The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-02-25
Orchestra
Chair X IL
BY HOWARD FIELDING
BY HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright, 1908, bv Charles ". Hoobe
WNHE train from New York due
at Bridgeport at 600 p. III. ran
t,., ,b, citation, Al fay, ,ninutpa


into the station u few minutes
late and with an unusual
painting and hustle, as If confesslng
that 1t was in hurry. From the rear
platform of the last car there alighted
a tall young man who did not wait for
the train to come to Il full stop. He
wore a long, dark gray ralncoat, with
the collar turned up, and black alpine
hat was pulled well down over his
forehead. His general aspect as he
lodged around the end of the depot
suggested that Of one who is hurrying
through a smart shower without an
umbrella, yet the weather had cleared
within the last hour, and moreover,
the man was under shelter all the
time.
If 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 brain of u GER
tain young man who lounged near by
upon the shady side of a 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 youth of quick deci-
sion, and he lost no time upon this oc.
casion.
The stranger crossed the street be.
yond the station in great hurry and
entered the bar Of hotel. Kent went
In by the main door and gained the bar
in another way, yet almost simultane
ously with the object of his interest.
The man in the raincoat took his
place by window and observed with
obvious interest, even a measure Of
anxiety, the crowd which poured out
of the building. II may have been n
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 u way that
the stranger could not avoid II as he
looked out. 1t beat strongly upon his
face, revealing to Kent a very interest.
ing matter-namely, that the man in
the raincoat was naturally of fair
complexion, though he seemed to be
dark because his eyebrows were pen
clled and his mustache blackened.
Obviously the disguise had been has
tily assumed, but the reporter was OF
the opinion that 1t must make rad
ical change in the mans appearance
1t was probable that his hair had al
ways been dark brown. and for thai
reason the gray eyes and very light
colored eyebrows and mustache woulc
have been the more notable.
Presently 1t became clear that the
stranger was satisfied with what III
had seen-or 1t may have been witt
what he hadn't seen-from the win
dow. He turned away and walked
across the street into the restauran
which is in the depot
Few people were eating there, but 1
seemed that they were too many TO
the man In the raincoat, and he wal
about to go away when he observed
flight of stairs leading up to anothe
dining room on the second floor. Fiv,
minutes later when Kent assembled thu
stairs, he beheld the stranger sitting II
corner with newspaper held up be
fore his face. Not counting two wait