The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30


police power of the State and of the
city. Let the word be passed that the
employees Of the Transwestern were
kidnapping their receiver and the Gov
ernor, and many things might happen
before Red Callahan should finish his
long race to the westward.
Thinking Of these things, David Kent
walked uptown when he might have
taken a car. When the toxin Of panic
is in the air there is no antidote like
vigorous action.
Passing the Western Union central
Office he stopped TO send OrmSby q sec
ond telegram, reporting progress and
asking him to be present in person at
the denouement TO put the facts on the
wire at the earliest possible instant of
time. Everything depends upon this,
he added, when he had made the mes
sage otherwise emphatic IF we miss
the morning papers we are done"
While he was pocketing his change
at the receiving clerks pigeon-hole, a
cab ratified up with a horse at a gallop,
and Stephen Hawk sprang out Kent
saw him through the plate glass front
and turned quickly to the public writ
ing-desk, hoping to be overlooked. He
was. For once in a way the ex-dis-
trict attorney was too nearly ratified to
be fully alert to his surroundings.
desk; and Hawk wrote his message,
after two or three false starts, almost
at Kent's elbow.
Kent heard the clink of coin and the
low-spoken urgings for haste at the
receiving clerks window: but he for
bore to move until the cab had ratified
blanks left behind by Hawk and
smoOthed them out. Two of them bore
nothing but the date line, made illegi-
bic, it would seem, by the writer's
haste and nervousness. But at the
third attempt Hawk had got as far as
the address: ITO all Transwestern
agents on Western Division"
Kent stepped quickly to the re-
csiver's window. The only expedient
he could think Of was open to re-
proach. but it was no time to be over
scrupulous.
Pardon me-" he began, but didn't
the gentleman who was just here for
get to sign his message?"
The little hook caught its minnow.
The receiving clerk was folding Hawks
message TO place ii in the leather car
rier of the pneumatic tube, but ne
opened and examined 1t.
No he said: its signed all right;
j. B. Halkett, G. s.
"Ahi" said Kent That's a little
odd. Mr. Halkett is out Of town, and
this gentleman. Mr.. Hawk, is not in his
department. / believe I should investi-
gate a little before sending that, if
were you"
Having thus sown the small seed of
suspicion. which, by the by, fell on
barren soil, Kent lost no time in calling
up M'Tosh over the nearest telephone.
DO our agents on the western divi-
sion handle Western Union business?"
he asked.
The reply came promptly.
Yes; locally. The w. u. has an in
dependent line TO Breezeland Inn and
points beyond"
We'll, our right-of-way man has just
sent a telegram to all agents, signing
Halkett's name. 1 don't know what he
said in it, but you can figure that out
for yourself"
you bet 1 cant" was the emphatic
rejoinder. And then: Where are you
now?"
but / am going over to the Argus Office.
I'll let you know when 1 leave there.
Good-by."
When Kent reached the night edi-
tors den on the third floor of the Ar
gus building he found Hildreth inn
mersed chin-deep in a sea Of work. But
he quickly extricated himself and
cleared a chair for his visitor.
Praise be-" he calculated. ST was
are happening, and you didn't turn up.
I've had Manville wiring all over town
for you"
What are some Of the large things?"
asked Kent, lighting his first cigar
since dinner.
Well. for one; do you know that
your people, are on the verge of the
much-talked-of striker"
Yes; 1 knew it this morning. That
was what wanted you to suppress in
the evening edition.
Il suppressed 1t all right; didn't
know it-day and date. ] mean. They
kept it beautifully quiet But that isn't
all. Something is happening at the
capitol. l was over at the club a little
while ago and Hendricks was there.
Somebody sent in a note and he posi-
lively ran to get out. When l came
back I sent Rogers over to Cassatti's
TO see If he could find you There was
a junta dinner confab on; Meigs, Sena-
tor Crowley, three or four of the ring
aldermen and half a dozen wa-ward
politicians. Rogers has a nose for
news, and when he had phoned me
you weren't there he hung around on
the edges
Good men you have, HiIdreth. What
did the unimpeachable Rogers see?"
He saw on large scale just what
iAcAN SCCn O1 d SOIUeDOQy
pup-passed a note in, and when II had
gone the round of the dinner table
those fellows tumbled over each other
trying to get away"
is that all?" Kent inquired.
mo. Apart from his nose, Rogers is
gifted with horse sense. When the din
ner crowd boarded an uptown car our
man paid fare to the same conductor
He wired me from the Hotel Bruns-
wick few minutes ago. There is
some sort Of a caucus going on in Hen
bricks Office in the capitol and num-
messengers are flying in all directions" ]"
And you wanted me to come and
tell you all the why's and wherefores ?"
Kent suggested.
i told the chief I'd bet a bub-blind
horse to broken-down mule you could
do il If anybody could"
"All right; listen: Something worse
than an hour ago the Governor, his
private secretary. Guilford, Hawk and
Halkett started out on a special train
TO go to CASTOR
What for?" interrupted the editor.
To meet Judge MacFarlane, Mr..
Semple Falkland and the Overland off,
cials. You can guess what was to be
done"
s-Sr1re Yo,,r rofiroa5 moe -, - -