the oakdale affair-第14部分

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he　youth；　halting　upon　either　side；　followed　the　direction　of　his　eyes　with　theirs。　　The　girl　gave　a　little；　involuntary　gasp；　and　the　boy　grasped　Bridge's　hand　as　though　fearful　of　losing　him。　　The　man　turned　a　quizzical　glance　at　each　of　them　and　smiled；　though　a　bit　ruefully。

〃It　beats　me；〃　he　said。

〃What　can　it　be？〃　whispered　the　boy。

〃Oh；　let's　go　back；〃　begged　the　girl。

〃And　go　along　to　father　with　Burton？〃　asked　Bridge。

The　girl　trembled　and　shook　her　head。　　〃I　would　rather　die；〃　she　said；　firmly。　　〃Come；　let's　go　on。〃

The　cause　of　their　perturbation　was　imprinted　deeply　in　the　mud　of　the　pathwaythe　irregular　outlines　of　an　enormous；　naked；　human　foota　great；　uncouth　foot　that　bespoke　a　monster　of　another　world。　　While；　still　more　uncanny；　in　view　of　what　they　had　heard　in　the　farm　house　during　the　previous　night；　there　lay；　sometimes　partially　obliterated　by　the　footprints　of　the　THING；　the　impress　of　a　small；　bare　foota　woman's　or　a　child's　and　over　both　an　irregular　scoring　that　might　have　been　wrought　by　a　dragging　chain！

In　the　loft　of　his　father's　hay　barn　Willie　Case　delved　deep　into　the　small　red…covered　volume；　HOW　TO　BE　A　DETECTIVE；　but　though　he　turned　many　pages　and　flitted　to　and　fro　from　preface　to　conclusion　he　met　only　with　disappointment。　　The　pictures　of　noted　bank　burg…　lars　and　confidence　men　aided　him　not　one　whit；　for　in　none　of　them　could　he　descry　the　slightest　resemblance　to　the　smooth　faced　youth　of　the　early　morning。　　In　fact；　so　totally　different　were　the　types　shown　in　the　little　book　that　Willie　was　forced　to　scratch　his　head　and　ex…　claim　〃Gosh！〃　many　times　in　an　effort　to　reconcile　the　appearance　of　the　innocent　boy　to　the　hardened；　crimi…　nal　faces　he　found　portrayed　upon　the　printed　pages。

〃But；　by　gol！〃　he　exclaimed　mentally；　〃he　said　he　was　The　Oskaloosie　Kid；　'n'　that　he　shot　a　man　last　night；　but　what　I'd　like　to　know　is　how　I'm　goin'　to　shadder　him　from　this　here　book。　　Here　it　says：　'If　the　criminal　gets　on　a　street　car　and　then　jumps　off　at　the　next　corner　the　good　detective　will　know　that　his　man　is　aware　that　he　is　being　shadowed；　and　will　stay　on　the　car　and　telephone　his　office　at　the　first　opportunity。'　'N'ere　it　sez：　'If　your　man　gets　into　a　carriage　don't　run　up　an'　jump　on　the　back　of　it；　but　simply　hire　an…　other　carriage　and　follow。'　How　in　hek　kin　I　foller　this　book？〃　wailed　Willie。　　〃They　ain't　no　street　cars　'round　here。　　I　ain't　never　see　a　street　car；　'n'as　fer　a　carriage；　I　reckon　he　means　bus；　they's　only　one　on　'em　in　Oakdale　'n'if　they　waz　forty　I'd　like　to　know　how　in　hek　I'd　hire　one　when　I　ain't　got　no　money。　　I　reckon　I　threw　away　my　four…bits　on　this　bookit　don't　tell　a　feller　nothin'　'bout　false　whiskers；　wigs　'n'　the　like；〃　and　he　tossed　the　book　disgustedly　into　a　corner；　rose　and　descended　to　the　barnyard。　　Here　he　busied　himself　about　some　task　that　should　have　been　attended　to　a　week　before；　and　which　even　now　was　not　destined　to　be　completed　that　day；　since　Willie　had　no　more　than　set　himself　to　it　than　his　attention　was　distracted　by　the　sudden　appear…　ance　of　a　touring　car　being　brought　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　gate。

Instantly　Willie　dropped　his　irksome　labor　and　slouched　lazily　toward　the　machine；　the　occupants　of　which　were　descending　and　heading　for　the　Case　front　door。　　Jeb　Case　met　them　before　they　reached　the　porch　and　Willie　lolled　against　a　pillar　listening　eagerly　to　all　that　was　said。

The　most　imposing　figure　among　the　strangers　was　the　same　whom　Bridge　had　seen　approaching　the　Squibbs'　house　a　short　time　before。　　It　was　he　who　acted　as　spokesman　for　the　newcomers。

〃As　you　may　know；〃　he　said；　after　introducing　him…　self；　〃a　number　of　crimes　were　committed　in　and　around　Oakdale　last　night。　　We　are　searching　for　clews　to　the　perpetrators；　some　of　whom　must　still　be　in　the　neigh…　borhood。　　Have　you　seen　any　strange　or　suspicious　char…　acters　around　lately？〃

〃I　should　say　we　hed；〃　exclaimed　Jeb　emphatically。

〃I　seen　the　wo'st　lookin'　gang　o'　bums　come　outen　my　hay　barn　this　mornin'　thet　I　ever　seed　in　my　life。　　They　must　o'　ben　upward　of　a　dozen　on　'em。　　They　waz　makin'　fer　the　house　when　I　steps　in　an'　grabs　my　ol'　shot　gun。　　I　hollered　at　'em　not　to　come　a　step　nigher　'n'　I　guess　they　seed　it　wa'n't　safe　monkeyin'　with　me；　so　they　skidaddled。〃

〃Which　way　did　they　go？〃　asked　Burton。

〃Off　down　the　road　yonder；　but　I　don't　know　which　way　they　turned　at　the　crossin's；　er　ef　they　kept　straight　on　toward　Millsville。〃

Burton　asked　a　number　of　questions　in　an　effort　to　fix　the　identity　of　some　of　the　gang；　warned　Jeb　to　tele…　phone　him　at　Jonas　Prim's　if　he　saw　anything　further　of　the　strangers；　and　then　retraced　his　steps　toward　the　car。　　Not　once　bad　Jeb　mentioned　the　youth　who　had　purchased　supplies　from　him　that　morning；　and　the　reason　was　that　Jeb　had　not　considered　the　young　man　of　sufficient　importance；　having　cataloged　him　mentally　as　an　unusually　early　specimen　of　the　summer　camper　with　which　he　was　more　or　less　familiar。

Willie；　on　the　contrary；　realized　the　importance　of　their　morning　customer；　yet　just　how　he　was　to　cash　in　on　his　knowledge　was　not　yet　entirely　clear。　　He　was　al…　ready　convinced　that　HOW　TO　BE　A　DETECTIVE　would　help　him　not　at　all；　and　with　the　natural　suspicion　of　ignorance　he　feared　to　divulge　his　knowledge　to　the　city　detective　for　fear　that　the　latter　would　find　the　means　to　cheat　him　out　of　the　princely　reward　offered　by　the　Oakdale　village　board。　　He　thought　of　going　at　once　to　the　Squibbs'　house　and　placing　the　desperate　criminals　under　arrest；　but　as　fear　throttled　the　idea　in　its　infancy　he　cast　about　for　some　other　plan。

Even　as　he　stood　there　thinking　the　great　detective　and　his　companions　were　entering　the　automobile　to　drive　away。　　In　a　moment　they　would　be　gone。　　Were　they　not；　after　all；　the　very　men；　the　only　men；　in　fact；　to　assist　him　in　his　dilemma？　At　least　he　could　test　them　out。　　If　necessary　he　would　divide　the　reward　with　them！　Running　toward　the　road　Willie　shouted　to　the　departing　sleuth。　　The　car；　moving　slowly　forward　in　low；　came　again　to　rest。　　Willie　leaped　to　the　running　board。

〃If　I　tell　you　where　the　murderer　is；〃　he　whispered　hoarsely；　〃do　I　git　the　50。00？〃

Detective　Burton　was　too　old　a　hand　to　ignore　even　the　most　seemingly　impossible　of　aids。　　He　laid　a　kindly　hand　on　Willie's　shoulder。　　〃You　bet　you　do；〃　he　replied　heartily；　〃and　what's　more　I'll　add　another　fifty　to　it。　　　What　do　you　know？〃

〃I　seen　the　murderer　this　mornin'；〃　Willie　was　gasp…　ing　with　excitement　and　elation。　　Already　the　one　hun…　dred　dollars　was　as　good　as　his。　　One　hundred　dollars！　Willie　〃Goshed！〃　mentally　even　as　he　told　his　tale。　　〃He　come　to　our　house　an'　bought　some　vittles　an'　stuff。　　Paw　didn't　know　who　he　wuz；　but　when　Paw　went　inside　he　told　me　he　was　The　Oskaloosie　Kid　'n'　thet　he　robbed　a　house　last　night　and　killed　a　man；　'n'　he　had　a　whole　pocket　full　o'　money；　'n'　he　said　he'd　kill　me　ef　I　told。〃

Detective　Burton　could　scarce　restrain　a　smile　as　he　listened　to　this　wildly　improbable　tale；　yet　his　profes…　sional　instinct　was　too　keen　to　permit　him　to　cast　aside　as　worthless　the　faintest　evidence　until　he　had　proven　it　to　be　worthless。　　He　stepped　from　the　car　again　and　motioning　to　Willie　to　follow　him　returned　to　the　Case　yard　where　Jeb　was　already　coming　toward　the　gate；　having　noted　the　interest　which　his　son　was　arousing　among　the　occupants　of　the　car。　　Willie　pulled　at　the　detective's　sleeve。　　〃Don't　tell　Paw　about　the　reward；〃　he　begged；　〃he'll　keep　it　all　hisself。〃

Burton　reassured　the　boy　with　a　smile　and　a　nod；　and　then　as　he　neared　Jeb　he　asked　him　if　a　young　man　had　been　at　his　place　that　morning　asking　for　food。

〃Sure；〃　replied　Jeb；　〃but　he　didn't　'mount　to　nothin'。　　　One　o'　these　here　summer　camper　pests。　　He　paid　fer　all　he　got。　　Had　a　roll　o'　bills　's　big　as　ye　fist。　　Little　feller　he　were；　not　much　older　'n'　Willie。〃

〃Did　you　know　that　he　told　your　son　that　he　was　The　Oskaloosa　Kid　and　that　he　had　robbed　a　house　and　killed　a　man　last　night？〃

〃Huh？〃　exclaimed　Jeb。　　Then　he　turned　and　cast　one　awful　look　at　Williea　look　large　with　menace。

〃Honest；　Paw；〃　pleaded　the　boy。　　〃I　was　a…scairt　to　tell　you；　'cause　he　said　he'd　kill　me　ef　I　told。〃

Jeb　scratched　his　head。　　〃Yew　know　what　you'll　get　ef　you're　lyin'　to　me；〃　he　threatened。

〃I　believe　he's　telling　the　truth；〃　said　detective　Bur…　ton。　　〃Where　is　the　man　now？〃　he　asked　Willie。

〃Down　to　the　Squibbs'　place；〃　and　Willie　jerked　a　dirty　thumb　toward　the　east。

〃Not　now；〃　said　Burton；　〃we　just　came　from　there；　but　there　has　been　someone　there　this　morning；　for　there　is　still　a　fire　in　the　kitchen　range。　　Does　anyone　live　there？〃

〃I　should　say　not；〃　said　Willie　emphatically；　〃the　place　is　haunted。〃

〃Thet's　right；〃　interjected　Jeb。　　〃Thet's　what　they　do　say；　an'　this　here　Oskaloosie　Kid　said　they　heered　things　las'　night　an'　seed　a　dead　man　on　the　floor；　didn't　he　M'randy？〃　M'randy　nodded　her　head。

〃But　I　don't　take　no　stock　in　what　Willie's　ben　tellin'　ye；〃　she　continued；　〃'n'　ef　his　paw　don't　lick　him　I　will。　　I　told　him　tell　I'm　good　an'　tired　o'　talkin'　thet　one　liar　'round　a　place　wuz　all　I　could　stand；〃　and　she　cast　a　meaning　glance　at　her　husband。

〃Honest；　Maw；　I　ain't　a…lyin'；〃　insisted　Willie。　　〃Wot　do　you　suppose　he　give　me　this　fer；　if　it　wasn't　to　keep　me　from　talkin'；〃　and　the　boy　drew　a　crumpled　one　dol…　lar　bill　from　his　pocket。　　It　was　worth　the　dollar　to　escape　a　thrashing。

〃He　give　you　thet？〃　asked　his　mother。　　Willie　nodded　assent。

〃'N'　thet　ain't　all　he　had　neither；〃　he　said。　　〃Beside　all　them　bills　he　showed　me　a　whole　pocket　full　o'　jewlry；　'n'　he　had　a　string　o'　things　thet　I　don't　know　jest　what　you　call　'em；　but　they　looked　like　they　was　made　outen　the　inside　o'　clam　shells　only　they　was　all　round　like　marbles。〃

Detective　Burton　raised　his　eyebrows。　　〃Miss　Prim's　pearl　necklace；〃　he　commented　to　the　man　at　his　side。　　　The　other　nodded。　　〃Don't　punish　your　son；　Mrs。　Case；〃　he　said　to　the　woman。　　〃I　believe　he　has　discovered　a　great　deal　that　will　help　us　in　locating　the　man　we　want。　　　Of　course　I　am　interested　principally　in　finding　Miss　Primher　father　has　engaged　me　for　that　purpose；　but　I　think　the　arrest　of　the　perpet