Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-10-24
CHAPTER xxi
pa the Road Id Jlmenez

On the Road 20 Jimenez.
Mike OConnor arrived in the City
OF Mexico az q little after II o'clock
the next morning. He spent more than
an hour around the station looking for
Jerry Chambers and trying to learn
II persons answering to the descrip-
tion OF Andre. Felipe. Riaz. Marina
and the strange woman had been seen
TO leave a train. An official who had
been on duty for many hours told
him that he had not seen them. and
that If they had gotten OF a train that
entered the station he probably would
have seen them.
Mikes disappointment and surprise
In not meeting Tommy Flanneryr
brought him close 10 q decision 70
abandon the chase and to strike out
Immediately for the states" Al
though he could not understand why
the young man had departed so abrupt
~ from him in Vera Cruz. he felt
reasonably confident that Jerry had a
good excuse for his action. but he
could think OF no reason why he had
not met him az the station.
Maybe he didn't get my message
Mike said 20 himself after ne had
asked the price OF a ticket to
Fl Paso "but am sure re-
membered the number he gave me
and that I didn't make a mistake"
The train he had in mind TO take TO
the border did not leave until 1--WE
o'clock in the afternoon, and. 20 satisfy
himself and. Incidentally. 20 kill
time" he went 90 the Office Of Thomas
Wentworth
Have you seen n young fellow
named Tommy Flannery?" he asked
OF the old Gemini
Eyes" answered Mr.. Wentworth:
''he was here yesterday. and left late
in the afternoon for the north"
Where did ne go?"
"To Escalon"
Mike frowned. Then he didn't get
my wire, or else he didn't stick He'll
OF notei"
You were 90 have met him here2"
Il wired him I was comm. My
name is O'Connor, and"
ooh. MT O'Connor." interrupted Mr.
Wentworth. he told me 20 give you
this note" which he took from his
desk and handed to the engineer. Mike
was yisibly excited when he tore OPEN
the envelope. and after he read the
contents and pOcketed the 5000 his
doubling eyes sparkled with a new
enthusiasm.
Il thought l might a been hasty
In judgin' him" he said. half uncon-
scious OF the old Geminrs presence.
and I guess this shows H. Sun. I'm
damned II l can understand what he's
tryin' 20 do. Why couldn't he have
told me somethin' definite about mat
ters?"
A few minutes later he was briskly
on his way 20 the railroad station,
where he told the agent that he would
not go all the way 70 El Paso. but
would take a ticket TO Jimenez. The
thought Of wiring Jerry had escaped
his mind.
Mike felt convinced that the kid
napers and Marina had departed from
Vera Cruz and that they had lost no
time In proceeding to Jimenez. He
also accepted as fact that the days
trip from that place would bring them
into the mountains. He wondered why
they should go so far away from Vera
Cruz and why they should not remain
In some place Of considerable size.
Nike figured that they had left their
train before reaching the City OF Mex
ico and caught a train for Jimenez at
some other place than the central sta
ton. He also believed that they would
depart from the capital at the earliest
possible moment. His time table
showed that they could have caught
a train which preceded the one on
which he travelled.
It was a little after seven o'clock
when the train drew up at small sta
ton. Mike looked at his schedule
card and found that 1t was a flag
station, and he went 10 the platform
and watched another coach being
added to the train. Considerable time
was taken in switching 10 the main
track, and he sat down on a truck to
smoke his pipe. Just as he struck 4
match. which. he afterwards thanked
his lucky stars. did not light. he saw
i've persons-three men and two
women-leave the dark little station
and move briskly towards the added
coach.
It's thim! he almost muttered to
himself, his pipe failing from his hand,
and thank hivven they didn't see
me- II could only get word to Tom
my to head 'em or But / can't, and
chances are he wouldn't get the
word In time. anyway. But" darting
around the station, III take a chance"
He was near the telegrapher when the
engine bell began to ring and the or
der to move was given. The time to
write a message was too short aud