But
once it is inspected and officially labelled it goes through
without further difficulty, the steamship people being content with
the express company's guarantee.
"And now be kind enough to give me your very best attention. This
morning, at ten o'clock, one of these officially registered
packages disappeared from the wagon that you were driving. At half-
past two this afternoon the parcel is returned to messenger Day,
coming through your hands. Now, how long did it take you to make up
this dummy--seal, stamp, and all? Of course, you had stolen what
you needed for the forgery from the company office--all but the
Redfield & Company label, and that you soaked off the original
package and reaffixed to this one.
"It wasn't a plausible story that you told Day, but you knew the
boy wouldn't be particular over trifles. All he cared about was the
cloud upon his honesty. You figured that the package would be
returned, perfunctorily examined for identification, and
immediately sent on board the steamer. How much picrate or dynamite
does it take to knock out the biggest steamship afloat? You could
get enough of the stuff in a box of this size--couldn't you? And
how were you going to set it off? Clockwork, of course. But why
were you so stupid as to use a clumsy mechanism whose ticking could
be heard a block away? Listen to it now.
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