Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-02

tnorouShfare by iron palings. Al the nour
when through trains arrive and just before
they start this space is always crowded by
cabs and pedestrians, and progress through
1t is difficult, even for the artful dodger
1t was at such time that the young man
with the bag arrived there. His driver had
some trouble in getting the cab near to the
entrance leading to the booking office, and
the young man alighted In the middle OF the
area with the bag in his hand, paid the fee
and left him.
Then he hurried into one of the long,
narrow alleys leading backward through
the building. One of these goes to the lug
gage room, one goes direct to the train
shed and another offers entrance to the
hotel Office and the station waiting room.
The hotel towers over all, and completely
hides from the street any evidence that
there is railway station behind 1t, ex-
cept, of course, the signs which say so. The
hotel is owned by the railway company
and is managed in connection with the sta
ton.
1t Is patronized chiefly by transients-
guests who stay only day or two, or, per-
haps. only few hours-and the young man
reasonably assumed that the constant
changing of the guests would detract from
the attention which the employees would
bestow upon individuals.
1t was the combination Of It's proximity
to the railway station and the ephemeral
character of Its custom that had led him
to choose 1t as fitting starting point for
his flight from London.
AS he walked across the area into the
building with his bag in his hand he had to
pass close to a policeman more than once,
and the nearness was unpleasant 1t was
difficult to avoid noticeable shrinkings. The
fact that the place was crowded was
comfort to him. He reflected that there
must be safety in crowds for the fleeing
man; that it must be easier to lose ones
self among multitude than in a wilder
ness.
In the great train shed, througed with
busy porters, travellers and their friends,
the correctly dressed young man carrying
the black bag attracted only the most
casual of attention. For a few moments
he wandered apparently about aimlessly
but really with eyes keenly alert to see If
he were followed. Then he entered the pas
sageway leading to the booking" or ticket
office, and, stepping up to the window of
the man in charge, asked for a circular
tour ticket to Paris by the train which was
to leave at o'clock.
He had considered carefully what variety
of ticket he should take He assumed that
the time would not be long distant when
anxious inquiries would be made there. as
at other points where he could arrange to
depart from London, and at this hooking
office he wished to have them answered.
This was his reason for choosing the cir
cular tour form of ticket as one which re-
quires that the purchasers name shall be
given when he takes it.
What name, please?" asked the man in
charge.
Henry Parton said the young man,
firmly.
But after the ticket had been handed to
MN and he had placed 1t in his pocket he
looked anxiously about to see if any one
mad been watching or listening No one
mad been, so far as he could see; but, not
ten feet away, calm. impressive faced po-
hceman stood stiffiy at his post
Parton wondered If the man had heard
hlm He wondered how he would have
acted If, before he had heard the name
given at the booking office. he had been
notlned by his superiorS at Scotland Yard
that any man who gave it was to be taken
in charge
From the booking office Parton went
again into the train she'd but fingered there
a moment only before he. turned back and
entered another passage which led from II
10 the motel elevator. A nimble porter in
the hotel livery offered to take his bag
He refused the aid. and carried 1t himself
as ne went up on the elevator and entered
the hotel office.
Here he first inquired about the trains for
Paris and then asked the clerk If he could
get room. When he was answered in the
aIilrmat1Ve, he signed a name upon the ho-
tel register. but 1t was not the one which
he had given to the ticket agent.
Inc clerk called a boy, and, giving the
Key TO him. told him to take the gentle
man bag and show him to his room. There
was little struggle in Parton's mind &c he
let the handles of the bag slip slowly i into tie
the boys outstretched hands; but If was
quickly over. Still, after that he did NOT
let the poy get far enough away from him
SO mat ne could not have brought him back
with quick grip upon his collar.
once alone in his room, he sat on the e,da
OF MS ped for few moments, and then
arose with the air of having solved several
pI II problems to his satisfaction.
He took from his pocket the flask of p,n
which he had had the girl mt I'M for bi,,, . ~
the public house, and drank greedilv1 He
was very white and was breathing hard
as uoes man after great strain for a
lie opened the bag and took from n the
Eelt which he had secured from the va,It
oI me safety deposit company 1t was of
me KIND often worn by travellers and othsrs
v 10 are opilged to carry large sums Of
money, jewels or other small trea SIRE win
tfem on their journeyings. It's surface ma
peeh poished with much wearing and sew
ei al protuperances along its length showed
"nere 1he treasure was hidden in it,
MS myers fingered lovingly on the
punches which marked its contents ana CO..
moment toyed with the small slit which
ICrmed the opening to the secret re ,ess
WITHIN Its length. Then he deftly slipped
f fm4 myers fnge INTO this opening and drew
accustomed to jewels. would have seemed
10 De out worthless things, but which by
.ne experienced eye, would have been rec
ognlzed as diamonds in the rough
Wen he said to himself, sixty thou
s san pounds is a sum worth fighting twice
Tor; once L won the fight. 1t can scarcely
De harder to win the one Just begun
NOW, quickly and with no more dai,ianre
with It's contents, he buckled the belt about
his waist and removed his outer clothing
from the bag he took suit of blue ssr,re
with sack coat. and soft wooden peaked
cap. The suit he quickly put on That
"hich ne had taken off he made into a
careless bundle. and with a sigh OF me fnI
regret thrust it into the bag
Inc new top hat, under which he had left
r rne mouse on Russell square. he smashed
remorsefully. and crowded it into the bar,
with the other discarded elegancies. 1t had
oeen the first top hat which he had upon
ms head for five weary years of ad1antur-
ing. ~
He rang the bell and waited for the ar
rival or the answering boy. To him he
gave the bag and the circular ticket for
Paris. with instructions to book the bag
through to the French capital He watched
its departure with genuine regret. It had
been his companion on many a rough and
many pleasant journey. To lose Il was
to lose an old, IL inanimate, frienl.
Before long the boy returned with the
ticket and small slip Of white paper.
which Is the incomp etent European substi-
tute Tor the American brass check and
Parton placed them in his pocket. But
after the boy had left the room he took the
baggage receipt twisted it into a small
wlsp, and used 1t as cigar lighter while
a moment later he burned the Paris ticket.
Then, with that almost automatic skill
which some men acquire in handling razors
upon their own faces, he attacked first the
To, hA oy.6