CHAPTER XXI
FLASH INVESTIGATES
With mingled feelings of sympathy and misgiving, Flash watched the old man depart. He felt sorry for the watchman who obviously still brooded over the death of his son.
From the conversation he had gleaned one fact of importance. Old Herm’s son had been named Richard, which tended to make him believe that the boy could have been the same one Mr. Brown mentioned. Then, too, weeks before, the watchman had said that he had known Flash’s father. It was something to think about.
Returning home, Flash found his mother locking up the house for the night.
“Sorry to be so late,” he apologized. “I waited at the office to talk with Old Herm who doesn’t come on duty until evening.”
“You seem to have taken a deep liking to that old watchman,” his mother commented with a smile.
“Not exactly a liking,” Flash corrected. “Herm is an interesting character. By the way, Mother, did you ever hear Father speak of an employee at the Post named Ronne?”
“Ronne?” she repeated thoughtfully. “The name sounds familiar. Oh, yes, I remember, because of the trouble it caused your father. There was a young man employed at the Post, who was discharged for stealing funds.”
“Not Richard or Dick Ronne?”
“I’m not certain, but I believe that was his first name.”