The daily Alaskan., 1909-06-22
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS , EnoctinS O 2 } Detecfix,e Story 2
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By HORACE 3. GAYLORD.

 ter brained As l was about to leave on the $50 train to spend the week end at her cottage by the sea she sent me this telegram:
 Vic will be at station at 5:l5. Bring her down.
 knew no more who Vic was than the contents of Hottentot newspaper. What should I dO-go to the station and trust to luck? That was all l could do, and that did.
 There was the usual rush to get aboard that one finds on the last days of the week at trains going to seaside resorts. There were dozen people ahead of me at the ticket office, among them pretty girl to whom the agent gave ticket to Manasquan, which was my station. Of course took note of her and hoped she might turn out to be Vie, but there was only the req son of her destination. l walked about for ten minutes before the train start ed, observing every one who seemed to be looking for some one. All l could see were youngster of eighteen who waited at the gate till the starting bell rang and q man with dog, who leaned against post.
 As the train rolled off l entered a car, and there sat the girl with the ManaSquan ticket. l stared at her, and, after looking at me for mo- mcnt, she dropped her eyes. Beside her on the seat was suit case, which I noticed was marked V. T. That set tied it. She must be Vic. Instead of approaching her and asking her if she was the girl l looked for l concluded to gain the information on the detec- tive plan. It would be interesting to discover her identity by following the clew given me on her suit case. It would be more interesting to know her, she not knowing me. It would be downright fun to take her to my hostess, chaff Bet for her failure to give me proper information, then tell them both that by my ingenuity had, after all, been enabled to do all that had been required of me. Raising my hat. I said to her:
 Pardon me. but think we are go- ing to the same station, and, arrived there, we will be entertained at the same house."
 Yes" she replied, with smile.
 You arc going to Manasquan, be- lleve"
 "I am"
 And you will be the guest of my cousln?'
 She put the suit case on the floor, and l sat down beside her.
 "Who Is your cOusln|
 "I have thought that 1t would be en- tertaining to have you see if by ques- tioning me you can find out who I am and certain orders I have received re- specting you"
 That would serve to while away the time we shall spend on the train" "Will you begln?"
 "I.et me see. You are Harold BlissT "No."
 "Not Rose Dutton's fiance?"
 "No. I wish were any ones fiance."
 "I give 1t up."
 Cant you guess my orders"
 "No."
 q am directed to be your escort"
 You don't mean It."
 "Yes; was telegraphed to meet you at the station to escort you to Manas- quan and thence to-
 Where"
 "To tell you would spoil all the fun" And" she said, after L little thought, ''to tell you where I'm going would spoil all the fun too"
 "It certainly would. The person from whom I received my orders is very careless and gave no clew by which to recognize you. Nevertheless I have secured clew. Do you like to read detective storiesT
 q dote on them"
 "Well, we are enacting a little de- tective story. When We get to the end of our tourney we shall have the de-
 
 nouemcnt."
 q dare say 1t will all be very clever. How did you happen to think of such a plan"
 "Manasquanw shouted trainman. I picked up her suit case and left the car with her. was about to hand her down the step when q gentleman put his own hand in ahead of me. He stared at me ominouoiy. The lady said:
 Mack, this gentleman has enter tained me delightfully."- on the train. He knows me, but don't know him. He says he was ordered to escort me home"
 I didn't like this feature of the af- fair at all.
 "Come, Ginnie, the carriage is wait ing" said the young man, casting a suspicious glance at me.
 Heavens! Ginniew I had blun- dered.
 "Is not your first name Victoria" "Oh, no; it's Virginia"
 I got very red In the face and stood mute.
 "The denouemant is different" said