In disgust, Flash slammed one of the drawers shut. It jammed and did not entirely close. For a moment he thought the wood had warped. Then he saw that a piece of cardboard prevented it from returning to its normal position.
Jerking out the drawer completely, he ran his hand into the opening, and brought to light an old faded photograph. One glance assured him that it was a picture of Albert Povy in his younger years. The man wore the military uniform of a foreign country which Flash did not recognize.
Across the bottom of the picture had been scrawled a name and date:
“Albert Povy ... December 22, 1917.”
Flash studied the photograph with deep interest. Povy’s face was marked with the same jagged scar which had identified him in later years.
Deciding to keep the picture as evidence, he carefully folded it and placed it in an inside coat pocket.
“This may prove useful,” he murmured.
To make certain no other article had dropped behind the drawer, he again ran his hand into the opening. His fingers encountered a paper booklet of smooth finish. Pulling it out, he saw that it was a railroad time table.
Flash would have tossed it aside had not a penciled circle drawn his attention to the second page. A train number had been marked, and it was the same streamliner which Povy had taken from Brandale.
He stuffed the time table into his pocket along with the photograph. The two discoveries added nothing to his general knowledge, but if ever he should meet Rascomb again, the evidence might be of use.