Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-28

L
sickening sensations of the wreck: peo-
pie around me were leaning forward with
tense faces. Then the letters We're gone,
and 1 saw a long. level stretch of track,
even the broken stone between the ties
standing out distinctly. Far off under a
cloud Of smoke small object was rush
ing toward us and growing larger as II
came.
Now Ii was on US. a mammoth in size
with huge drivers and colossal tender
The engine leaped aside. as If just In
time to save us from destruction. with
a glimpse of a STOPPING fireman and a
grimy engineer. The long train of sleep
ers followed. From a forward vestibule
a porter in white coat waved his hand
The rest of the cars seemed still wrap
ped in slumber. With mixed sensations
I saw my own car. Ontario. fly past
and then l rose to my feet and grippec
Meningitis shoulder.
On the lowest step of the last car. one
foot hanging free, was man. His black
derby hat was pulled we'll down to keeI
1t from blowing away, and his coat was
flying open in the wind. He was SWUNG
we'll out from the car, his free hand grip
ping a small valise, every muscle tense
for jump.
Good God, that's my man." / said
hoarsely, as the audience broke into ap'
plause. Mcknight half rose: In his seal
ahead Johnson stifled a yawn and turned
to eye me.
1 dropped into my chair Imply and
tried to control my excitement. The
man on the last platform of the train.
I said. HE was just about to leap; III
swear that was my bag"
Gould you see his face?" Mcknight
asked, in an undertone- Would YOU
know him again."
mo. His hat was pulled down and hi.
head was bent. I'm going back to FIND
out where that picture was taken. The,
say two miles, but it may have beer
| forty"
The audience, busy with its wraps. hat
not noticed. Mrs. Dallas and Alisor
West had gone. In front of us johnson
had dropped his hat and was stopping fol
'.This way" I motioned to Mcknight
and we wheeled into the narrow passage
beside u.s. back of the boxes. At the enc
there was a door leading into the wings
and as we went boldly through l turned
the key.
The final set was being struck. and NJ
one paid any attention to US. Luckil,
they were similarly Indifferent to bang
ing at the door l had locked. banging
which, I judged, signified Johnson.
II guess we've broken up his interior
ence," Mcknight chuckled-
Stage hands were hurrying In every di
rection; pieces of the side wall OF I'M
last drawing room menaced us; switch
board behind us was singing like Tea
kettle. Everywhere we stepped we Were
in somebody's way. At last we Were
across. confronting man In MS snir
sleeves. who by dots and dashes OF pro
family seemed to be directing the chaos.
"Well?" he said. wheeling on us
What can do for your"
IT would like to ask" I replied. ii
you have any idea just where the las
toll aN
Broken OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES"
mo The Washington fiier."
He glanced at my bandaged arm.
THE announcement says two miles,
Mcknight put in, but we should ike e
know whether 1t is railroad miles. auto
mobile miles or policeman miles"
Il am sorry 1 can't tell you." he re
piled. more civilly I'VE get those pic
lures by contract. We don't take then
ourselves"
Where are the company's offices?"
New York" He stepped forward ant
grasped a super by the shoulder. VIVA
in blaZes are you doing with that goie
chair in a kitchen set? Take that piece
of pink plush there and throw 1t over
soap box. if you haven't got kitchen
chair
I had not realized the extent Of thu
shock, but now I dropped into a chat!
and wiped my forehead. The unexpected
glimpse of Alison West, followed almcs
ture. had left me limp and unnerved
Mcknight was looking at his watch
He says the moving picture people
have an Office down town. We can make
it If we go now
So he called a cab and we started at
gallon. There was no sign of the de-
tective. Upon my word" Richey said
Il feel lonely without him.
The people at the downtown office o.
the cinematograph company were very
ohIioipp The picture had been taken
they said, at NJ, just two miles be
yond the scene of the wreck. 1t was not
much, but it was something to work on
l decided not to go home, but to senc
McKnights Jap for my clothes. and t.
dress at the Incubator. 1 was deter
mined. if possible, to make my next day
investigations without Johnson. In the
meantime, even if it was for the las,
time, l would see Her that night.
gave Stogie a note for Mrs. klopton, ane
with my dinner clothes there came back
the gold bag. wrapped in tissue paper.