The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-14
CHAPTER II.
A Torn Telegram Furnishes a Clue
TO The Man in Lower Ten

breeze-repelling curtains. while the
Two seats at each end Of the ear were
pied high with sutcascs and umbrel-
las. The pcrspirIng porter was try
ing to be SIX places at once: somebody
mas SAID that Pullman pOrters are black
so they won I show the dirt. hut they
certainly show the heat.
Nine-hftccn WAS an outrageous hour
TO 90 10 bed especially since | sleep
little or not at all on the train, so
! made my way 10 the smoker and
passed the time until nearly eleven
with cigarettes and n magazine.
The car was very close, II was q
warm night. and before turning in /
stood short time in the vestibue.
The train had been stopping at fire.
quent intervals, and finding the brake
man there, ] asked the trouble
1t seemed that there. was hot
box on the next car, and that not only
were we late. but we were delaying
the second section. Just behind, | was
beginning TO feel pleasantly drowsy,
and the air was growing cooler as
we got into the mountains. | said
good night TO the brakeman and went
back TO my berth. To my surprise,
lower ten was already occupicd---a suit
case projected from beneath, a pair of
shoes stood on the floor, and from he
hind the curtains came the heavy. un-
mistakabIc breathing of deep sleep.
hunted out the porter and together
we investigated,
ARE YOU asleep, sir9'' asked the por-
ter, leaning over dcferentially. No an
swer forthcoming, he opened the cur
tains and looked in. Yes, the intruder
was aSlcep--very much asleep-and an
overwhelming odor Of whisky proclaim
ed that he would probably remain
asleep until morning. ] was irri5ated.
The car was full. and ] was not dis
posed TO take AN upper in order to al
low this drunken interloper 10 sleep
comfortably in my berth.
''Iou III have to get ont Of this. ]
said. shaking him angrilv. But ne mere.
ly grunted and turned over As he did
50. ] saw his features for the first time.
1t was the Quarrclsomc man of the
restaurant.
was less disposed than ever 10 re-
lnduish my claim. but the porter, after
little quiet investigation, offered a
solution of the difficulty. -'Therc s no
one in lower nine. > he suggested. pull
ing open tie curtains lust across. 1T S
likely ninc's his berth. and he,s made
a mistake, owing TO his condition. You d
better take nine, SIR.
| did. with a firm resolution that
il nine s rightful owner turned up later
/ should he Just rs Unavailable as the
man opposite. I undrcsscd lcIsurelY.
making sure Of the safety of the forged
notes. and placin0 my grip as before
between myself and tho window.
Being a man of systematic habits. !
arranged my clothes carefully. putting
my shoes out for the porter TO polish.
and slowing my collar and scarf IN the
little hammock swung for the pur-
pose.
At last. with my pillows so arranged
that ] could sec out comfortably, and
with the unhvgienic.l blanket
turned back-I have always a distrust
of those much.used affairs prepared
TO wait gradually for sleep.
But sleep did not visit me. The
train came 10 frequent. grating steps,
and J surmsed the hot-boI again. |
am not nervous man. but there was
something chilling IN the thought Of the
second section pounding along behind
us Once. as | was doing. our loco
motive whstlcd a shrill warning You
keep back whore YOU belong. it
screamed TO my drowsy ears, and from
somewhere behind came chastened
'All-right-l will
grew more and more wideawaie.
All Crcsson ! got up on nv elbow and
blinked out at the station lights Some
na sScugcrS boarded the train there and
I heard woman s low tones, South
ern voice, rich and full. Then quiet
again, Every nerve was tense time
passed. perhaps ten minutes. possibly
half an hour. Then. without the slight.
est warning. as the train rounded a
curve. heavy body was thrown into
my berth. The incident. trivial rs it
seemed. was startling in its suddenucss.
for although my cars were painfully
strained and awake. | had heard no
step outside, The next instant the
curtain hung limp again; still without