第章

Unless，however，anagentcultivatesatasteforthoroughnesseventodetailsandtriflesthatmightatfirstviewappearutterlyinsignificant，hewillneversucceedininterpretingthehieroglyphics。

Atintervalsoftwoorthreeweeks，beginninginthesummerof1871，registeredpackagespassingtoandfrofromChicagotoatownintheinteriorofDakotaTerritory，whichforconveniencewillbecalledWellington，——thoughthatwasnotitsname，——werereportedtothedepartmentasrifled。Astheseasonworeon，thecomplaintsincreasedinfrequency。Undertheoldmethodofdoingbusinessatheadquarters，whichoftenamountedpracticallytoadistributionofthecasesaboutequally“amongtheboys，“theagentstationedatChicagoreceivedmostofthematfirst；thenapartweresenttoanagentinIowa；andasthenumbermultiplied，Furay，atOmaha，wasfavoredwithanoccasionalsprinkling。Underthepresentmoreperfectsystem，greatcareistakentogrouptogetherallthecomplaintsgrowingoutofeachseriesofdepredations，tolocatetheseatoftroublebycomparisonscarefullymadeinthedepartmentitself，andtogiveeverythingbearingonthesubjecttotheofficerspecificallychargedwiththeinvestigation。

MarchcamearoundbeforeMr。Furayfoundtimetogivepersonalattentiontothisparticularthief。HethenpassedovertheroutetoWellington，eightymilesbystagecoachfromthenearestrailroadstation，withtenintermediateoffices。AllthepackagesremainedovernightatSiouxCity，Iowa，afactsufficientlyimportanttoinviteclosescrutiny；butthedetectivesoonbecamesatisfiedthathemustlookelsewherefortherobber。Hissuspicionswerenextdirectedtoanotheroffice，wherealsothemailslayovernight；

butthepostmasterboreacountenancesoopenandhonestthathetoowaseliminatedfromtheproblem。

HecontinuedontoWellington，skirmishingalongtheline，andobservingthefacesofthepostmasters；butthesestudiesinphysiognomythrewnolightonthemystery，astheofficialsofthedepartmentontheroute，thoughfarremovedfromcentralsupervision，seemedtobeallthattheiraffectionateuncleatWashingtoncouldwish。Onthereturntripthedetectivewasequallyobservantandequallyperplexed。AtthatseasonthestagestoppedforthenightatHannibal；butthere，likewise，thepostmastersharedthehonestlooksthatseemedtoprevailthrougheasternDakota。

Proceedingon，thepassengersdinedatRaven’sNest，whereoneMichaelMahoney，Sr。，keptasmallstoreandthepost-office，runningalso——withtheaidofayoungsonandason-in-law——afarm。

ThestorewasmanagedbyMichaelMahoney，Jr。，amarriedson，whohappenedtobeabsentbothwhenthespecialagentwentupandwhenhereturned。Thefaceoftheoldmanindicatedthathewasvicious，ignorant，andunscrupulous；butclearlyhewasnotsharpenoughtoexecuteniceworklikethatunderinvestigation。

Withtheexceptionofageneralknowledgeoftheoffices，thespecialagentreturnedbutlittlewiserforthetrip，andconcluded，asthebestthatcouldbedoneunderthecircumstances，toallowthebirdtoflutteralittlelongerbeforerenewingthehunt。Meanwhilethethiefgrewmorereckless，andthepapersthatcametoMr。Furay，thoughcoveringafractiononlyofthedepredations，locatedthethiefonthelowerendoftheroute，withinfiftymilesoftheterminus。

Duringthesummeroneortwootheragentstookupthemattercursorily，butmadenodiscoveries。InthemeantimeMr。FuraywaskepttoobusilyoccupiedwithasuccessionofimportantcasesinNebraskatogivemuchthoughttotheoutlyingterritoryofDakota。

Atlength，inSeptember，hewentcarefullyoverthepapersthathadaccumulatedduringhislateprolongedabsences，andsoonknewexactlywheretolookforthechapwhohadsolongplunderedthepublicwithimpunity。

ForsometimeChicagohadbeenclosingregisteredpackageenvelopeswithwax，which，onthisrouteatleast，effectuallysecuredthemagainstmolestation。Imitatingtheexample，Camden，Dakota，begantodothesame；but，havingnosealsuitableforthepurpose，improvisedasubstitutebyusingtheflatsurfaceofarasp。

Camdenplacedthewaxneareachendoftheenvelope，whichmateriallyinterferedwiththegameofthethief，becauseitwasjustherethatheoperated。Evidentlypiquedthataruralpostmastershouldpresumetooutwithim，hestudiedhardtodevisesomemeansforopeningtheseparticularpackageswithoutleavingsuchtracesofhishandiworkaswouldattractthenoticeofotherofficialsthroughwhosehandstheymightsubsequentlypass。Theeffortwascrownedwithameasurabledegreeofsuccess，forMr。

Furay，atthegeneraloverhaulingreferredto，wasthefirsttodiscoverthatthesealhadbeentamperedwith。

Asitwasnecessarytobreakoneoftheseals，theobjectoftherobberwastorestoreitasnearlyaspossibletoitsoriginalappearance；andtoeffectthisheusedadampenedthimble，rollingitoverthewaxwhilethelatterwashot。Therewasbutoneenvelopeofthekindinthelot，butittoldthewholestorytotheeyethatcouldpenetrateitsmeaning。Asthethimblepassedalongtheedge，itleftthemarkoftherim，thenasmooth，narrowband，followedbypointedelevationscloselyresemblingcontinuouslines，thus：

Ontheoppositesideofthesamesealthewaxflattenedoutsoastocoveragooddealofsurface；and，togiveitthedesiredappearance，themanipulatorresortedtothethimbleagain，butthistimeUSEDADIFFERENTONE，theindentationsonthesurfacebeingperceptiblyfinerandmoreshallow。

Theviolationofthatsinglesealbetrayedthethief，forthedetectiveatonceinferredthatthejobwasdoneinastorewheretheoperatorhadaccesstoavarietyofthimbles。Onlyonewasrequired；andnopersonbutamerchantwouldbelikelytohavemorethanonewithinconvenientreach。Inastore，however，itwouldbenaturaltotakedownaboxful，andplaceitonthecounter，tobeselectedfromatrandom。Oneispickedup，used，andthrownback。

Theoperatornowfindsanotherspotthatrequiresattention，andwithoutwaitingtohuntforthethimblethathasalreadyservedasaseal，——forthewaxiscoolingandnotimemustbelost，——graspsthefirstthatcomestohand，tooabsorbedinthemainissuetogiveathoughttowhatwouldpassasaninsignificantsubsidiarytrifle。Norascalissharpenoughtoguardeverypoint，——ageneralfactthatillustratesoverandoveragain，intheexperienceofman，theseminaltruththatinamercenaryandphysicalaswellasinahighandspiritual，sensethereisneitherwisdomnorprofitoutsideofthelimitsofabsoluteintegrityandunflinchinguprightness。

Thedetectivelaidasidethepaperswithalightheart，knowingthatatlasthewascompletemasterofthesituation。BelowCamdenontheinfestedroutethepost-officewaskeptinastoreattwopointsonly，andinoneofthosenothimblesweresold。TheclewpointedunerringlytoRaven’sNestasthespotwherealonetherequisiteconditionstoaccountfortheimprintontheviolatedsealweretobefound。Thithertheofficeraccordinglywent；andthemomenthiseyerestedonMichaelMahoney，Jr。，herecognizedtheheaven-brandedfeaturesofathief。

ReturningtoSiouxCity，hetelegraphedtoanotheragent，whohadalargenumberofthecasesgrowingoutoftherobberies，tocomeonatonce。Thetwomentookstations，oneoneachsideofRaven’sNest，andinthirtyhourstheyarrestedtheyouthfulcriminal，whointheintervalstolefourdecoyletters，andpaidaportionofthecontentstooneoftheofficerswhowastestinghim。

Mr。Furaycollectedfromthethiefandhisrelativesthefullamountstolenfromthemailsduringtheentirecontinuanceofthedepredations，restoringthemoneytotherightfulownersdollarfordollar。YoungMahoneymadeawrittenconfession，supplementedbythreeorfourcodicilsrelatingtoitemswhich，tousehisownlanguage，“atfirstdidnottomeoccur。“HewastriedthefollowingFebruary，andsentencedtothepenitentiaryforthetermofthreeyears。

Withinfifteendaysfromthetimewhenthedoorsoftheprisonwereclosedupontheson，thevillainousoldfather，actingperhapsonthetheorythatnotwoshotseverstrikeinexactlythesameplace，beganalsotorobthemails。InduetimeMr。Furayagainappearedonthesceneandtooktheoldreprobateawayaprisoner。Whenthetrialcameon，amaterialwitnessfortheprosecutionhappenedtobeabsent，thelackofwhosetestimonyprovedfataltothecase，forafterhangingadayandanight，thejurybroughtinaverdictofacquittal。

ANERRINGSHEPHERD

Theingenuityandperseveranceofthefraternityofswindlersisonlyequaledbythegullibilityandpatienceoftheirdupes。

Duringtheflushtimesthatfollowedthewar，immensefortunesweresuddenlyacquiredbyaclassofcheatswhooperatedonthecredulityofthepublicthroughgiftenterprises，lotteries，andotherkindredschemes。MostofthelargeconcernsestablishedtheirheadquartersinNewYorkCity，floodingtheentirecountry，particularlytheSouthandWest，withlithographiccirculars，writtenapparentlywiththepenfortheexclusivebenefitoftherecipient，andshowinghowfortunescouldbesecurelymadebyremittingspecifiedsumstothehousesinquestion。Someofthebogusfirmssimplypocketedthecashofcorrespondentswithoutpretendingtorenderanyequivalentwhatever；whileothers，nomorehonest，butalittlemorepolitic，sentforthworthlessjewelryandotherstuffbythebushel。

Oneofthemostvillainousandatthesametimesuccessfuldeviceswasbuiltupontheofferofcounterfeitcurrencyataheavydiscount。Insubstance，thecirculars，emanatingfromdifferentparties，andfromthesamepartiesunderdifferentnames，wereallalike。Theyusuallybeganwithaninsidiouscomplimenttothepersonaddressed，totheeffectthatfromtrustworthysourcesthewriterhadheardofhimasamanofmorethanordinarycapacityandshrewdness，and，emboldenedbythehighestimateplaceduponhisabilitiesbypersonswellqualifiedtojudge，hadselectedhimastheveryindividualtoaidinsecuringafortuneforbothwith“absolutesafety。“Thecircularusuallygoesontostatethatthewriterisafirst-classengraver，——indeed“oneofthemostexpertintheUnitedStates，“——whilehispartnerisafirst-classprinter。

Hencethefirmpossessunrivaledfacilitiesforimitatingthenationalcurrency。TherecipientisparticuarlycautionedtobewareofaclassofmiscreantswhoinfestthecityofNewYorkandadvertisethroughoutthecountrythegoodsthathemanufactures，butsendnothingexceptrubbish。The“originalDoctorJacobs“

excoriatesunmercifullythewholetribeofswindlerswhoserascalitiesdebauchandbringodiumuponthetrade。Heexhortsthegentlemanofgreatreputed“shrewdnessandsagacity“toobservetheutmostcautioninconductingoperations，andgiveshimexplicitdirectionshowtoforwardthepurchase-money。

Severalyearsagoapreacherofthegospel，stationednotfarfromthenorthernfrontieroftherepublic，receivedbymailoneoftheseductivemissivesofRagem&Co。，ofNewYorkCity。Thedouceuropenedwiththeusualcomplimentaryreferencestothepeculiarpersonalfitnessoftheclergymanfortheproposedenterprise，andwentontostatethat，inexchangeforgenuinegreenbacks，Ragem&

Co。wouldfurnishintheproportionoffiftytooneimitationssoabsolutelyperfectthatthemostexperiencedbankofficerscouldnotdistinguishthedifference。Rev。ZachariahSapp，——forsuchwastheeuphoniousnameofthepreacher，——afteranattentiveperusaloftheflatteringproposal，depositedthedocumentinhiscoat-pocketforconvenienceofreference。Havingponderedthesubjectforadayortwo，hedecidedtowritetoRagem&Co。formoreexplicitinformation。

Diviningwiththepeculiarinstinctoftheguildthecharacterofthefishnownibblingatthenakedhook，thecheatresolvedtoriskalittlebait，andaccordinglysentbyreturnmailagenuineone-

dollarnote，withawritteninvitationbothforareplyandapersonalconference。

NeverbeforedidtheRev。ZachariahSappsubjectapieceofpapertosuchscrutiny。Bothwiththenakedeyeandwithamicroscope，——

arelicofcollegiatedays，——hestudiedtheengravingsandfiligreework。Detailbydetailhecomparedthesupposedimitationwithbillsofknowngenuinenesswithoutbeingabletodiscovertheslightestpointofvariationbetweenthem。Paper，printing，andengravingseemedtobeabsolutelyperfect。Whilethestudywasprogressing，theimaginationoftheclergymansoaredthroughtheempyreanofdazzlingexpectations。Whycontinuetotoilhardforasmallpittancewhenthegoldenappleswerehangingwithineasyreach？Whydragoutanexistenceinpenurywhenwealthanditsjoyswerethrustuponhim？

Zachariah，however，wasprudentandthrifty——indeedrathermorethriftyintheestimationofparishionersthanbefittedonewhoheldbyrightoffaithatitle-deedtomansionsintheskies。

Almostassoonwouldheriskhisfutureinheritanceasperilonadoubtfulventurethefewhundreddollarssnuglysavedupforawetdaybyprudenceandeconomy。