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Show THE SPANISH FORK PRESS. SPANISH FORK. UTAH. vr The strange Adventures of Christopher Poe Stories of Strange Cases Solved In Secret o Danker.Detective By ROBERT CARLTON BROWN (Copyright, 1915, uch faun in your clue this time. It leaves too much to chance." Poe 8tarte1 ln a taxi for rw?8 ,and, aDd 6t nCe' leavin Schell behind rr,ved at the famous resort, the t fidged in and out among the crowding vehicles, and finally came to a quivering halt before the central police station. Leaving Burns out-Pe Hurried ln. and wag at once admitted to the Captain of the district, under the name of Hardy. By showing credentials from the Bank-fProtectlve Association Poe gained the Captain's Interest, and quickly about the counterfeit d' by W. Q. Chapman.) the misspelled word u flve-doll- ar Well h110 Poe! 01ad t0 8ee You New Orleans hack from the wilds of Presl-den-t ind Mexico." greeted Mitchell. of the Bankers'" Protective AssoInto his private ciation, ss Poe stepped bills, or having in possession any false or bad several complaints of . comterw, put. or ,mp last few days," answered the or any paper made In tnenfjhe Imitation of Paper on which It is printed is the aCaptain. "Theyve been in circulation couple of weeks, 1 guess, but nobody and la punishable Five Thou- - room, m? Fel-on- the second day liter his return from Mexico. 1 was Just on the point of calling Mitchell you up," continued Saved you a nickel, then," drawled dropping Into a Christopher Poe, chair and beginning to fan himself Whats new? ilowly with his hat. Ton look as though youd just unannounced, hour announced, in!1?6 8omething near the Mitchell. "Some the anceBeemed Ut f ltB reular appear Mitchell glancing uneasily at Rising abruptly, door, a trifle open. he stepped over, and shut It securely. Coming back, he reached out mechani- cally, as though he had made the came' motion a hundred times that pigeon-hola day, and drew from a bills, thrustihandful of crisp ng them Into Poes lingers with nerve llve-doll- quickness. ous "Is this hush money, or a donation to the head office boy of the Bankers' Protective, which capacity I so humbly fill?" asked Poe, lifting a highly arched eyebrow, and holding it quive- ring for a questioning moment Look It over," said Mitchell, turning sidewise, and drumming nervously he had dropped on a magnifying-glas- s Christopher Poe separated one of the bills from the package, held It first to the light, started slightly, and then uickly turned the bill face up, and imootbed It over bis knee, bending it close to examine Quick as he snatched the magnlfying-len- s thought and smiled. at least a millimeter ever been able to get General Jacksons Jaw just right except the man who made the genuine plate. It's been tried often, hasnt it? There are two other counterfeits of that bill," answered Mitchell. Neither of them any good at all. But this Is different They found out the bill was bad by that lengthy jaw. But that bill's been slipping through several banks for a week or more. Think of It! Juet discovered today. . bill Isn't It? Paper fine, print haa the proper snap; everything .right but that Jaw; It's just a hair less than a millimeter too long, as you noticed. I knew It wouldnt escape you. How much of the stuff Is out?" Nearly twenty thousand .is In I" cried Mitchell. Its a fine mess! God knows how much Is out! Think of It! Think of New Ycrk banka being fooled on bunches of this stuff; theyve taken in twenty thousand dollars, and ' the roll you have there contains samples of It all." old Good-lookin- : - But Its the best paper Ive ever wen!" exclaimed Christopher Poe, slightly flushed, having turned again to the bill. The counterfeiter hasn't missed on a thing but that Jaw, and how any man could duplicate that Is more than I can tell. President Jack-son'- s Jaw was a lucky thought on that note; nobody could ever copy his head exactly as its reproduced on the hill. It's a lantern Jaw, so shaped that t can stand the extra millimeter and escape notice. But that paper is what worries me. It looks Just like the real thing. That fellow must have got hold of a batch of the real stuff somewhere. Measurements are exactly fight. The two scatter-slllines running through the bill are correct By D7 k George, heres a man's trouble!" "It's Mitchell. mystery a remarkable bill," worth replied notice the on the back Is exactly right, Do you too?" Poe web-stitchin-g turned the certificate over. "Remarkable!" he exclaimed, hav ,DI examined the green and white webbing, put on with the effect of in the cathedrals, In design, difficult to Imitate. Theres nothing else out of prepor-Mo- n but Jacksons Jaw?" queried Christopher Poe, glancing at the fine printing on the green back of the ote. which begins: This note Is a tender t its face value" they didn't report anything I havent found a thing." Poe laid no attention to the reply; teemed deeply Interested In the Printing, reading It carefully through a- magnifier. aa. he Read It again," suggested Poe. Oh. I see!" cried the other, having glanced through the last line once more. Its the word labour;" that should be spelled labor. " Thats what Webster says." It s not one of the usual ways of detecting a counterfeit I wouldn't ever think of reading the printing on a bill. "The little things count" But surely you cant see any clue In that misspelling?" I certainly have an inkling to the counterfeiter from It," was the abrupt reply, as Poe rapidly thumbed through the stack of bills, looking first at one side and then the other, and paying no attention to Mitchell's Importunate questions. Finally he folded the roll carefully and placed It In his breast-pockeI'll take these with me, If you dont need them," be said. Tell me. where have those things been passed?" Mostly around New York. Its funny, the counterfeiting band doesn't seem to have many agents outside, most of it has cropped out In Brooklyn; but then, this is the first batch, and I suppose we'll soon be getting others from the interior states." Poe secured a list of the banks that had been caught on the bills and departed, He went at once to his rooms, where he spent several hours closely exam-ln- g each bill. Finally he separated one from the lot, the only one which showed a slight difference from the others. This he put beneath the mag nlfylng-glass- , and studied it at great length. Only one portion of the bill Interested him; It was the white spot on the back, at the left balancing the frame which contained the printed notice with labor" misspelled. On that blank spot was the light Impression of a finger. Poe bent close over it, and followed the light ridges which bad lert their impressions. Evidently he was classifying the kind of mark It was, in accordance with the identification. system of finger-prin- t .He studied away, mumbling quick phrases to himself, according to a habit he could not break: First finger, right hand. Loops approx. tented arches eleven ridges terminus accidentals. ulnar outer Callus engraver graver, Hmmmm ah! tw Ins curious needles, no! East India. Fakir. Paper. Christopher Poe dropped the magnifier, and swung around to the telephone at his elbow. In a minute's time be was connected with Mitchell. ' How about the Coney Island bank?" he asked. "How much of the queer was shoved off there?" "They took in seven thousand of It, nearly. Got In heaviest there. Doesnt seem possible; but its the cleverest counterfeit ever made." "And the Brooklyn National?" Stuck for nearly five thousand." "Good!" Poe started to hang up when Mitchell's voice broke in axious-ly- : t. from Mitchell's fingers, and studied the bill Then he looked up for a full minute. Why, Its out Nobodys reflected flve-doll- entrance. at Poe's Harl Well? he said, looking up. ?u wouIdnt amount to much in working out one of these advertising they offep ft prlz for findi m88pellei word," replied Poe side-ateppe- d a bomb." Something Interesting," r" by Suddenly, right at the atopped, and looked at Mitchell quizzically Handing Mitchell the bill and point to the printing, he queried: Have you read this?" ,y S V .ft snake-charmer- flve-doll- e EDGEWORTH HORTON, 75 BOWERY.' Deep, cynical wrinkles between nose and mouth formed unconsciously; be drew bis straw hat close over hts eyes, and turned quickly Into the Bowery. At number 75 Christopher Poe found a big gay music-hall- , with tbe stereotyped dancing and singing girls. On the lurid bill ln front was a huge advertisement: SPECIAL EAST INDIAN TROUPE OF 10 PER-- , FORMERS NATJTCH DANCERS JUGGLERS SNAKE CHARMERS As he came to " s on the list, the eyebrows shot up In sudden interest; then he walked Into the cafe, and seated himself at a table. .It waa large, substantial place, doing a tremendous business, and Poe took ln all the details carefully, noting tbe height of the celling and the two passages upstairs, one on either aide. Having taken a alp of the tasteless beer placed before him, Poe slipped from his chair, and walked through one of the Bide doors, ascending narrow flight of stairs. At the top waa a big door, closed. tP- broad-brimme- d Having been guided through a pleasant llttlo reception room with several car heavy chairs and a pet, Poe waa ushered into a large square room, quite plain; a representadeep-nappe- hope youre not trusting entirely to that misspelled word? I dont see anything In that." to work No, Ive got a finger-prin- t on now. Just discovered it on one of the notes." anx"Is that ao?" the voice became ious. Suppose I run over and have a look at It. "Better hurry, then," replied Poe. to Its after three now, and I've got Ho supper." before to out Coney get and theu paused, started to hang up, called, Bring Burns with you." The pair of bankers arrived shortly, finger-print- s and Poe showed them the looked at It Both discovered. be had that it believed carefully, but neither discovery. an was important that finWhy. Insisted Mitchell, been left by any have cculd ger print have of a hundred people who might bill." the handled "Then how on earth are you going You to find the man? It. Impossible. his and creok. old an say he cant be one I of any that isnt certainly work going to look recognise. You arent until you find at everybody's fingers are you. this, matches the one that who had let him In; the East Indian had garrotod Poe; even now the silk d tive office of busy America. , A thin faced man of indeterminate age sat ln a large square chair before a roll-todesk. He was alone, and looked up with a quick, engaging smile as Poe entered. "Mr. Hardy?" he said InterrogativeSo ly, with an English Intonation. glad to see you. Beastly hot tonight, Isn't It? I'd die If It weren't for the electrlo fans." "You've got a fine place here," answered Christopher Poe, assuming the of the Amerirough can "It's as cool as beer andss quiet as Rajputana." Oh, you've been to India then and the desWt?" queried Horton, mo-a chair, and drawing up tlonlng Poe hla Interestedly, as he dismissed the servant with a nod. Only once, thank goodness, and you'll never get me there again," anInimswered Poe, after the well-nigitable manner of your typical American business man who abhors a vacation and loathes a change of scene, be it outside of hla own country. First time I made a big stake, took my wife. She liked It. Well, It wasn't ao had. Gave me lota of good Ideas for shows." Born fakirs the natives aren't they? amlled tbe Englishman easily, It being quite evident from hla manner that he waa aure of his .visitor, and had sized him up for Just what Poe chose to be considered. They're the best ln the business," 1 answered Poe enthusiastically. came all the way from Atlantlo City to look up n troupe, and It's been an awfully hot day., Haven't you got n few to spare n Juggler or n "Snake-Charmers- banker-detective- . grty-halred- show-manage- r. 1 cord was cutting closer into Poe's neck. He saw It all in the dizzy seo-on- d that be reeled before all grew black. Then he felt himself falling In the falling through the trap-doo- r wall that had slid back silently be hind him when Horton had signaled, for assistance, and enabled the cat-- ' like servant with bis ready 'cord to take him unaware. With the first ray of light that came with returning consciousness Christopher Poe dimly saw Duma's face anxiously peering Into hts own. He couldn't remember what had happened he couldn't place himself. All that became evident to him In tbe following1 five minutes, as he lay with eyelids trembling open, trying to remember,! waa the fact that he waa lying on a heavy silk rug and somebody atrange was working over him. But Burns was present h snake-charmer- . Oh, I might spare one or two. I've quite a number of them, but I could only lease them to you; might need them next season, you know. Oh, certainly, I understand that They don't care who they work for, 1 guess," replied Poe In the same Ive got n friend brusque manner. In the British Government service ln Calcutta. He aaya you've got to treat the natives aa though they were dogs. He haa n bunch of them working for or him, running printing-presse- s something; aaya theyre all right If you knock em down once a day." Indeed," amlled Horton, thats about right. But Im Interested. I have friend ln the government employ over there. Perhaps 1 know this chap you apeak of; you say he's ln the British engraving-department?- " Printing or something like that,' answered Poe Ills name la Gerver. Hasnt been there long." Gerver, Gerver," repeated the other, no, cant aay Ive heard of him. Perhaps he's" i "Got bit by a cobra once, had the wound cauterized" Christopher Foe broke off abruptly In hla Interruption as Horton stirred In hla chair and gave him a atrange look, at the same time the forefinger of hla right hand twitched and crooked up convulsively. ' Whats the matter? One bite you too?" queried Poe, calling attention to the other's uneasiness. "No yes," said Horton, confused. Then he smiled quickly, as though reassuring himself, shoved his right forefinger beneath Poes gaze and cried: Look! There's where one got me. I'll never forget It Two small white scars showed on the finger, close tos beneath gether, sunk like heavy callouses. The grooves In the lower part of Poes face showed deep for a moment; he took the finger, and examined the scars carefully. So that's the sign the cobras fangs leave!" he exclaimed. "Howd you get out of It alive?' Oh, be waa a tame one, belonging to one of my Had had hla poison sacks removed. But It threw a bally scare into me all the same." Funny thing!" exclaimed Poe, jerkand ing a card from his pressing the scarred finger on the prepared surface before Horton half realized what was going on. In an Instant Poe had returned tbe paper bearand drawn out the ing the finger-prin- t bill he had separated from the original lot of counterfeits, holding it so that Horton could plainly aee the finger-marupon 11 which had anake-charmer- a. vest-pocke- t, Poe only smiled tight, cold MvUtcd. e&t I Poes methods to ask useless ques- tions. Pee began at once his circuit of the shows employing East Indians. He r paid everywhere with a ten or twenty-dollabill, and always stuffed the notes he received ln change Into a separate pocket, without more than glancing at them. At each show he Inquired the name of the manager, and secured several addresses. ImFinally, having found nothing of mediate Interest, and It being almost time to rejoin Burns, he slipped back and, picking out to tbe police-statioa vacant corner In the vestibule, turned his back to the door, rapidly thumbing over the collection of bllla be bad received ln change. There were nine bllla In the lot To his Presigreat satisfaction, on examining dent Jacksons Jaw on each he found that six were Identical with the coun- terfeit bills he bad studied all afterflve-doll- noon. Burns came shortly, with six bllla, received in change at East India shows; two of them were counterfeits. Christopher Poe put the false money moaway carefully and 'stood for a hla thin ment, thoughtfully running hand through hla damp brown hair; the corners of hla mouth twitched, and two deep wrinkles appeared, Joiningthe Up to the nostril in heavy furflve-doll- r0How many managers did you earth?" he asked Burns abruptly. un- Poe stepped up, and knocked on it. full minute he waited, vaguely con scloua of the fact that nnseen eyes were peering at him from somewhere near by. Suddenly the door swung open noiselessly, and an East Indian servant, dressed severely in black silk, bowed to him with a funereal grin. I should like to see Mr. Horton,1 said Poe in a hurried, business-liktone. Im from Atlantic City, you know. Tell him Mr. Hardy. Ive got two new places over there, and P like to get hold of a good troupe of East Indiana." The servant bowed, took the proffered card, bowed again, and abruptly slammed the door In Poe's face. ' "Cool one!" exclaimed the banker. "Wonder where he waa watching me from before he opened the door. He bole. certainty's got some look-ou- t Didn't look at ma curiously, must have been watching me." ' Two minutes elapsed; the door slid open, and the East Indian bowed him e five-doll- k first attracted Poea attention. Funny thing!" continued Poe, as Horton atared at him blankly, jerking away hla finger and reaching for a rear pocket "You must have fingered this bill. Here's a mark exactly like youra, scars the aame; callous from handling the 'graver and all 1 su- ppose" hip-pocke-t. Walt!" cried Poe. !! had drawn hla revolver In the lnatant llorton had pressed the button, and waa covering him. Horton stood motionless except for a tremor which ahot through hla tail, to enter. thin form; hla eyes glinting as he ahot . , , It waa a strangely cool and reatful ratllkc glances from Poe to the door. "There's no use!" cried Poe, rising apartment,, seemingly, far .removed from screeching, sweaty Coney, though slowly from hla chair and approaching below was a riotous muslo ball, an( the other. I've got the proofs. Bet there waa a break-nectoboggan with Poe gave a sudden agonized leap In Just across the shrieking street the air, clutched at hla throat, and hla Poe noted with Interest the thick- revolver dropped from hla nerveless ness of that front door. It was at least hand. He twisted hla burning neck eight Inches, doubtless to make It with one desperate effort, and peered sound-proof- . Into the grlm-ee- t face of the servant k Joy-ride- ter". blue-coate- d Poe euddenly remembered, and looked around to make certain that he waa still ln the strange apartment belonging to Horton. He moistened his throat with a great effort, and managed to articulate: ; "Well? Did you get " Burns' voice Yes, we got him. came clearly, as he kneeled beside the' silk rug. We got him right. Just la time, too,-- He and hla black minion were trying to destroy the counterfeiting plates when we managed to break through that heavy front door. We got him with the goods; he waa Juat Jumping through the window, but we had a man below. Ilea confeased It all bully for you! Horton used to be an engraver on bonds for the British Government; he waa located In Calcutta." So they found the plates and" "Better not talk I" put In a voice atrange to Poe, and he suddenly realized the stranger was a physician. A strained alienee ensued. In ten minutes' time Christopher Poe had become quite himself, though he still passed his hand over his bruised neck IV mechanically, a curious lumlnating hla otherwise drawn face. half-smil- He finally reached Into hla e vest-poc- et, and brought out the bit of prepared paper (evidently overlooked by Horton) containing the counterfettera right forefinger Imprint. He handed It to Burns, and watched him mualngly. In answer to hla friend's anxious questioning and enthuslaatlo praise over the capture, Poe finally managed to sketch the whole thing to him, Juat what had happened when he waa alone with Horton. "IIow the devil did you apot tha fellow?" burat out Duma. "It waa easy from the minute I noticed that misspelled 'labour,' and saw the duplicate of that finger-prin-t you hold ln your hand," he explained. "11 you'll atop to think, youll remembet that Englishmen stick to the old form of spelling honor, armor, 'labor, and tbe like. They always put in tha letter u; making It r. and l-"Well, the minute I law that word I knew an Engllab polled man bad done the work, and evidently had been an engraver on English tamps or securities of some sort In which the word 'labor also appeared, and that the spelling of It had become second nature to him. t Then I came serosa tbe on the bill; you and Mitchell didn't seem to take account of the fact that the fingerprint showed In light green ink. Identical with the Ink used os the hack of the note. That proved that the counterfeiter himself had touched It while It waa still wet, of while he had a little of the fresh Ink on hla finger; he smeared hla light mark on It without noticing. On exunder tha amining that microscope I was doubly sure tha counterfeiter was tha one who bad left hla mark, for I found that tha which wer ridges on the loops approximating tented arches, aa they classify them In the print tdentV Aa these were on heavy calluses a finger-prin- finger-mar- finger-prin- flcatlon system, k t, showed calluses, the forefinger of the right hand, I Immediately knew that the man waa an engraver, for only the continuous uss of the graver could have left auch a mark." Poe paused for breath, and Burnt suggested: , But that didnt give you the identity of tbe man." No. Then 1 found the two scar close together on the finger-print- . I figured out, by the process of elimination. about tha only thing they could have been caused by. Then 1 suddenly recalled seeing twin acars on the finger of a left by a cobra's fangs, 1 Immediately felt these must have originated the same way. Having the facta that the man waa English, had been bitten by cobra, and that the snake waa a tame one with hla poison sacks removed, or the man would have died before the bite became acara, I began putting two and two together. The counter (filter must have associated with East Indian faklra to have been bitten by n show cobra, as they are the only ones who tame them. 1 recalled, too, the fact that fine paper la manufactured In India, and that some of the bond uttered by the British Government there have atlk threads la the paper, similar to our currency. I conceived tbe notion that a clever Englishman might have worked In the engraving-house for the government there, and come to America with this wonderful new counterfeit, and a few East Indian fakirs, his friends and servants, to help him get rid of the stuff without suspicion falling on him." "That's Just what h confessed," put la Burns, i snake-charme- Horton had leaped to hla feet and waa glaring at Christopher Poe, eyes starting horridly. Poe only amlled, sat tight and waited. You you " llorton endeavored to control himself. Then he pounced like an animal toward hla desk, touched a button beneath It and swung back, stopping with a throttled cry, a revolver half drawn from hla - Suddenly a wiry black form skulked officer through the room, a clutching the thin black neck. Then pock-mark- I" dar thata right The wouldnt likely be such a nrewd engraver and make any mis-ion ,h Halo printing." klK8PP you read it, then." Toe SS!i.ed hlm th d picked up r Holding It far from his eyes, ,UHardlyUthat. smiled Poe. "Since staring at It absently. hlle MKchell read the follow-- , you fellow, are so k at all ,ual ,orm. printed on the back trouble to tell you my theory over t or run suppose you 1,07 HredoUar note: Con." 1.1. ms note Is a Legal tender at Its Into somethin Interest u 7or Oebts public and We may bump wrapt duties on Imports and tB, Hums shrugged his ,.. ' on the Public Debt Cou- '""All right." thlnK. or altering this note or pass- - Shouldenk doubl fully. You dope nts , I bamt but Chrla, well, y l ountsrfeit or alteration of It out pretty 1 f.ii detected them till the banks finally got wise. Best counterfeit I ever saw. Frankly, I cant tell them from the genuine, except when points out the fact that the somebody Jaw on the portrait of Jackson Is a bit too long." Poe plunged at once into the purpose of his visit. Will you kindly give me what records you have of East Indian Jugglers ln shows here, preferably those managed by Englishmen?" The Captain turned to a directory and skimmed through It. Theres lots of East Indian troupes this year, he said. Here are some addresses. But you don't suspect those fellows, do you? Not exactly," was the reply, as Poe rapidly copied down the names and addresses. Many occupations were Included In the ltst;jsome were jugglers, others fortune-tellers- , dancers, dervishes, and magicians. The whole list was quite long and the Captain could offer but little information concerning the management of the Indian performers. Thanking the officer for his courtesy, Poe left at once, pulled Burns Into the vestibule of the building, tore the list of names ln half, and asked: "Have you much money with you?" About fifty dollars, I guess, answered Burns, feeling of his wallet "Well, here's a hundred ln tena. brought an extra amount Take It and go to all the shows at these addresses; pay in tens, and keep separate all the bills you get in change. Ask at each place who the manager Is, have It understood that you want to hire some jugglers for a show. If you stumble onto any bunch of East Indiana with an English manager, take hla name and address. Then meet me here at exactly nine o'clock. "All right" answered Burns blankly, but he was too well acquainted with "Only two," was the rejiy. Poe took the names and addresses, compared them quickly with the aev-orhe had procured, and then, hts eyes lighting up strangely, remarked: "You stay here; if I'm not back In one hour, get the Police Captain to give you eight officers and come at once to these two addresses. It's evident the bad money Is emanating from these East Indians. I want to talk It over alone with their managera. Send four of the policemen to this first address on Surf Avenue, and you come along to - the Coney Island Bowery yourself with the other tour. It entrance la denied at either address, force Is to be used." Without a word Poe darted out of the building, and threw himself Into the tangle of merry-maker- s In the street. It was a gay night at Coney, and with difficulty Poe made speed to the address on Surf Avenue. , There he founT a roomy lodging above a moving-picturshow, and asked for the proprietor, one of the two managers of East India shows he had picked out to call upon. He received Information that the man was not ln and wouldn't be until the next day. Somewhat disappointed, Poe walked slowly down the steps and stood for a moment ln the curb. Then be glanced at tbe card. Tbe other name and address was: r, . |