CHAPTER V.

New developments--Tidings of Newton Edwards--Suspicions strengthening
against Eugene Pearson--Mr. Silby's confidence.


In extending their investigations in and around Geneva, operatives
Manning and Jackson had discovered numerous items of intelligence
corroborative of their previous suspicions. A salesman, connected with a
large mercantile house from one of the large cities, furnished the
information that on Monday, the day on which the robbery occurred, he
had traveled with Edwards as far as Newtonsville, and as he did not see
him after leaving that place, he concluded that he must have stopped
there. He also stated that Edwards appeared to be unusually cold and
reserved, and that he was accompanied by a companion whom he did not
introduce to his friends. At Newtonsville it was learned that a man,
fully answering the description of Edwards' companion, had visited both
of the livery stables in that town, and had attempted to hire a team of
horses and a carriage. He had been refused in both instances, for the
reasons that he was a stranger, and appeared to be under the influence
of liquor. Several people both in Geneva and Newtonsville were found who
remembered seeing Edwards, whom they knew--and a companion who was a
stranger to them--about these towns on the day of the robbery, and they
described their actions as being very peculiar. They had disappeared
immediately after that and had not been seen since. If further proofs of
the complicity of Edwards were required they could have been procured by
the score, and as all traces of their route from Geneva had been lost,
William resolved to commence a thorough and systematic process of
espionage, which he believed would eventually lead to the discovery of