1914-02-14 — Page 7

J

THE

SHORT STORY.

DETECTIVE BURNS' GREAT

CASES

THE MYSTERIOUS COUNTER--

FEITER

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1914..

13

least to extract a litle inform-

counterfeiter. ation, but it was not about the

or

maker himself, that the Govern ment is after in all such cR889, Although as yet the maker was anonymous, there was one thing certain: he must be an expert photo-engraver.

Below will be found the first dollar bill, as beautifully executed man up in the Connecticut júl. Įputting boys in jail with older [one else was listening. "Do you from Havens, written to another engraving by hand, a plate

a work of art as ever came from a'

not seen

The notion-store keeper "had a twenty-dollar bill If John Peters, professioon! often enough to have become a shover" of ounterfeits, had serious rival of the bank tellers walked into the little shop of a who, almost blindfolded, on nation-store keeper in a small pick a batone out of a pile as Connecticut towa two days earher they aunt them, and lay it aside than he did some fifteen years | for future consideration. ago, the Secret Service might As she fumbled in her reticule still be looking for: one of the for the chuuge, her fingers passed, cleverest and most mysterious with a tremor, over the counter- Therefore, when a lull came in craftsmen who ever engraved feit dullür. Sume worldly-wise the busy work of the Service, the bad money.

people would have jumped at the mind of Chief Wilkie automati chance to get rid of the phoney

eally reverted to the unsolved dollar-and would have been 0180. dose out of twenty times as much for their worldly wisdom. The old lady passed over the bad dollar, but not over the thought in her mind, "Is this bill good I must find out first." Of course she could not make the change- would not havo made it it she bad had a barrel of change in

It happened that the nation- store was kept by a poor little pathetic figure of an old lady who was strugglingagainst a merciless fato to keep the breath of life in a broken and over-worked body by means of the scant profits of the store. All that the little old lady took in, in the course of a day, was perhaps not over seven- ty or eighty cants. The profits were not such ns to excite the "oupidity of even the "New York Bargain Store," her only serious rival on Main Street.

Now, it must be confessed that pretty nearly everybody, whether Le is an ordinary citizen or a professional "ahover," has very little compunation in getting rid of anything in the money line that looks queer, and letting the other fellow do the worrying.

"Is it good?" she trebled in her cracked voice.

Burne, sai the Chief, reflectively fixing his eye on the toreotive," I think this is a good time to find out who that young flow up in Connecticut Suppose you try it."

1

the

The difficulty in catching such a orook nowadays is greater than ever before, chiefly on account of the perfection of the photo- mechanical process of repres He had found another letter duction. In the old days of

prospective come-on, offering to required a skilled workman, and ell him the means to a fortune the maker wrote his name all over.. in green goods. Havens bal nott ia little tricks of the tool. But the remotest idea that Burns had the camera and acids lack the other letter, though he ad individuality. There are thousands mitted the Mia uri episode, asof photo-engraving establishments he would have a Imitted a bluff soattered all over the country, in the show-down.

every one of them equipped "Didn't you try to sell some completely for the making of: counterfeits once in Illinois ?" counterfeit money up to the point insinuated Burns, mentioning of buying the paper and the ink. little town in the contral part of It is a One iribute to the craft

hat State.

hat so few men in it go astray. But it is imperative to catch those fow.

Havens denied it absolutely." "But you have been there," persisted Burns.

away.

aan.

A

35

met В

There was nothing to do, then, but to take a trip up into

at Bay City. Of course, the on-

WBS.

the word "deceptive.

"Indeed he is. If we only had and began to reason out jcsi "The deuce!" he exclaimed, he had mailed the letter, attending The whole of this little episode, a better law in this State regard- what be would do, how he would looking at Barns na if the de a prize fight, still he was easily of course, proved extremely ing minors, he wouldn't be here. not, what his fears would be, and tective had dung down a royal convjoted. inforesting, not to say important. Now, over in New York, he'd be how he would guard against straight flush on the table.

་་ It is not the "utterer" to the Government. In fact, in a place where he would come every possible danger. One And just to think-I was on passer of a counterfeit, but the every effort was made by the out with a trade and an thing was certain. Havens must my way to trim a lot of suckers Secret Service and the local education.

have got mail, and he must have in the Southern Hotel!" police to find out who the young "Yes" assented the mysterious been very careful about getting Havens was a short-card man man was and where he got the one doubtfully It was evidentit. Having reasoned it out that as well sa a passer of the my

unterfeit, Several months of that he didu' know much about way, the reasoning took Baru sterious counterfeit money. effort were devoted to it, with no it..

immediately to the post-office,So he of the florid face joined reward.

"And in Massachuse'ls, too, where he introduced himself to him of the dapper manner in jail. One day came a lull in the they'd take bettor care of Lim." the young lady at the general From him Burns managed at Washington office of the Secret "I kape sa, sighed the delivery window. Service. The Ohio had been prisoner.

"I'm a Government officer, thinking off and on for six month "Some of the States, though, he said, with a quick glance te of that mysterious, dapper young | have the moet barbarous way of either side to make sure that no

instalment a short story cou-

Often, in such a caso, the men," pursued the philanthrop recall within a few weeks_aay tributed to 16. Clure's Magazine versatile engraver not in the search is from ffset to cause ist particularly in the West, mail to a man named Issac by Mr. Arthur B. Rears on an- Government employ. It was the For instance, it may be that the "Yes," agreed the myster- Bavens?"? other of Deiective Burns' famous very first one of these counter-sale of coloured ink can be traced. ious counterfeiter; "ja Michigan | Without waiting a moment,

Burns cases. Deteotive

has feits that had ever been offered The supply men know the regular they don't have anything like they the young lady slidt ber stool made a world-wide reputation for to the general public: a very customere, and are snapici us of aste in New York and Maand opened the door. "I've himself by his clever work and fortunate coincidence fos the strangers who bay antimony or sachise ta. ”

been expecting you,

"she re has been concerned with numer-general public.

paper, ink or zize, out of the No; its terrillo cut there, I marked. "Yox, I do recall it." ous investigations of a highly

ordinary. So with other mate have heard," added the kindly Burns did not take time to perplexing character).

rials used in counterfeiting the man, betraying not a sign of enlighten her that he was not a lenses, the photographic supplies, gratification. Then he passed on, post-office inspector but a Secre and the pressrs. But in this for there was something that told Service man. flere otse all the usual methods had him that it was useless to linger. track. been exhausted. The thing The mysterious Peters had The man with the florid face could be got at neither backward suddenly lost all interest in the had figured out the exact time nor forward. It was like one of boy and was looking fartively, when the reply, containing the those spherical safes: there was at the kindly gentleman.

green goole of the mysterious up place to catch hold.

Burne bad not found' out what counterfeiter, would arrive. A town the avanter feile were made the precise mail, as he thought "Oh, yes, a long time ago. Michigan to look over the plant in, but he h burrowed the he had presauted himsell used to know a girl there; but search down at least to the State. nromptly at the general delivery she's married now and moved graver would not be there. His Until then they might have been window,

He said it with the plate was there, undoubtedly, but anywhere between Bermuda, and The latter had not come, hat etme sangfroid with which he he himself might have been Hawaii

anxious was Mr. Havens abour { would have held out an ace on quietly working in any one of a” "In Michigan"!

it that he bad disputed the young 'sucker. Only in this in-thousand places. That was why Suddenly the mysterious lady's word when she said thattance, Burns held the ace in his Burns had not hurried to Miobig- counterfeit notes showed up there was nothing for him. That own band.

an is the first place; it was again, this time in a little town in was where he fell down. For. Not long afterward he went to enough to know where the plant Missouri. Surely "Peters," or when the letter really arrived at the town, and casually sauntered A few days later a prosperous, whatever his name was, could fast, she remembered all about ip to the deak at the Com The house was on one of the kily-looking gentleman wan- bave had nothing to do with the dispute, She had noted the nercial House in one of his older atreets of Bay City, a large deed" into the Connecticut jail that. It showed one thing, at accellation time and place on avourite roles ne travelling sales-frame house, set up on a terrace her one room back of the store... a asked for the warden. He least: Petore was not the mythe envelope, had taken the

above the level of the street. It She made her excasos, slipped was interested in an organization aterions counterfeiter himself, al-trouble to show him that he was "The last time I was here,

was an old house, once the pro- into the back room, then breath-that had for ita object the welfare though the trail possibly might mistaken, and, in fact, had 20 remarked reminiscently to the perty of a wealthy family. lessly across the street to the of children. This was before lead through him."

watched all his mail. It all came genial proprietor, "I

Gradually it had sunk in the grocer's.

juvenile courts were ever heard The nowe sent Burn off on a from two places, both of whichhort-card man.

social scale to the lovel of the of outside of Denver. Alter a new clue. A storekeeper out she remembered. One was a little "Evor play with him? boarding-house. It had even gone talk with the warden, he asked there had been arrested for paas town in Ohio, Milton Contre aughed the host. Say, he lower and for a time had descended to be shown through the jail. ing the notes, and he, at least, The other i WOE Bay City, skinned 'em all, he did. He used nearly to the status of an

proved to be so very secretive Michigan,

o get all the travelling men on abandoned building ramshack- follow when cornered. He The track now led along a faturday night, and ob, my,

le. unpainted. loose-boarded, told a remarkable tale, as far blazed trail, apparently-indeed, lidn't be trina em good and unkempt, a very derelict of a as it went.

along two of them. But just at proper!'

house thrust down from genteel present Burns WER more inter

"Does he come around now?" poverty. the under-world of eated in catching Havens than in "No; I haven't seen him for real estate. finding the counterfeiting plant. long time. He used to see a At last it had been rented by a He went to Milton Centre. girl here-Bessie Clayton, down man named Logan. No сде The trail through the pha-oliven Brown's Bakery

bothered much with it, but the had proved an clear in the li të | Barns wulked past the bakery, few who did wondered what my- Missouri town that again bemt ag sin decide on going to

aterions activities were going on lecided to try it out in Ohio the post-office first. One inquiry cellar, while the rest of the in its crazy attic and damp inquired the officer suspiciously Well-er-liare is

At lust, however, he had led up But when Burne asked the post of the postmistress, an angle- entering the motion-stole, with evaded the warden skilfully, to the point-the way to make master at Milion Centre whether faced lady of many wintera, was house, blindless and almost ins the little storekeeper and the "who seems to have taken a fancy money fast and in large quantities. there was any one in town wir-ufficient.

nocent of window-panea, seamed grocer well in the background. 10 him.

Only Lis scheme was one that, answered the description of the

sbe shipped;

"sheas deserted as ever." The dapper young man brew. "So. What is this one in for, fortunatoly, ia not generally stout man with the frid face, used to get letters from the

Barna began quietly to study out his chest. None of your may I ask? What is his name?" followed.

the postmaster thought over biggest scamp alive."

the habits, the goings in and business," ho replied boldly.

It's a long story, replied "Now," he said, thoughtfully every one of bia acquaintances. As usual, what was each one's comings out, of Logan, the man **This is 战 counterfeit, "the warden; as a sketcher var chewing coffee bean and spit but could recall no one who fitted business proved to be the post-in charge. From an inquisitive hazarded the policeman who the experience of the littly notion-ting it out a piece at a time, to the description.

mistress very life. Even she neighborn or two, be obtained was a better julge of human stora keeper. “Saya his name is punctuste his rapid_phrases, “1 Barne tried a new line. He know that the rapid-speaking Mr. descriptions of men who had been nature than of phoney" money. Peters, John Peters, But we know a man in the Est wlio has asked if there had been any mail Havens had been soft spoken sen visiting the old house, at one So are you," sorted the dup-call him the mysterious counter-as safe and easy a scheme as any going out or coming in recently aleo, end that be had become time or another. Havens was per fellow in contempt, úsking a feiter. All the Secret Service Lever heard of.". He leaned his from the little Missouri town. | engaged to the girl.

one of them; Peters was another, lunge to grab the bill.

men can't seem to get out of him elbow on the counter and whis- "Yes," replied the postmaster, "Miss Clayton," said Burns, There were several others, who "I am, am I?" reiterated the where the counterfeit was made pered: "He has some phoney' who evidently kept a keen watch few minutes later, to the were as yet unknown, but most policeman. "Well, just for that or

billa-you know, counterfeits the letters that passed under girl in the bakery, did of them had not been there for I'll take you up to head-quarters, Oh, I don't care about his as good as the real thing. All his eye."Yes; Mrs. Mary Dow you really think that Mr. Havens a long time. where you can prove it-see ? "

lory,

"remarked the philson have to do is to buy some, has a brother from whom she was single ?” The bluff of the dupper one thropist, "but I do care about and right here in your store you gets lotters and to whom she The startled look on her face bal overreached, with the result boys; and if he talks to that boy, can get rid of them as easy as writes there. By George, that's told the truth better than words, he was picking his way down that he wus. quietly but effec-[I'd talk to talk to him. Whe e as passing them over the counter. the brother you described, right

"Of course,

she. replied the crazy stone steps that led tively excurted from the little is this man?"

Shall Ishall I write for some of enough red face, fat, talks fast. simply.

from the terrace to the street, notion-store.

"Over there across the cor- them ? "

That's the brother, all right. "Well," pursued Burns, slow-

This is a pinch!" he observed They had not gone ten steps up riʼor, in the first tier.

He tilted his chair back, and Where did his last letter comely breaking the truth as gently quietly. the street before there was the The kindly gentleman con- cooked his head ou one side with from?" ventured Burns, 18: possible, for he had spent establishment over which Logan It was a nice little printing. sudden glint of something shiny tinue to look at the varie the air of a man of the world who"Don't seem to remember, some time in looking up Havens, in the sunlight; a spit of fire, sud prisoners, with "anword of deals with one not born yesterday. Don't think there've been any *ng a matter of fact, he has a presided down in the cellar." the hollow bark of a revolver. encouragement now and then. The man from Missouri did not lately."

wife, and a son twelve years brought in, piece by piece, and There was a press which had been if it had been a ten-dollar bill she de overshot, just as he had over-But he talked m ́stly of the boy, even wait to be shown. He had Well, when the next one old. would have lost ten times se mnoh reached. The bullet tore out a until they came around to Peters bean worked up to the point comen, wire me Burns bad When the bakery, olosed that assembled quietly. There were just as easily. She made up her piece of the follicer's collar. So this is the ran who is gradually by a personal green scarcely reached Cincinnati When night, Burn had, pussession of reide, chemicala, paints, and inks mind not in the Deity, she would neck of the young and with one the philanthropic gentleman. been attempted by the boldest post amply mind that, while she would keep Like a flash, the ullicer seized the interested in the by, beamed good canvass such as has seldom a two-word telegram from the half a trunk-tray of letters for drawing in the imitation of the boldest postmaster overtook him. It Among them was one written at the little red and blue silk fibres no longer trust either man or hand and bis billy with the other, wish you would introduos me operator.

**** From St. Louis. ' the same place and at the same in the notes. There was the coin.

and an instant later the pistol I'm glad to know you-er- Apparently there was nothing It required no great profaudity time, with identically the same copper-plate for the seal, the clattered on the sidewalk. Pater. What did you say, war in this case except the description of reasoning to arrive, at the postmark, as that on the latter to unmbering-machine for the num was the preparation for the -When the youth gut out of the den? Counterfeiting ? The of the man who had worked off conclusion that it would be the come-on which Havens had bering of the bills. There were reception of the real mysterious hospital, there was lodged in the warden tells me you talk with the green goods by going to the again through the general deli-repudiated. It was a matter of slacks and stacks of fiue band Counterfeit-worse luck for the local jail a young person whom our young friend a good deal. come on himself. There was not very that Havens would receive morely a moment for her to paper, cut in the proper size for real mysterious counterfeiter. no one know, who hail come from 1' like to talk to you about him, even a prisoner, in this instance.mail. Inquiry showed a letter idoddily the hand-writing of both notes. There was also a small The product of his superior nowhere, was connected" with Ile's a fine boy, and I hope he The man had given the name of already waiting for him.

the love-letter and the latter to notes already printed. One fortune of fifty thousand dollars genius did not fall upon stony nobody, and had no visible mosus comes out of this without any Isaac Havene; but then, that meant, A day or two later Haveas the come-on. That settled the ground when, exactly two daye of scpport except that he had worro ideas than when he osmo if anything, even less than the paffed up to the general delivery case of Havens settled it was still wet on the press Inter, a dapper young man step-been sugaged in passing a brand-in,

name John Peters in the first window and asked for the letter. well that, even though later he And there, too, was the fine ped into this came little notion new twarty-dollar counterfeit, The mysterione Paters brighouse. Peters was at least still I want you, Havens," remark-repudiated his original partial copper-plate, beautifully stel store made a purchase that the first of the unofficial issue tened up a bit at the mention of languishing in the New Englanded Burna at his elbow, and

confession and asserted that at the the product of the represented nearly on average over puered, and a good that the the boy. "Yea, he agreed jail.

Havana' face turned from red time of writing the second letter counterfeiter himgoli. day's basiness, and jauntily too Government scoarded it its loughtfully he is a fra young Agai Burns put himself in the to purple, then almost white, he was two hundred miles away. ed down a prakty jullow twenis"

alde, which cuusjelę in fell w—100 find to be burę," place of the green g ode artist, belure be caught himself. from the town where it was said: (Ta de Contigued

Dismissing as no part of this story the human interest heart- throb of the thing, when some one, in making a small purchase, gave the little shopkeeper counterfeit silver dollar, and got good, right-ringing United States coin in change, it was calculated, to say the least, to cause the poor little old lady to do some hard thinking over that bad dollar and over bad motley in general.

It was jast because the little old shop keeper was thinking that way that she was the means of starting the Secret Service, and therefore William J. Buras on the trail of what proved to be the case of the mysterious

counterfeiter.

It was not the silver dollar that was mysterious in this case, although it was the dollar, that really started it. The dollar was, as a matter of fact, only a very poor imitatim of the genuine, in which there was something wrong from the ree led adge to the "In God We Trust," The little old shopkeeper spent many hours thinking of that dollar. Sho talked in her cracked, high-keyed voice to every one who knew anything about counterfeits,

And she grew wary до she realized, with a sigh of relief, that

It merely happened that that

The grocer was a man of big business in that town; but he was not a mousy expert. He pulled out several twenties from the back of his coah-register and Jail them down on the counter

Whatever it was in this imitation, be sonced the truth. "I think," he drawled at least,

"Have you any boys here?" be asked, as he took pains to imprese his sentiments on the warden again, for the benefit of the prisoners.

"

"Yes, one,

was the reply: "H-m," mused the kindly man, as if this was news to him, that you ought to call a police and bad nesa “Does be a man. It looks mighty queer to sociate much with the other

"

Some time before, a man had come into bis store, a very bald man, stout, with a florid face and small eyes. For several days he bad loafed around, and his chief characteristic. reemad. to be that much without betraying himself:

me. Wait; I'll call ous myself. prisoners the more hardened he talked both very fast and very

Whero uil you get this?" open 7"

"

"F

19

میسر

"Yes,"

*

י.

**

Barns was ready to act. One day he slipped alongside Logan