Unless，however，anagentcultivatesatasteforthoroughnesseventodetailsandtriflesthatmightatfirstviewappearutterlyinsignificant，hewillneversucceedininterpretingthehieroglyphics。
　　Atintervalsoftwoorthreeweeks，beginninginthesummerof1871，registeredpackagespassingtoandfrofromChicagotoatownintheinteriorofDakotaTerritory，whichforconveniencewillbecalledWellington，——thoughthatwasnotitsname，——werereportedtothedepartmentasrifled。Astheseasonworeon，thecomplaintsincreasedinfrequency。Undertheoldmethodofdoingbusinessatheadquarters，whichoftenamountedpracticallytoadistributionofthecasesaboutequally“amongtheboys，“theagentstationedatChicagoreceivedmostofthematfirst；thenapartweresenttoanagentinIowa；andasthenumbermultiplied，Furay，atOmaha，wasfavoredwithanoccasionalsprinkling。Underthepresentmoreperfectsystem，greatcareistakentogrouptogetherallthecomplaintsgrowingoutofeachseriesofdepredations，tolocatetheseatoftroublebycomparisonscarefullymadeinthedepartmentitself，andtogiveeverythingbearingonthesubjecttotheofficerspecificallychargedwiththeinvestigation。
　　MarchcamearoundbeforeMr。Furayfoundtimetogivepersonalattentiontothisparticularthief。HethenpassedovertheroutetoWellington，eightymilesbystagecoachfromthenearestrailroadstation，withtenintermediateoffices。AllthepackagesremainedovernightatSiouxCity，Iowa，afactsufficientlyimportanttoinviteclosescrutiny；butthedetectivesoonbecamesatisfiedthathemustlookelsewherefortherobber。Hissuspicionswerenextdirectedtoanotheroffice，wherealsothemailslayovernight；
　　butthepostmasterboreacountenancesoopenandhonestthathetoowaseliminatedfromtheproblem。
　　HecontinuedontoWellington，skirmishingalongtheline，andobservingthefacesofthepostmasters；butthesestudiesinphysiognomythrewnolightonthemystery，astheofficialsofthedepartmentontheroute，thoughfarremovedfromcentralsupervision，seemedtobeallthattheiraffectionateuncleatWashingtoncouldwish。Onthereturntripthedetectivewasequallyobservantandequallyperplexed。AtthatseasonthestagestoppedforthenightatHannibal；butthere，likewise，thepostmastersharedthehonestlooksthatseemedtoprevailthrougheasternDakota。
　　Proceedingon，thepassengersdinedatRaven’sNest，whereoneMichaelMahoney，Sr。，keptasmallstoreandthepost-office，runningalso——withtheaidofayoungsonandason-in-law——afarm。
　　ThestorewasmanagedbyMichaelMahoney，Jr。，amarriedson，whohappenedtobeabsentbothwhenthespecialagentwentupandwhenhereturned。Thefaceoftheoldmanindicatedthathewasvicious，ignorant，andunscrupulous；butclearlyhewasnotsharpenoughtoexecuteniceworklikethatunderinvestigation。
　　Withtheexceptionofageneralknowledgeoftheoffices，thespecialagentreturnedbutlittlewiserforthetrip，andconcluded，asthebestthatcouldbedoneunderthecircumstances，toallowthebirdtoflutteralittlelongerbeforerenewingthehunt。Meanwhilethethiefgrewmorereckless，andthepapersthatcametoMr。Furay，thoughcoveringafractiononlyofthedepredations，locatedthethiefonthelowerendoftheroute，withinfiftymilesoftheterminus。
　　Duringthesummeroneortwootheragentstookupthemattercursorily，butmadenodiscoveries。InthemeantimeMr。FuraywaskepttoobusilyoccupiedwithasuccessionofimportantcasesinNebraskatogivemuchthoughttotheoutlyingterritoryofDakota。
　　Atlength，inSeptember，hewentcarefullyoverthepapersthathadaccumulatedduringhislateprolongedabsences，andsoonknewexactlywheretolookforthechapwhohadsolongplunderedthepublicwithimpunity。
　　ForsometimeChicagohadbeenclosingregisteredpackageenvelopeswithwax，which，onthisrouteatleast，effectuallysecuredthemagainstmolestation。Imitatingtheexample，Camden，Dakota，begantodothesame；but，havingnosealsuitableforthepurpose，improvisedasubstitutebyusingtheflatsurfaceofarasp。
　　Camdenplacedthewaxneareachendoftheenvelope，whichmateriallyinterferedwiththegameofthethief，becauseitwasjustherethatheoperated。Evidentlypiquedthataruralpostmastershouldpresumetooutwithim，hestudiedhardtodevisesomemeansforopeningtheseparticularpackageswithoutleavingsuchtracesofhishandiworkaswouldattractthenoticeofotherofficialsthroughwhosehandstheymightsubsequentlypass。Theeffortwascrownedwithameasurabledegreeofsuccess，forMr。
　　Furay，atthegeneraloverhaulingreferredto，wasthefirsttodiscoverthatthesealhadbeentamperedwith。
　　Asitwasnecessarytobreakoneoftheseals，theobjectoftherobberwastorestoreitasnearlyaspossibletoitsoriginalappearance；andtoeffectthisheusedadampenedthimble，rollingitoverthewaxwhilethelatterwashot。Therewasbutoneenvelopeofthekindinthelot，butittoldthewholestorytotheeyethatcouldpenetrateitsmeaning。Asthethimblepassedalongtheedge，itleftthemarkoftherim，thenasmooth，narrowband，followedbypointedelevationscloselyresemblingcontinuouslines，thus：
　　Ontheoppositesideofthesamesealthewaxflattenedoutsoastocoveragooddealofsurface；and，togiveitthedesiredappearance，themanipulatorresortedtothethimbleagain，butthistimeUSEDADIFFERENTONE，theindentationsonthesurfacebeingperceptiblyfinerandmoreshallow。
　　Theviolationofthatsinglesealbetrayedthethief，forthedetectiveatonceinferredthatthejobwasdoneinastorewheretheoperatorhadaccesstoavarietyofthimbles。Onlyonewasrequired；andnopersonbutamerchantwouldbelikelytohavemorethanonewithinconvenientreach。Inastore，however，itwouldbenaturaltotakedownaboxful，andplaceitonthecounter，tobeselectedfromatrandom。Oneispickedup，used，andthrownback。
　　Theoperatornowfindsanotherspotthatrequiresattention，andwithoutwaitingtohuntforthethimblethathasalreadyservedasaseal，——forthewaxiscoolingandnotimemustbelost，——graspsthefirstthatcomestohand，tooabsorbedinthemainissuetogiveathoughttowhatwouldpassasaninsignificantsubsidiarytrifle。Norascalissharpenoughtoguardeverypoint，——ageneralfactthatillustratesoverandoveragain，intheexperienceofman，theseminaltruththatinamercenaryandphysicalaswellasinahighandspiritual，sensethereisneitherwisdomnorprofitoutsideofthelimitsofabsoluteintegrityandunflinchinguprightness。
　　Thedetectivelaidasidethepaperswithalightheart，knowingthatatlasthewascompletemasterofthesituation。BelowCamdenontheinfestedroutethepost-officewaskeptinastoreattwopointsonly，andinoneofthosenothimblesweresold。TheclewpointedunerringlytoRaven’sNestasthespotwherealonetherequisiteconditionstoaccountfortheimprintontheviolatedsealweretobefound。Thithertheofficeraccordinglywent；andthemomenthiseyerestedonMichaelMahoney，Jr。，herecognizedtheheaven-brandedfeaturesofathief。
　　ReturningtoSiouxCity，hetelegraphedtoanotheragent，whohadalargenumberofthecasesgrowingoutoftherobberies，tocomeonatonce。Thetwomentookstations，oneoneachsideofRaven’sNest，andinthirtyhourstheyarrestedtheyouthfulcriminal，whointheintervalstolefourdecoyletters，andpaidaportionofthecontentstooneoftheofficerswhowastestinghim。
　　Mr。Furaycollectedfromthethiefandhisrelativesthefullamountstolenfromthemailsduringtheentirecontinuanceofthedepredations，restoringthemoneytotherightfulownersdollarfordollar。YoungMahoneymadeawrittenconfession，supplementedbythreeorfourcodicilsrelatingtoitemswhich，tousehisownlanguage，“atfirstdidnottomeoccur。“HewastriedthefollowingFebruary，andsentencedtothepenitentiaryforthetermofthreeyears。
　　Withinfifteendaysfromthetimewhenthedoorsoftheprisonwereclosedupontheson，thevillainousoldfather，actingperhapsonthetheorythatnotwoshotseverstrikeinexactlythesameplace，beganalsotorobthemails。InduetimeMr。Furayagainappearedonthesceneandtooktheoldreprobateawayaprisoner。Whenthetrialcameon，amaterialwitnessfortheprosecutionhappenedtobeabsent，thelackofwhosetestimonyprovedfataltothecase，forafterhangingadayandanight，thejurybroughtinaverdictofacquittal。
　　ANERRINGSHEPHERD
　　Theingenuityandperseveranceofthefraternityofswindlersisonlyequaledbythegullibilityandpatienceoftheirdupes。
　　Duringtheflushtimesthatfollowedthewar，immensefortunesweresuddenlyacquiredbyaclassofcheatswhooperatedonthecredulityofthepublicthroughgiftenterprises，lotteries，andotherkindredschemes。MostofthelargeconcernsestablishedtheirheadquartersinNewYorkCity，floodingtheentirecountry，particularlytheSouthandWest，withlithographiccirculars，writtenapparentlywiththepenfortheexclusivebenefitoftherecipient，andshowinghowfortunescouldbesecurelymadebyremittingspecifiedsumstothehousesinquestion。Someofthebogusfirmssimplypocketedthecashofcorrespondentswithoutpretendingtorenderanyequivalentwhatever；whileothers，nomorehonest，butalittlemorepolitic，sentforthworthlessjewelryandotherstuffbythebushel。
　　Oneofthemostvillainousandatthesametimesuccessfuldeviceswasbuiltupontheofferofcounterfeitcurrencyataheavydiscount。Insubstance，thecirculars，emanatingfromdifferentparties，andfromthesamepartiesunderdifferentnames，wereallalike。Theyusuallybeganwithaninsidiouscomplimenttothepersonaddressed，totheeffectthatfromtrustworthysourcesthewriterhadheardofhimasamanofmorethanordinarycapacityandshrewdness，and，emboldenedbythehighestimateplaceduponhisabilitiesbypersonswellqualifiedtojudge，hadselectedhimastheveryindividualtoaidinsecuringafortuneforbothwith“absolutesafety。“Thecircularusuallygoesontostatethatthewriterisafirst-classengraver，——indeed“oneofthemostexpertintheUnitedStates，“——whilehispartnerisafirst-classprinter。
　　Hencethefirmpossessunrivaledfacilitiesforimitatingthenationalcurrency。TherecipientisparticuarlycautionedtobewareofaclassofmiscreantswhoinfestthecityofNewYorkandadvertisethroughoutthecountrythegoodsthathemanufactures，butsendnothingexceptrubbish。The“originalDoctorJacobs“
　　excoriatesunmercifullythewholetribeofswindlerswhoserascalitiesdebauchandbringodiumuponthetrade。Heexhortsthegentlemanofgreatreputed“shrewdnessandsagacity“toobservetheutmostcautioninconductingoperations，andgiveshimexplicitdirectionshowtoforwardthepurchase-money。
　　Severalyearsagoapreacherofthegospel，stationednotfarfromthenorthernfrontieroftherepublic，receivedbymailoneoftheseductivemissivesofRagem&Co。，ofNewYorkCity。Thedouceuropenedwiththeusualcomplimentaryreferencestothepeculiarpersonalfitnessoftheclergymanfortheproposedenterprise，andwentontostatethat，inexchangeforgenuinegreenbacks，Ragem&
　　Co。wouldfurnishintheproportionoffiftytooneimitationssoabsolutelyperfectthatthemostexperiencedbankofficerscouldnotdistinguishthedifference。Rev。ZachariahSapp，——forsuchwastheeuphoniousnameofthepreacher，——afteranattentiveperusaloftheflatteringproposal，depositedthedocumentinhiscoat-pocketforconvenienceofreference。Havingponderedthesubjectforadayortwo，hedecidedtowritetoRagem&Co。formoreexplicitinformation。
　　Diviningwiththepeculiarinstinctoftheguildthecharacterofthefishnownibblingatthenakedhook，thecheatresolvedtoriskalittlebait，andaccordinglysentbyreturnmailagenuineone-
　　dollarnote，withawritteninvitationbothforareplyandapersonalconference。
　　NeverbeforedidtheRev。ZachariahSappsubjectapieceofpapertosuchscrutiny。Bothwiththenakedeyeandwithamicroscope，——
　　arelicofcollegiatedays，——hestudiedtheengravingsandfiligreework。Detailbydetailhecomparedthesupposedimitationwithbillsofknowngenuinenesswithoutbeingabletodiscovertheslightestpointofvariationbetweenthem。Paper，printing，andengravingseemedtobeabsolutelyperfect。Whilethestudywasprogressing，theimaginationoftheclergymansoaredthroughtheempyreanofdazzlingexpectations。Whycontinuetotoilhardforasmallpittancewhenthegoldenappleswerehangingwithineasyreach？Whydragoutanexistenceinpenurywhenwealthanditsjoyswerethrustuponhim？
　　Zachariah，however，wasprudentandthrifty——indeedrathermorethriftyintheestimationofparishionersthanbefittedonewhoheldbyrightoffaithatitle-deedtomansionsintheskies。
　　Almostassoonwouldheriskhisfutureinheritanceasperilonadoubtfulventurethefewhundreddollarssnuglysavedupforawetdaybyprudenceandeconomy。