Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-31


 ment of . little mystery. First the telephone bell rang smartly. and when the telegraph operator took down the ear-piece and said "Well?" in the im- perious tone common to his kind. he evidently received communication that shocked him. Ormsby overheard but . meager half of the wire conversation; and the ex- citement, whatever its nature, was at the other end of the line. None the less, the station agents broken ejacu- lations were provocative of keen in- terest in a man who had been boring himself desperately for the better part of day.
 Caught him doing it, you say? Great Scott! Oh, I don't believe that, you know : yes = uh-huh II hear. But who did the shooting?" Whether the information came or not, Ormsby did not know, for at this conjuncture the telegraph instruments on the table set up furious chattering. and the railway man dropped the receiver and sprang to his key.
 In an instant the telegraph opera tor dashed out of his bay widowed retreat and ran up the track to the private car. In a few minutes he was back again, holding an excited confer ence with the chauffeur of the inn ad- tomobile, who was waiting to see if the Flyer should bring him any fares for the hotel.
 Ornlsby saw the chauffeur turn his car in the length of 1t and send 1t spinning down the road and across the line into the adjoining state; heard the. mellow whistle of the incoming train, and saw the station man nerv- ously setting his stop signal; all with no more than a mild desire to know the reason for so much excitement and haste-a desire which was content to wait on the explanation of events.
 The explanation, such as it was, did not finger. The heavy train thun- dered in from the west; stopped barely long enough to allow the single passen- ger to swing up the steps of the Pull man; and went on again to stop a sec ond time with jerk when 1t had passed the sidetrack switch.
 Ormsby put his head out of the win dow and saw that the private car was to be taken on: remarked also that the thing was done with the utmost celerity. Once out on the main line with car Naught-seven coupled in. the train was backed swiftly down to the station and the small mystery of hur- ryings was sufficiently solved. The governor and his party were returning. and they did not wish to miss con- nections.
 On this particular evening David Rents wrath-fre was far from need ing an additional stoking. Once more Miss Van, Brock had given proof of her prophetic gift. and Kent had been moodily filling in the details of the picture drawn by her woman's intui- ton. He had gone late to the house in Alameda square, knowing that Portia had dinner guests. And it was imperative that he should have her to himself.
 You needn't tell me anything but the manner of its doing" she was saying. T knew they would find a way to stop you-or make one. And you needn't be spiteful at me-" she added when Kent gripped the arms of hfsr chairs
 q don't mind your saying I told you so'," he fumed Its the fact that didn't have sense enough to see what an easy game I was dealing them. It didn't take Meigs five min utes to shut me off."
 "Tell me about it," she said: and he did it crisply.
 ''The quo warranto inquiry is insti- tuted in the name of the state: or rather the proceedings are brought by some person with the approval of the governor or the attorney general, one or both. I took to-day for obtaining this approval because knew Bucks was out of town and thought could bully Meigs."
 And you couldn't?" she said.
 Not in a thousand years At first he said he would take the matter under advisement: I knew that meant con- sultation with Bucks. Then l put the whip on; told him a few of the things I know, and let him imagine lot more; but 1t was no good. He was as smooth as oil, admitting nothing. de- nying nothing. And what grinds me worst is that I let him put me in fault; gave him chance to show conclusive ly how absurd 1t was for me to expect him to take up question of such magnitude on the spur of the mo- ment."
 "Of course" she said sympathetic ally. T knew they would find a way. What are you doing?"
 Kent laughed in spite of his sore amour-propre-
 At this present moment 1 am do- ing precisely what you said should: unloading my woes upon you"
 -Oh. but I didn't say that said you would come to me for help. Have you7"
 'T'd say yes. if didn't know SO well just what I am up against"
 Miss Van Brock laughed unfeeling- ly.
 'Ts 1t a mans weakness to fsht bet ter in the dark,'