The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-08-24
CHAPTER Iv-Continued.

feet, face down, head peering under
the berth. Now he got up without
apology. revealing the man who had
summoned the conductor. He was
dusty, alert. cheerful. and he dragged
up with him the dead mans suitcase
The sight of it brought back to me al
once my own predicament.
Il don't know whether there's any
connection or not. conductor" said
but I am a victim. too. In less degree:
I've been robbed of everything I Eos
sess, except a red and yellow bath
robe. l happened to be wearing the
bath-robe. which was probably the
reason the thief overlooked it."
There was a fresh murmur in the
crowd. Somebody laughed nervously
The conductor was irritated.
Il can't bother with that now" he
snarled. The railroad company Is
responsible for transportation, not fol-
clothes. jewelry and morals. If peo
PIE want to be stabbed and robbed in
the ccmpany's cars. it's their affair
Why didn't you sleep in your clothes!
| do"
took an angry step forward. Then
somebody touched my arm. and I I'M
clenched my fist l could understand
the conductors position, and beside,
in the law. I had been guilty myself
Of contributory negligence.
I'm not trying to make you re.
sponsible," protested. as amiably as
] could, land I believe the clothes the
thief left are as good as my own. They
are certainly newer. But my valise
contained valuable papers. and It is to
your interest as well as mine to find
the man who stole it."
Why. of course" the doctor said
shrewdly. Find the man who skipped
out with this gentleman's clothes, and
you've probably got the murderer"
Il went 10 bed In lower nine," l
said, my mind full again of my lost
papers, land I wakened in number
seven. I was up in the night prowl.
ing around. as I was unable to sleep,
and l must have gone back to the
wrong berth. Anyhow. until the por-
ter wakened me this morning knew
nothing Of my mistake In the inter.
val the thief-murderer. too. perhaps
must have come back. discovered
my error, and taken advantage of 1t
to further his escape"
The inquis!tive man looked at me
from between narrowed eyelids. fer
ret-like.
Did anyone on the train suspect
you Of having valuable papers," he
inquired. The crowd was listening in
tently.
NO one" l answered promptly and
positively.
The doctor was investigating the
murdered mans effects. The pockets
of his trousers contained the usual
miscellany Of keys and small change.
while in his hip pocket was found a
small pearl-handled revolver of the
type women usually keep around. A
gold watch with a Masonic charm had
slid down between the mattress and
the window, while a snowy diamond
stud was still fastened in the bosom
of his shirt. Taken as a whole. the
personal belongings were those of a
man of some means. but without any
particular degree OF breeding. The
doctor heaped them together
Either robbery was not the mo-
tive" he reflected. ''or the thief over
looked these things in his hurry"
The latter hypothesis seemed the
more tenable. when. after a thorough
search. We found no pocketbook and
less than a dollar in small change
The suitcase gave no clew. 1t con-
tanned one empty leather-covered flask
and pint bottle. also empty, a change
of linen and some collars with the
laundry mark. S. H. In the leather
tag on the handle was a card with the
name Simon Harrington. Pittsburg.
The conductor sat down on my un-
made berth, across. and made an en-.
Try of the name and address. Then.
on an old envelope. he wrote a few
words and gave it TO the porter. who
disappeared.
Il guess that's all can do he
said. I've had enough trouble this
trip to last for a year. They don't
need a conductor on these trains any
more: whar they ought to have Is a
sheriff and posse"
The porter from the next car came
in and whispered 10 him. The con-
ductor rose unhappily.
Next cars caught the disease" he
grumbled. Doctor. woman back
there has got mumps or buLonic
plague. or something. Will you come
back"
The strange porter stood aside.
Lady about the middle of the car"
he said. in black. sir. with Queer-look-
ing hair-sort of copper color. think.
sir"