BUCKY FOLLOWS A HOT TRAIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1939, Page 12

BUCKY FOLLOWS A HOT TRAIL

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

COPYRIGHT.

BY

WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE.

CHAPTER XXI. (Continued). No doubt Mitchell had gone over the room with a fine tooth comb. But as a matter of form Bucky made an examination. On the wall, where a man might have written it while lying on the bed, Bucky found a telephone number scrawled. It was Main 2747. The figures vaguely rang a bell in Cameron’s mind. Evidently somebody nad written the number in order to remember it. Bucky had a swift brain flash born either of intuition or a fugitive memory. "Would you mind getting me a telehone book?” he asked the landlady. She brought him one. He looked up the Valley Bank. The number Main 2747 stared at him. Excitement raced tnrough the veins of the young man. If Mrs Mitchins’ lodger was one of the oandits and if he had pencilled the number on the wall —two suppositions about which Bucky had very little doubt—a possible,, even a probable Connection between the outlaws and Clem Garside was established. McCarthy had come to Toltec to rob the Valley Bank, but the telephone number was not necessary for that purpose—unless the job was an inside one and he had wanted to get in touch with nis confederate.

“How much do you get a week for this room, Mrs Mitchin?” he asked. “Four dollars,” she told him.

“I’ll take it for two weeks,” he answered. “Cash. Leave it exactly as it is. Don’t; change anything—not even to dust up. I want left even the pencil number on the wall—as a sample of the man’s handwriting, Probably I won’t live here, but I’ll take a key.”

He gave her eight dollars. “I’ll see nobody else gets into the room,” she promised. Bucky and Tim walked back to the Toltec from 514 Fort Street. “I don’t get it about the telephone number,” Tim said. “Are you figuring on identifying this bird by his handwriting? I would say ne didn’t leave enough of it to do you any good.” “Probably you are right, Tim,” agreed Bucky. “I tossed that in .about his handwriting to get Mrs Mitchin’s mind on the wrong track. It was the number itself interested me. If you were to call up Main 2747 you would get the Valley Bank.” Tim’s eyes had been startled into sudden interest. “What you driving at, boy?” | “McCarthy wrote the number because he wanted to call up the bank. What for?” "How would I know?” '

“Because he knew somebody in the bank —somebody who was going to give him a tip-off that the Malpais dam pay roll had arrived, somebody who coJud tell him wnen and'how best to pull off the job they had in mind. McCarthy calls up this man and makes an appointment to meet him that night m his room. The man comes, taking’ care not to be recognised. No harm in calling on an old friend, but Mr X —that’s a more myterious name than Garside—plays a hand close to his belly. There’s a chance McCarthy may oe caught or shot down, so he must not leave any loose threads that lead to him."

Tim took his time before he answered. "There’s no law against guessing, Bucky. I’ll not say Mr X is not Clem. Plenty of people would tell us we’re crazy in figuring our leading banker a partner of criminals. But we know Garside. He was a crook when he was a young gambler trying to make a four flush stand up. Any old timer can tell you he’d go through hell and high water to win out. Still, he’s-rid-ing high and handsome now. He would have to be driven pretty hard before he would go into a thing like this.” “The bank examiner dropped into town today to look over the Valley’s books. Let’s say Clem knew he was coming and knew he would find a shortage ot funds. This deficiency had to be covered up before the inspector checked up. So Clem fakes a bank robbery. His story is that the robbers got the money. Would anybody suspect it wasn’t true?”

“You mean the bank wasn’t reallv robbed?”

“It was robbed all right. The bandits got the Malpais pay roll—maybe a little more. But I’m riding a hunch the bank had already been looted. That was what had to be covered up.” “That’s all it is—a hunch.’.’ “Not if Clem is Mr X.” “No, but that’s a big if.” Tim added, as they turned into Front Street. “No way of proving it, anyhow.” “How do you know there isn’t? If Mitchell drags McCarthy back the fellow may squeal to save his own hide.” “You’re loaded to the guards with ‘if’s.’ ”

Bucky picked up the telephone receiver and heard the voice of Mitchell. “When did you get back?” Cameron asked.

“Not half an hour ago." the answer came. “When can we talk?” “The sooner the better, i’ll send a man in to town with a car. Come out tc the ranch. We can talk more comfortably here than at the hotel.” Mitchell arrived two hours later. “Did you find McCarthy?” Bucky asked ovei’ their Scotch and sodas. “Yes, I found him,” Mitchell replied. “Only his name isn't McCarthy at El Paso. It’s McCall.” “Is he one of the bank robbers?” “I think so. but I can't be sure yet. He was away from El Paso about ten days before, and just after the roboery. Got back there the next day. He is being shadowed.” “Why not bring him back and see if somebody can’t identify him as the driver of the bandit car?” Bucky questioned. 1 “Because we don’t know yet who the other men in it with him are. If they are in El Paso they will get together soon. We want to bag the whole caboodle.' “Of course,” Bucky nodded. “Did you tie this McCall up with the crime in any way?” “We searched his room while he was out," Mitchell said. .“There was an automobile road map of this state, one that had been used a good deal. And in an old coat there was an envelope post marked Toltec. No letter in it. The date was twelve days before the Valley Bank hold-up. McCall must have come here just after getting the letter.” "Was the address typewritten?” “Yes. Typed by an amateur, and not by a stenographer, and by someone who doesn’t use a machine much. There was no space in the El Paso between the T and the 'P.’ ”

self here. We might have him any time.” Bucky said to Tim, “We’re going to town.” “What for?” Tim wanted to know. “To hole up at 514 Fort Street.” The foreman stared at his friend. “You’ve got some crazy idea in your nut. What is it?” “I’m not sure whether it is crazy or not,” Bucky admitted, “but at least I’m betting on a long shot.” “You mostly do. What is it?” “Just so you won’t laugh at me I’ll wait and tell you later —if I pull it off.” “Mysterious,. aTen’t you?” “Put a toothbrush in your suitcase. We’ll be there all right, maybe.” CHAPTER XXII. Dusk was giving way to darkness before Bucky and Murphy reached Toltec. - Bucky parked the car on Fort street a block distant from the number he wanted. At a drug store he telephoned to Judge Lewis. Fifteen minutes later the lawyer joined them. "What’s it all about?” he asked. “I’ll/ell you later,” Bucky said, and led the way to the rooming house at 514. He produced a key ■ and let his friend into the room he had rented. “Make yourselves comfortable,” he told them. ‘l’ll be back in a minute.”

Bucky knocked on the 'door of the rooms occupied by the landlady. “Nobody has approached you since I telephoned?” he asked. “No. sir.”

“Good;' He slipped the woman a fivedollar bill. “There will be another if this works out as I hope. All you have to do is to bring him to the door, unlock it, and leave him alone with us.”

“There isn’t going to be any . . violence?” she asked.

His smile was reassuring. 'l’m not looking for anything like that. Of course you’re not to tell him we are in the room.”

Buck returned to his companions, and turned out the light. “What’s this playing acting for, inquired Lewis, amused. “I’m expecting a visitor some time this evening. But he doesn’t know I’m expecting him.” "Why the darkness-?” the lawyer questioned. “I don’t want to frighten him off." A moon shone through the window. They could see one another, but not in sharp outline.

"Has the mysterious Mr Cameron any objeclidh to our smoking?” asked Lewis.

None in the world. And we can talk if we stop when we hear footsteps in the hall.”

Lewis shifted uneasily his heavy body in the chair. "Last time I went places with you, Bucky, three anxious gentlemen flung bullets at me.”

“I don't think our visitor will start that kind of trouble,” Bucky-answered. "If he isn't here inside of an hour I’ll tell you all about it. I'm a little shy about confiding in you, because I don't want to oe laughed out of court." The hour was almost up when they heard a voice. Bucky recognised it as that of Mrs Michin, and moved to a place back of the door on swift noiseless feet. A key fumbled at the lock. The door opened. A man’s voice said curtly. “You needn’t stop, madam.” The visitor waited until Mrs Michin turned away before his hand groped for the light switch. Simultaneously the room leaped to light and Bucky slammeiT the door shut.

For a fraction of a second a startled face stared wildly at those in the room. Then a quick hand threw off the switch, and the room was plunged into darkness.

Bucky charged instantly, to prevent a gun from getting into action. His arms closed on a thick body, and pinned two wrists beneath them. But his opponent showed great strength, and broke the grip. Again Bucky’s arms found a hold. A fist beat into his face furiously. He lowered his head and clung tightly to his foe. They tossed about the room, a chair crashing beneath them as they went down. A strong hand gripped at Bucky’s throat. (To be Continued.)

“Some one who is used to dictating his letters," Bucky hazarded. “But who did not want to dictate this one.” j Mitchell smiled, a little grimly. “I’ll s have a talk with your friend Garside. - Not that I think there is a thing in i your idea. But he can give me a line J on his employees.” ? "Ask him for a line on McCall.” “I will.” Bucky caught, as he had i done once before, the flash of Tleadly ' hatred in the eyes of Mitchell. A mo--1 ment later he almost doubted what he had seen. The mask was on again. 1 "I’ll just mention McCall to him.” “You might mention that McCall wrote the bank telephone number in his room here, and see how he takes that.” “I saw that number,” Mitchell said. “And I’ll agree that some one in the bank may have been tipping off McCall.” “When will you talk with Garside?” asked Bucky carelessly. . “Some time tomorrow.” “Like to know how he reacts. I’ll make a prophecy that if you tell him what you know McCall will be warned by air mail at once. Make sure the fellow is shadowed closely.’L “Maybe I had oetter leave McCall out of my talk with Garside,” Mitchell said reflectively. “No need of broadcasting that McCall is under suspicion.” ' "Unless you want to find out whether McCall would take it on the lam.” Julia came to the door and annnounced that dinner was ready. During dinner Mitchell proved himself an entertaining guest. Il appeared that the detective knew a good many of the Hollywood stars. Recently he had oeen employed on a case to recover the stolen diamonds of one of the reigning queens of the cinema, one whose name he could not divulge. . His employer had introduced him ,as a friend at two or three parties and he had met Astaire, Gable and half a dozen other luminaries. Julia plied him with questions, which he answered with animated interest. ■Shortly after dinner he excused himself on a plea of business and returned to town. “He’s very interesting,” Julia said to her cousin. “Let’s have him again.” Bucky nodded. “Yes, I’d say he had been places. He seemed to enjoy him-