learn that two men, carrying a valise between them, had been seen
walking along the railroad track in a north-westerly direction from
Geneva, but that was all. In the darkness of the night, they had
succeeded in eluding their pursuers, and on the following day all traces
of them were obscured.

Two things were now to be done at once; to ascertain the antecedents of
Eugene Pearson, and to seek the whereabouts of Newton Edwards. To these
tasks William applied himself immediately, and with what result will be
shown hereafter.




CHAPTER IV.

The work progresses--Eugene Pearson's early life--On the trail of
Newton Edwards.


In the meantime operatives Manning and Jackson had been untiring in
their efforts to obtain some traces of the robbers. They had found a
number of people who recollected seeing two men, answering the
description of the suspected thieves, who carried a valise between them,
but beyond a certain point all traces of them stopped. It seemed that
the ground had opened and swallowed them up, so effectual had been their
disappearance.

While thus engaged, operative Manning received instructions to keep a
watchful eye upon young Pearson, and also to make quiet and judicious