The Columbus journal., 1908-09-30
What is it," l asked.


There's no one here" said Abrams,
with puzzled look.
went forward to the engine. The
engineer was as close-mouthed as
though words were going at dollar
apiece and the market bounding up
ward. When l tried to question the
fireman the engineer recovered his
tongue and had so many orders to be
attended to that my words were lost
in a rattle of coal and clans Of iron.
And the engine, having drunk its
Ill. changed its labored breathing to a
kissing and swishing of steam that
sent the hot vapor far on both sides.
and then gathering speed. pulled its
swift way back the road by which 1t
had come, leaving the car deserted on
a siding.
Here's co." cried Fitzhugh "a
regular puzzler!"
The first thing is to to visit the
telegraph ofiice ut once" said /.
The operator was just locking his
little room in the station as We came
up.
mo, sir, no kilograms" he said:
none for anybody"
That is q new way of running
trains l said with a show of indif-
ference, nodding toward the empty
car.
"Oh, there was a party came up"
said the agent; "a dozen fellows or
more. Bill said they took fancy to
get of mile or more down here, and
as they were an ugly-looking crew he
didn't say anything to stop them"
Il don't see what they can be doing
up in this part of the country" l re-
turned .innocently.
Il guess they know their business
anyway, it's none of mine," said the
agent. DO you go in here, sir? Well,
it will save you from wetting."
We had been walking toward the
hotel, and the chatty agent left US
under its veranda just as the light
drops began to patter down In the dust
of the road, and to dim the outlines of
the distant hills.
The home guard Of our party re-
ceived the news calmly.
Wainwright had established a
modus vivendi with his young charge
and saw that he managed to get
word out of him now and then. ! had
to abandon the theory that the boy
was dumb. but suspected that it was
fear rather than discretion that bird
led his tongue.
DO you think the gang have got
into town." asked one.
They'll have wet jackets II they are
on the road" l returned, looking at
the rain outside.
Hadn't We better find out?" in.
CURED Wainwright.
Are you In a hurry" l asked In
turn. The landlord has promised to
send up good dinner in a few min.
ues."
But you see-'
Yes. I-see." I interrupted. Il see
this-that they are here, that there
are a dozen or more of them, and that
they are ready for any deviltry. What
more can we find out by roaming over
the country"
Wainwright nodded his agreement
with me.
And them continued they won't
try to do anything until after dark
not before the middle of the night. 1
should say-or until the townspeople
have gone to bed"
You're right, SIR said Abrams. A
dark night and clear field suits that
gang best
We'll. here's the dinner said I;
so you can make yourselves easy.
Porter, You may keep All eye on the
stairway. and Brown may watch from
the windows. The rest of us will fall
to-
In the midst of the meal Porter
came in.
Darby Meeker's in the Office be-
low he announced.
Very gOod,' said. Just take
Fitzhugh and Wilson with you and ask
Mr.. Meeker to join u.s.
The men looked blank. Porter was
the first to speak.
You don't mean"
Il mean to bring him up here" !
said blandly. rising from the table
Il suppose. though. it's my place as
host to do the hoaOrS''
"No-no,' came in chorus from tho
men,
Come on. Porter-F;tzhugh-
son." said: and then added sharply
sit down. the rest OF you! We dom.
need regiment to ask man to din
ner."
The others sank back into their
seats and the three I had named fol
lowed me meekiy down the hall and
stairs
ITO BE CONTINUEDJ
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