Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-06-05
CHAPTER xxx.
IN THE DINING ROOM.


That was Saturday night, two weeks
after the wreck, The previous five days
had been full of swift-following events
the woman In the house next door, the pic
ture in the theater Of a man about to leap
from the doomed train the dinner at the
Dallases, and Richey's discovery that Ali
son was the girl in the case. In quick
succession had come our visit to the Car
ter place, the finding of the rest of the
telegram, my seeing Alison there, and the
strange interview with Mrs Conway The
Cresson- trip stood out in my memory for
Its serio-comic horrors and it's one real
thrill. Then-the discovery by the police
Of the sealskin bag and the bit of chain;
Hotchkiss producing triumphantly Stuart
for Sullivan and his subsequent discom-
future; Mcknight at the station with Ali
son, and later the confession that he was
out Of the running.
And yet, when / thought 1t all over the
entire week and its events were two sides
OF triangle that was narrowing rapidly
to an apex a point And the said apex
was at that moment in the drive below my
window resting his long legs by sitting
on a carriage block, and smoking a pipe
that made the night hideous. The sense
of the ridiculous is very close to the sense
VI ~ o6Chys OpSIeu my screen ana WhlS-
tied, and Johnson looked up and grinned
We said nothing, 1 held up handful Of
cigars, he extended his hat, and when /
finally went to sleep, it was to a soothing
breeze that waited in salt air and a faint
aroma Of good tobacco. was thoroughly
tired, but slept restlessly, dreaming of
two detectives with Pittsburg warrants
being held up by Hotchkiss at the point of
a splint, while Alison fastened their hands
with chain that was broken and much
too short. was reused about dawn by a
light rap at the door, and. opening 1t, 1
found Forbes, in pair of trousers and a
pyjama coat. He was as pleasant as most
fleshy people are when they have to get
up at night, and he said the telephone
had been ringing for an hour, and he
didn't know why somebody else in the
blankety-blank house couldn't have heard
it, lie wouldn't get to sleep until noon.
As he was palpably asleep on his feet, I
left him grumbllng and went to the tele-
phone. 1t proved to be Richey. who had
found me by the simple expedient OF trao-
ing Alison, and he was jubllant.
You'll have to come back" he said.
Got a railroad schedule there?"
II don't sleep with one in my pocket"
retorted. but If you'll hold the line III
call out the window to Johnson. He's
probably got one"
"Johnsonl' l could hear the laugh with
which Mcknight comprehended the situe-
ton. He was still chuckling when came
back.
Train to Richmond at $50 a. M"
said. What time is it now?"
-Four. Listen, Lolle. We've got him.
Do you hear? Through the woman at Pal
timore. Then-the other woman. the lady
of the restaurant"-he was obviously avoid
ing names-"she is playing our cards for
us. Mol don't know why, and / don't
care. But you be at the Incubator tonight
at O'Clock. If you can't shake johnson,
bring him, bless him"
To this day / believe the Sam Forbeses
have not recovered from the surprise OF
my unexpected arrival. my one appearance
at dinner In Changers clothes, and the
note on my dresser which Informed them
the next morning that l had folded my
tents like the Arabs and silently stolen
away, For at $50 Johnson and l. the
former as uninquisitive as ever, were on
our way through the dust to the station,
three miles away, and by that afternoon
we were in Washington. The journey had
bean uneventful. johnson relaxed under
the Influence OF my tobacco. and spoke al
some length on the latest improvements In
galloWs' dilating on the absurdity Of cut
ting out the former free passes to see the
affair In operation. l remember. too, that
he mentioned the curious anomaly that
permits man about TO be hanged to cat
hearty meal l did not enjoy my dinner
that night.
Before we got into Washington had
made an arrangement with johnson to sur
render myself at the following afternoon.
Also. had wired 10 Alison. asking her n
she would carry out the contract she had
made The detective saw me home, and
left me there.