Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-03-04
Orchestra
!: Chair X Is
By HOWARD FIELDING
By HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright, 1906. bp Charles W. Hooke
NHE train from New York due

NHE tTdlu from New 1Ofk uue
at Bridgeport at $40 D. III. ran
into the station II few minutes
late and with an unusual
painting and hustle, as if confessing
that 1t was in hurry. From the rear
platform of the last ear there alighted
tall young man who did not wait for
the train 10 come 10 a full stop. He
wore long, dark gray raincOlt. with
the collar turned up, and black alpine
hat was pulled well down over his
forehead. His general aspect as lie
lodged around the end of the depot
suggested that of one who is hurrying
through smart shower without an
umbrella, yet the weather had cleared
within the last hour, and. moreover,
the man was under shelter all the
time.
Ii 1t was the strangers intention to
escape observation he failed signally.
An exceptionally keen eye marked all
his doings. Before his foot was firmly
on the boards Of the platform as he
stepped down from the car this thought
had flashed through the bl1 in Of a GER
tain young man who louh.ed near by
upon the shady side of IA pillar which
supported the roof, That fellow looks
queer"
The eye and thought Were Stephen
Kent's, and Mr.. Kent was report
er on one of the bridgeport papers.
therefore an individual who was glad
to see anything or anybody that was
queer. He was Il youth of quick deci-
sion, and he lost no time upon this oc-
casiOn.
| The stranger crossed the street be-
yond the station in II great hurry and
entered the bar of Il hotel. Kent went
in by the main door and gained the bar
In another way, yet almost smultane.
ously: with the object of his interest.
fhe man i'll the raincoat took his
place by II window and observed with
obvious interest, even measure of
anxiety, the crowd which poured out
Of the building 1t may have been a
quarter of an hour that he stood there
and meanwhile Kent was sitting be.
side small table pretending to read
an evening paper.
The light from an electric lamp struck
through the window in such way that
the stranger could not avoid it as he
looked out 1t beat strongly upon his
face, revealing to Kent very interest
ing matter-namely, that the man in
the raincoat was naturally of fail
complexion, though he seemed to be
dark because his eyebrows We're pen
ciled and his mustache blackened.
Obviously the disguise had been has
tily assumed, but the reporter was OF
the opinion that it must make a rad
ical change in the mans appearance
1t was probable that his hair had al
ways been dark brown, and for tina,
reason the gray eyes and very light
colOred eyebrows and mustache woult
have been the more notable.
Presently it became clear that the
stranger was satisfied with what ht
had seen-Or it may have been will
what he hadn't seen-from the win
dow. He turned away and walked
across the street into the restaurant
which is in the depot.
Few people were eating there, but Il
seemed that they were too many fol
the man in the raincoat. and he was
about to go away when he observed
flight Of stairs leading up to another
dining room on the second floor. Five
minutes later. when Kent ascended the
stairs he beheld the stranger sitting II
q corner with a newspaper held up be
fore his face. Not counting two wait