The gambler's line of reasoning was a wise one. In the chain of powerful
circumstantial evidence that linked Donna Corblay to Bob McGraw, Mr.
Hennage was the most powerful link, and if he was to remove himself
beyond the jurisdiction of a subpoena from the Superior Court of Kern
county, and thus evade answering embarrassing questions when Bob should
be brought to trial (as the gambler felt certain he would be), it
behooved Mr. Hennage to travel far and fast.
He went down to the station and purchased a ticket for Goldfield,
Nevada. Goldfield was in the zenith of her glory about that time and
Harley P. felt certain of a plethora of easy money in any booming mining
camp. Indeed, it behooved him to seek pastures where the grass was long
and green, for in the removal from Donna's heart of what he termed “the
big sting,” Harley P. planned to play havoc with his bank-roll.
He proceeded about this delicate task as befits one who has a horror of
appearing presumptuous. A week after his arrival in Goldfield he rented
a typewriter for a day, took it to his room in the Goldfield hotel and
battled manfully with it for several hours. After much toil he evolved
the following form letter:
_Dear Friend:_
A short time ago I robbed the San Pasqual stage at Garlock. I took
------ dollars of your money, which I return to you now; with many
thanks, for the reason that I don't need it no more and am sorry I took
it.
I notice by the papers that they found my hat with my name in it, which
serves me right. I did not have no business doing that job in the first
place. It was my first and it will be my last. I am going to start fresh
again and hope you won't bear me no grudge for what I done.
Trusting that the same has not caused you any inconvenience, and with
best wishes I am
Respectfully,
ROBERT MCGRAW.
In the blank space left for the purpose Mr. Hennage inserted in
lead-pencil the figures representing the exact amount of coin which
he had been informed by the express agent had been taken from each
passenger. Next he inserted the exact amount in paper money, together
with his letters, in envelopes which he also addressed on the
typewriter, stamped them and walked down to the post-office.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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