est the
following day, and the jury found a verdict of death at the hands of a
person or persons unknown. The funeral was attended by people from
miles around, and there was a general determination shown to spare no
pains to bring the murderers to justice; large rewards were offered by
the Governor, by the bank, and by the county officials, and some of the
best detectives in the country were employed, but all to no purpose.
When the gold pieces were found, a number of George's intimate friends
organized a party to search the adjoining woods for traces of the
criminals, as it was thought they might have camped out in that
vicinity, before or after the deed. All of George's intimate friends
joined in the search, except Mr. Drysdale, who was so much overcome at
the terrible occurrence, that he was quite prostrated. Nothing was found
by this party, however; neither have the various detectives,
professional and amateur, who have investigated the case, made the
slightest progress toward a solution of the mystery. We have determined
to make one more effort, Mr. Pinkerton, and therefore we have sent for
you to aid us. It may be that you will see some trace which others have
overlooked; you can take whatever steps you choose, and you need spare
no expense. If you are successful, we will pay you liberally, besides
the rewards offered."

"One of the rules of my Agency," I replied, "forbids the acceptance of
rewards; hence, I wish it understood in advance, that my only charges
will be according to my regular schedule of prices, and that I expect
nothing more. This is my invariable custom, whether the case be one of
murder, arson, burglary, or simple theft; the number of detectives, and
the time they are employed, will determine the amount I shall charge."

We then arranged the financial portion of our agreement to our mutual
satisfaction, and I began my investigations.

"What detectives have you hitherto employed, Mr. Bannatine?" I asked.

"I first laid the matter before two New York detectives, who had been
highly recommended to me," he replied; "but they could offer no
satisfactory theory to work upon, and after staying here three or four
weeks, they said that the murder must have been committed by some member
of a gang of gamblers; they thought the murderer would probably go to
New Orleans to exchange his money, and that it would be easy to learn by
going to that city, whether any gambler had had an unusual amount of
money a