The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-03-05

4 o., San francisco. To be called for.
Everything fixed. Flora leaves Fri.
day at ten, with five hundred tons
iron. p. Q. undertakes the job for
price we offered. No mistake. Timed
for the straits. Don't let her take pas.
sengers. G. p. 2 & T."
Good h%eavens!" Alfred cried, drop.
ping into a chair by the desk and
reaching for slip and pencil. This is
Friday, and" He took u his watch.
"Nine-ive! Got a San Francisco
paper, Al?"
Yes; but it's several days old"
NO matter! Find out quick what
dock the Flora leaves, then get to
your key. We must beat lightning TO.
day"
The two were silent, Alvin nervous
ly turning the paper, Alfred scratching
dispatches. Evidently the "Flora" was
not a regular boat; her name was not
in the shipping lists.
We'll have to SEND the message on
crust then. Quick, Al! Tell the OPP
orator down there 1t means life or
death to officers and crew-this
message does. Tell him To put a man
on a horse-Ill stand the expense
anything to get word TO the Flora in
time! oh, sign my name. 1t won't
do to have the company show up In
this"
Alvin zen over his key. Men came
and went, Alvin holding off trainmen
and commercial messages alike with
the decisive words, "company's bust
ness" He looked up at last. breathing
freer as he spoke. They'll do It," he
whispered to Alfred. "Tney know
where the Flora lies. They have 20
minutes to catch her."
Alfred sent a second message to the
company's office in Sacramento telling
of Alvin's discovery and asking relief
from his train for the day. A third
dispatch went to the county sheriff,
telling him of the wire tapping and
of the evidence against Cadwallader.
While waiting for replies Alfred
/ wrote to Gov. Stanford, ~inclosing the
cipher dispatches and their transla-
tons. But this was soon done. and
the two men. oppressed with their
death-laden secret, watched the clock
feverishly.
The minutes dragged as intolerably
for Alfred, though he wore his mask
more easily than Alvin. Would they
be in time? Would they catch the
little steamer before she left port for
her fate? Even then, would they find
the infamous secret before its fateful
moment arrived? What would 1t be?
Powder? A slit in the hull? A cum
ming injury TO the boiler?
AT last San Francisco called. Alvin
sprang to the key. The steamer had
started, had been hailed, had waited
had gone on her way.
Alfred rose, as stiff with the tension
as If minutes had been hours. That's
all we can do at that end. Keep your
eye and ear buster than your tongue,
AL, for the rest of the day. I'm off to
settle with his nibs, Phineas Cad
wallader. BY the way, couldn't you
contrive some way To get him left?
The train reported late in leaving,
false report, something like that"
Alvin nodded, Guess l can think
up that trick in four hours"
At the hotel Alfred tool only time to
don riding boots and to find Stella for
a hurried word. Get Sally b. to hold
Cadwallader here over train time, II
it's possible" Alfred said before his
goodbye. 1T may mean everything
TO the company. I'll return tonight
IL | can"
A swift horse took him to the
Front" where he found the superin-
tendent riding his beat. Alfred told
his story briefly and asked II there
vas a lineman or the force.
Jupiter! You can't track that
man, Vincent! The SHOWS come and
gone since that Hecate's job was done"
But, Mr.. Gregory. he'd have to cut
the wire, and he'd have to climb a
tree or a pole to do II. Could that be
lone without leaving a trace"
What then? How al you prove 1t
was he?"
How'll know l couldn't prove 1t
unless | try?"
'Linemen don't show up often In
my diggings. I'll ask Bennett: his Sec
ton begins here"
Inquiry discovered an intelligent
man who had worked on the line. His
climbers were at camp near by, and
Mr.. Gregory's r~esourcefulness provided
horse and saddle. The two men set
on without delay. They rode fast till
within nearly five miles OF Dutch Flat,
Alfred Judging that, since Phineas
took the stage there. bis exploit must
be in that neighborhood.
The afternoon was past its half
when they began to inspect each pole
and w~ire-touched tree with close
scrutiny. We'll work east over these
five miles to Dutch Fiat" Alfred said.
III we fnd nothing we'll have to stay
over night In town. 60 east . short
distance IN the morning. and then
take 1t west from here"
For the FIRST two or three miles
their search was unrewarded by any
sign. Just at sunset. In a windy little
vale. the lineman's practised eye
caught a peculiar piecing of the wire, |
and he climbed nimbly to inspect II.
1t was % o Joining made by the regu.
lar force. but a recent cut. The
marks OF the climbers vero alec sre.h