Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 052 by Maxwel l Grant

Author:Maxwel,l Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

CHAPTER XII. ONE MAN MISSING

WHEN Sheriff Howard returned to the office he promptly began to issue orders to Cap Guffy and Stuffy Dowson. The veteran showmen listened soberly while Howard explained his plan for rounding up the bank robbers.

"Run the circus as usual," the sheriff said to Stuffy. "You do the same with your show, Captain. My posse will see to it that everybody stays on the lot. Meanwhile, I'll be strolling around with the watchman and a couple of my deputies."

"Looking for the crooks?" questioned Stuffy.

"Yes," replied Howard. "We'll go into the circus tent like we were regular customers. Give us seats in the box right in front of the main ring. We'll be looking over the whole tent. If we don't see the men we want, we'll go to the other shows and look in the concessions."

"And if you don't find them then?"

"We'll scour the lot. Line up everybody. I could do that to begin with; but I don't want to. It's better as a

last resort. You see" - Howard paused craftily - "I reckon that those robbers don't know the watchman saw them. If they're here with the circus, they've probably got the swag hid somewhere. So they'll try to stand pat, not knowing that we've got the goods on them."

Cap Guffy was seated at a desk. He was weighing the sheriff's words. Cap had no comment. He kept strumming on the woodwork while he stared toward the speaker. Stuffy Dowson, however, did not keep silent.

"Say" - Stuffy wagged a finger toward the sheriff - "maybe those roughnecks was in on that bank robbery. There was five of 'em blew on the night we was leaving Burnsville."

"Last night, eh?"

"Yeah."

"Are they back with the show?"

"I don't know. We can't keep tabs on them roughnecks - leastwise, I can't. But the five of 'em was supposed to tear down Cap's top. They wasn't there when we needed 'em."

"Are they back with your tent now?" questioned the sheriff, turning to Cap Guffy.

"No." Cap shook his head emphatically. "The boys that set up my top was the ones that Stuffy brought up instead of the bunch that blew."

"Where would the fellows be then, if they returned?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe with the big top," put in Stuffy. "They could have slid in with that crew. If they don't know nothin', you're likely to see 'em while the show is on."

"Good," decided the sheriff. "Now we've got to do something to explain why I've got a posse here. You two chaps go out and spread the news that this town is hot. Tell your people that a lot of toughs tried to bust up a carnival that played here a couple of weeks ago.

"Tell them that's why I'm on the job. I want to stop any riots that may start. That's why all the circus folks have got to keep in bounds. We're protecting them as well as the town people.

"That story ought to hold them - all except the five guys that we're after.

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