Ai thty iwOfciAlWP^ tJM botel. they turned the «»- oonclufioa Hi It gi^ ' Jricitiea. • •*■ "Vv -' ' ' ' ^- K Urn Sift thftAw Mi.. Potter caUed upo* Ifn. - DryMlale and paMed the afternoon very pleasantly. -^ When Mr. Drysdale came home he was very poUle and ^tgOMtWe; he •ccmed glad to find hii wife en)oying Kerself, and when Mrs. Potter roselo go, both hutbMMl f luid wife urged her warmly to come frequently. ** I am going out to my planution in a day or two,** laid Mr. DiYsdale, "and I hope you wiU visit my wife while I am gone, as I am afraid she Mjw kmesoiit, . •* Who are yOu going with ?" asked Mfl. t)rysdal«, ** There is a gentleinan from Baltimore, sUying at the hotd," lepUed Mr. Drysdale, "and he talks of investing 7^ tone money in land, so I thought I wduld take htm out to see BrUted's old place next to mine. It is ^oiiiR to ruin now, but if a man like Mr. Andrews would tako it,he could make it pay. He seems very intelligent and agree- able ; I suppose you have met him, Mrs. Potter?** _ _ ^* Ob, yes ; he was introduced to me the first we^ I WIS here,'* replied Mrs. Potter. " He seems to me to be a Southern gentleman with a good deal of real Yankee rm JurMc^irM jufo sommammuu9t. p "TliAt ts my optnion, *lto, " taid Mr. Drytdale. " An4 if h/t buyt Britted't pUc«, h* will job bi« in' toiMl iiiiprovf»«fiti which wn much ii«cd«d." •* W«U, gwjd afternoon, !<«, Diyidala," laid Mr*. PoW. tar { ** I am foing out bonwbacfc riding in a day or two, aod^ perhaps I will ttop her* a few minutes on my way bach." *« Do lo, Mn. Potter; we thaU be ddighM to ••« fou. Good af to On Mn. Potter's return to the hotel, she stayed in th< ptrlor for some time, and as Mr. Andrews came in after, they had a pleasant Mt-m-Uit before going diniMKi ■ — ■ The oeit nsoming Mr. Andrews went out to get a ctb* tnet-roaher to make a small book-case for his room, and the hotel clerk directed hiih to the shop of Mi. Breed. The latter said that he was very busy, indeed, but that hf 09uld gtt a young man who was boarding with him to d8 the job* ^ /^ ** la he a good workman ?" asked Mr. Andrews. f ** I t^nk he is," replied Breed, ** though I am not siim| •t he came here only day before yesterday from Memphitt He hat served his time at the trade, however, and he ought to be able to make a book-case neatly." I ** Well, send him over, Mr. Breed, and I will give hi ft tiiid. By the way, who was that gentleman that jutt pasied ? I have seen him several timea^ but have never met him in society.** «* That was Mr. Peter A. Gordon,*' said Bleed. **H« boards at the hotel, also, but he rarely minglei wflh other ■aen ea c e o t in b usineit -** - — "I am aurpriied at that," Mr. Andi ew i r e mar ke d, "f or w .-^ 'h« •pf»€*r. Iftt t niiW*t»f |«tW ««P%| ii|*» ^ •^ k 'T. ,»hi^'t m«fdi^ UtI ftOI; lit •^•'•f- •««* •» ^"^ aocUbUi and hmpitaWt, but iww h« twmi tqo much cMl down to c*<« fof tocicty. Vo^ may haire h«ani of tN >^«dftil mwiiief in whkii young Oforfi iio^ Wll^ ' nittrdef«d ?** • «- •« , u.. „ . ,_/ -Oh. y«; T«eolt^- teM Mf Andfwt "tht a»^ . cumtUAcM were reUted to me lOon after I arrived hei^r George Gordon teemt to hanr been a fine young fellow^ •ad I doiit wonder the old gentleman moumt hli !o«, ^ He WM one of the moat promiiing young men I eirer Ifttw," taid Mr. Breed, warmly ; "and tpeaking of poor Oeofge, remindi me that I noticed a itfong retemblance to him in thia young workman boarding with me. Oidl- Barily I would not hate perceived it, but y^teiday ht .tipped on a coat of mine, which waa Juit like the on. George umkI to wear, and the likeii«a waa remarkablt. -You were one of the firat at the bank tiM d^y BttM: the murder, were you not, Mr. Breed ?" '^ k_^v, ^ Y«i ; and it waa a dreadful aighU Jft li| iroilderM . . . ^j qI mind ;' ♦ • bow Mr. Peter Gordon retained hii , be did not break down until he found thtt there waa no bope of diicovering the murderer." ^ / ^ _^:^.. ♦* Wti no one ever lutpected ?" aaked 1ft. Aaonm, > Oh, yea; several perwni were arreat^d-gambkri Mid loafeir-but they all proved their innoceijce eontlii. •i▼«l^'* ' "^ • ; J^ Mr. Andrew! ahow cd conaiderable intetear ip m W^'~' TttM MTienra mho mmirMmtvuMT,, iiardcf, aim! Mr. HnMKl raktcd iiPQRlLw<*« tmovn tbof^ It WImi he wM ibout to go, •WtM, it it • ymj my«t« •iirtm««d th«t Mr. (k>rflo« it to •ccne mutt b« Alwayt befor« him. \\j th« wa)r, ckm*! I«l your jroung man dreM in gray, wh€« h« coiii«t to my 9t>Qm \ I ihouid be (xmUnually haunted with a tu^pidoil and I am not' cd: that horrthto **?!•••« don't tp«ak of that to any oii«," taid Mr. Brtod, conAd«nttall)r ; ** I ought not to havt mentionod tt nyiclf, for young Ortf n w*a frightened n«arly ottt of hii wita abottt it. Ai I laid teforo, when he wean Ilia •vtry-day tlothea, no one would notice any apecial .resemblance, but in that particular Myle of dtjj^ the likenew waa really alafming. fie was to tcarec^rniMt t|i fVitore^ be will take great care not to bf leea in aay "^lothet like thOie of poor George." . ''Of course, I shall not foention the matter," M|d Mr. Aodrtwii V Mad liiia over tbia aflcmooii." .'^^-^ f^ "~ - *» '■'.■» » _i: , ' l.i-.:_. ■ '■ ■--■■ .^L- A^ §^''^ fh »1 -^ s ^ 1^ ,1^ * f >*.:* ' Mf »» l» *. P ^/M?))* 'Wi »i '^ /■'' O CB AFTER V. ON leaving Mr. Breed, ^x, Andrewt paid a visit to Mr. Drysdale, at the Utter'i office. ••I hope I thaU not interfere with your woilc, Mr. . Drysdale." he laid. " I am an idler for the present, but .1 try to reipect the business hours of others, and so, if I disturb you, let me know it.'\ ,; , J? ••Oh! not at all, I assure you," said Mr. Drysd^lc, warmly. **I am nelrer very busy, and just now, there * h notWng whatever to do. Indeed, I wish I had mor? to do— this lack of steady irork wetfrs upon me. I peed lomething to keep my mind constantly occupieds*t ,w Mfhat i» where you and I diflfcr," said Andrew*; **I bave worked pretty hard for twenty yews, and^now I am wUUng to tid^e a rest. I don't wish to.be wholly idle, buV I like to give up a good part of my time to recreatiwL^f *I uie^to fed sflt too." said Piyi^4ri% ^*J^1 thoughte were far away; thei^h* a4ded, hastUy.'aa if^ 'lecoUccting himself: " I mean thai I have felt so at times, but I always need to come bade to hard work again. Will* you 1^0 ready to go out|to m^ plantation next ■-■'.Mondayr r- :■■•-,- •■-.-■. v^^.,-; • ; '■''■■'■ ''-'^''''^^ ••Yes; Monday will suit me as well as any other day," replied Andrews. "When shall we rtftum?" « * I had n o t, intend e d to rem ai n there more .than three •^.■ » m, ■ ' ^^ i TBTM DSn(:Tt¥M Am SOMiUMBUUSTi H ■'' ' ' ' '^, or four dajTB. nnlcM you should with to' itay longer.^ If agreeable to you, we will return Thunday afternoon, f ** That will enable me to join our riding party the next dpy." taid Andrewa. " AU rigkit ; I will be ready to sUrt Monday morning. Now, I mutt be going ; I only ttopped \ti^ find out when you would be ready to go.'* * "I am torryyott cannot iUy longer," said Dryidale. **! hope that you will drop in without ceremony/ wben- iiir you feel like K" ■■■■ ■ '- ■ •;>-■■■■■ ' '' ■ - ■ In the afternoon, young Green, the cabinet-maker, called upon Mr. Andrews, and went up to the Utter'i room. The work to be done, must have required m great deal of explanation; as Green remained nearly an hQur.*<^ Ai he went but, Mr. Andrews said to him : ** If we fail to return Thursday, you must be ther^ Friday at the same hour. You had better take a kiok tt the place before then." On Monday, Mr. Drysdale called at the hotel imme* diatdy afte^ breakfast, and found Mr. Andrews all ftMfif for the ride to the plantation. As they rode out of town^ Mr. Drysdale's spirito seemed to rise rapidly,, imd bi : entertained his companion so succeiisfully, that when thejf . hed the plantation, they had become qQ|te well acquainted with each other. Drysdale was a man of fine education, and fasdnatiiig manners;^ hi rlaiUy had great eloquence, and his abilities wev» far above thf average, but the citcumstances of his (fife liiid not b^ such as to devetop his powers, imd give play tQ;h|^ ; ambition; hence, he was apparently becoimng disi^ f pointed, sour, and mOTose. At least, this^vas the lpa|iN»: ^ lion which many of his friends had gaise^^nd^cy ■'.■.-■ . . ■ » ■•^ V ^ •"*S .*-\ *t' ..«i»fl«^' ll PINKRRTON'S DRTRCTJVn StORIBS, ' iccounted fo^ gradual change in hU manneni on the abovfe theorxi namely, that he WM the vicli* of diiap- ^'pointed ambition. V During their sUy at the plantation, the gentlemen >ttfUaUy spent their evening! together, whUe the mominga were given up to buiineit by Drysdale, and to hunting by Andrews. Thi planUtion required a great deal of atten- tion juit in the ipring, and Drysdale's time wat pretty weU occupied. Andrews eaaUy formed the acquaintance of the neighboring Vgjf". «<> *»« 'P*"* '"^^^ ^^ ^" time in paying visitiv^nd the country. He thought quite favorably of buying the Bristed plantation, as Drysdale had hoped, but the owner wished to seU : iBOther place with it, an4 Andrews did not care to buy both. Drysdide suggested tj^ by autumn, the owner would be wiUing to seU it separately, and he advised \: Andrews to hold off until then. On Thursday, Andrews steed out shooting early, '^ agreeing to be back at noon, to make an early start for ' Atkinson, as the time required to ride there, was about four hours. 1 He strayed so far away, however, that il was two o'clock before he rctun^ and theydij^not moont their horses until three o'clc||^. By this time, ' they had becrtne much more intimate than one would have expected on so short acquaintsmce, and Drysdale showed a marked pleasure in- the company of hi« new friend. During the first part of the ride, he Was at briliiant and entertaining as possible, but, as they ap^ pRMcted the town, Jje began to lose his cheerfuinois^ and to become ahnoft gloomy. Both genUemen were ^^ X c. .•^._:^.i^^>j M* fSijl were . J.' 1/ -> rffE DETBCTtVB AND SOMNAMBUUST. '■ W rather tir^, and they »oon allowed the convenation to rop almost wholly. '^ It was early dusk when they reachad the banks of llocky Creek, about a mile from Drytdale's hwuse. From -this point, t^e scenery was ^Id and picturesque ; the road passed through heavy maases of timber at times, and crossed niany ravines an|l rqcky gorges, as it followed the .general direction of the win#ng stream. Daylight was rapidly fading into the night, though objects could still be distinguished quite well at a disunce of one hundred yards. As they arrived at one #3 the wooded hillockf, over which the road pas^, they wer^^shut out from any very extended view, except in one direction. Here, Andrews reined in his horse a moment, to take a last look at the b^Ai|ty of the scene, while Drysdale passed on a few yards in advance. u .M ' ^ The ipot was rather wild and peihaps a little wqrd; on the right was a dense ^ibrest, rising sonyp distance above die road, which curved around ^e hill-side about mid-way to the crest; on the l^ft the hiU^descend^Ml rapidly to the creek, along which ran a heavy belt of timber, which pemiitted only an occasional gleam of water to be seen ; the abrupt hill-side between the road and the timber was nearly cleared of undergrowth,^ but it .was filled with large boulders and creeping vines ; over the tops of the timber the country stretched awaj in dit- folving views as the mists of night tiegaii to form And apread over the landscape. Having paused an instant, Andrews spurred his horse forward just ^M Dm uttered an exclamation of horror* As he t«m^ up, lie saw that Drysdale had stopped and was hotding hiS reins r\ |.' 'V ' «#-, ■■'v-V'- ■^ ■ / .■Jl ' -\n # i PtNKBRTON*S D^TBCTtVE STORJES, - in a convultive graip ; all color wmt gone from hU faca. tnd he wai trembling violently. - • ^^ * '•'Whai it the matter, Dryadile r wdd Andi*wit dlfi^ng » up betide liim/ - ; :. i^r4 w- * •♦My Godf lookthere!" broke from Dtyrfalei atfiy ttpt, aa he pointed dowiik the hill-sid*! • ' ' I ■'. v ;; At Uie dittance of about Afty yards the ftgnre ^f a young iiift^^oving.dowtt the slope toward the tiinber. He %»lked tUmly on, with a meawrcd pace, turning his eyei Wither to the right nor left. He wit apparently about . twenty-fiveortwfftty-six years df age, and his face wat kidicative of inteUigence, ibSlity and energy. His course V • wat nearly parallel to th* direction of the load at that -i^ i j^^^ jrtid oftly hit profile could be seen. He wore a -^ ^ ^ tmtinett ^t of Ught gray ctothes, but he had no hat on * hb bead, and his curly hair was tossed lighUy by the tVeuing bieete. At he moved flirther from the rotd, the *' ■ ' -^ bwtk of hit hetd wat more directly eitposed, presentihg a iieet ghastly aiglit The thick brown looks. were, m«Hed -^ \ ; jbgethcr in a mask o^ gore, and large d^pt of bkiod ^ ikiwly Irickkd down upon hitcoat; thewbole beckof the tkijH seemed robe cnithed in. w«l* the deadly ptltor* of hit l^e gave him the appeiraiice of a.corpifc^-*- . thysdale tkemed to nOly his facuWet a moment and ifcouted in t»Owef«nlbUthDarte toU*si ^^^ ^*^' ^ ^ ' "^ *S«y1 you, vd\ WhQ ire you, and irhae are, you I,-., i ■, ^:.;v^.;^•^Tl•.^,•r•l>■;Kl :^?1r ^^♦''•■^r-».i^..'■• Mnng^ . idthOtt^ 'hit Vdice mig^t have been heard at a lonj^ 7^ ""^rdlttance, the figure continued itt course without mdic*- tinfc even by a sign, that he had heard the hail. _ ^ "why, what in the devil hat got mto you, Diywlale?" 7 ' -K-t / Ky iiM In Ui '*' •'■ ■A m4 \ H^i > ti • 1 (11 ' %' ■ti- .-•.' ^TO ^. 1 '"7 ^fX' > • .. j| •-^*i i\--( ;> • • — - -V • • 1«L V , » •/ • C- r 1 • ^ «^> •^ 1 » ^ 'Sf-r »»**"i*"*MW«»«t -i*9i»!t>u«« •^••tn .^ fTTM DRTMCTiVK AMD SOMNAMBVUST. i| Andrtu^. •jUThom are fOe'llioeHiig at in luch a _ way?" .:,•'?■, ^ -^ _ ^^ .^-u ^T ^nt you ie^ mah ikr^B the IrfD r h. aakad.^ • perfect, agony of fear and excitement " See ! r|ght Ig * «W with that pointed rock ; why. he i. only a few yards hL 1'^^. -^ * ''**'^ Kpotiible that you don't let ■;'. «• )ro» Ulking .bcu., Th.„ i. „o oj in .i,h,^ ^ m «. tnring ,p p..y . joke on me. or .l- yoor llMgin«tion it mo.t unplea«antly Ktire •■ I .vj;^i!icririr^ don. .e..™. : . tfaete i. no m» m dgfat from here, either on th« hill..id. or anv wh-" "Went ■ "^J" *" "■" "fypuch di3tre8»ed,-but he «nde»ored '-^ — to PM B themrtter uyfe- ^ • . .'- ^ . — - — r m. .! I "■/ wj * FiNiCSitTONS DMTECTIVa STORmS. Oh! it WM notWng of any emtq^unct^ n^ •bttt I thought I MW a man croiiing that cleanogl. -WeU. what of it?" aaked Andrewi. "Wat h« a dan- geroua looking felk>w V* •*¥«•; very dangerout looking. Iildwd!" then, %ud. 'dcnly, aa if atnick by a plautible idea, he added: "I ^Uiought it wai • mio with a gun; you knowwhrt Biy opinioni are about altewing the tUvet to have ftie-trtw. and thii feUow looked like tuch a villain that I wa# reaUy ■lanned. You are lure you ffw no one ?** "Quite iure," replied Andrewi. "I wn afraid you have worked too hard, and that you are going to be ilL I ihaU teU your wife to nurw you well for a few days to cure you of teeing spookt and wild niggert roaming 'round with gunt/'ll; ^ "No. indeed," tai^ Drytdale, hattily; **?!««•« wy nothing to my wife; it would only alarm her u^necct- " Well, take my advice and rett awhile,'* wid Andrewi. "Your nervet ar« a little thaken. and you wiU certainly be ill if you keep on working to tteadily/* - Dryidale toon reUpicd into moody lilcnce, and when Aey reached hit gate, he wat a reaUy pitiable object. He atked Andrewi to take tupper with him. but at the inviution wat given only ai a matter of form, the latter excuted himielf, and rode immediately to the hotel. He happened to meet Mn. Potter in the parlor, but he - itopped only a few minutet to talk to her* at he wai too hungry and tiied to feel like entertaining the fwc»«^^« widow. /- ».'»»|t;' It «--»'■ -^ J. . -4. M< tV^.., ^ V ,e ^r ,.',^ !•; --^^A- ■ .i,fi»\ iw*-- . I*.,,*; ^1 then i&about aeven o'clock, and Mn. Potter r rJfJi DMfMeflyR AND SOMN^AMBUUStk. piopofcd to Mm. Towniead, and levenU other ladtM and gentlffnen, that theytmke « w«lk. Accordingly, th«^ •trolled through the ple«Mnt itreett, enjoying the balmy tpring air, and often stopping at thfe gates of their friendli to chat a few minutes. At/ thty paiiid C|bi JDrytdak fhce, Mrs. Potter said : ** I want to run in to jpMk tOnHfi. Prysdalt a miaat^i Tpomised to stop hef» im Oiir rMiiii^excurBkir^MiMM^ , iow, but as it U postp^^pd, I wani |q mU ^ aol li^ , .'iipect me." '.,'*• ^ ' >; The rest of the party stayed at the oate, whtle VLn!*' • ;i mter went in. She was ushered into the library, and^ Mrs. Drysdale cain^ down at once. Having expUihed , her object in calling, Mrs. Potter asked whether Mr? and Mrs. Drysdale would not join the party ouuide, for i^ short walk. ** I am soiry to say, ilbit my husband is qfiiite UnwrilJ*^^' said Mrs. Drysdale. ** He returned from the plantatioil to-day, quite feverish, and excited, and now he is in • ^( sort of jiervous delirium. He has had one or two attadei before, but none so serious as thia." ^^v **I sincerely hov^he is not gdng to be HI,** said Ifrt! ' ^ Pbtter. '' What ^fllKhe doctor think?'* **Klli ! he wqn't have a doctor," replied Mrs. Drysdale j \^ *he says that I am the best doctor he can have, betcause "l{ can soothe him.4|^ ,v ♦ ' Just then, Mr8.^otter heard ,^beavyi^ib|8tq>', begin- !L _^^% *o P*^* "P •'*d down overhead. • . :; .," "# )'• ^ ThiK, he has arisen,' said Mrs. ag jjL^room, and mutterii thtQ fina him pacing dl -•% ■^•' « jl kiNicEKToimhtrMertrM a ^oi«thiiii." ^ W *^ I «•0I^ c«fUinly ; J Al lOfTy I oOkd you iw»y. PImm ^lil «• know if ^m» • \ f^ Potter then withdrti^ind^UM pmf alo#% WOf&A back to the hotel. ^ "4! ^ J0 lira. Dryidale turmiaed, lier huiband't illnett mn brici; ind ii^two or three ^0«^t retumyjl to hia||^ dttdat at the omrt hoiiM. He wia somewhat^ diaiigvd in look!, hdiPbver, hit face b«tng ^^^SS^^^* m^<^^ * •lightly bowed, tad hit hand treinuloui^gwe aeeroed, noiv thta eirer bffore^ to avoid lociety, "V o4 h»» ^•X ^ . lo ^e court hflipc, he alwayi chose the laist frequented ■trects. ^^^^tange in his Itioks and manners, was noticed %^hj a few Wo had formerly been intimate ^ with him; in this little circle, his eccentricities werci, accounted for by significant gestures of drinking, and^ it was undefltood among those who knew him besi, that j|k[iior4raa responsible for the ruin of another fine fellow. X)ne peculiarity thai he evinced was, a great partiality ^ i Ibr the society of Mr. Andrews, and for the i^czt week, they were togethat every day. He frequently referred, in conversation witii Andrews, to the freak his imagination '—m--.-.7^^-* »■.•• ^?* .te€?*^' Wt*" ' had ^«yeU, while returoing from the pUntAtton, ftiul» lhou|(h Andrewi Always made light ^ it, and laughed i^ yfti, h« evidently thought about |P ft great deal. It JItmed IP be a kind of relief to him to ditcuaa il wiib ABdiiw%*ftiid 10 th« kittf hm4 Ui humor him Ia Hi , .^ t»^ |4<' t. ♦ \ T, %^' . V 'i:~ " '": t V ■»'■ ■ • V . »4 »' s . * ' '• '..', \ .^ :^^ ....'^•' ' I *^^' eft ■ I 4 •«*j4|< W- •-if)** I ••|e> tfr^r*! .« 1" -f »'.4 ♦ 'ii- 1^ totion, Mrt. Potter And wer^n} olhcnn ict out fof • ^^^ ' honebttcli ridi. Th*y enjoyed the »fteTHcx)n exceedingly, ^ * *' *, .- .' tad it WM growing dark b«fore thtry reached the town on their return: Ai the party paiacd down the itreet opoii ^ , which Drytdale lifed, li|i. POtttf, ifid another lady, Uggttd behind the