The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-02-15

ing to the plstxorm OF the last carr"
There was NO one hanging there
when she passed here" he said with
conviction. II watched her out Of
sight"
Did you see anything that morning
Of . man about my size, carrying q
small grip, and wearing dark clothes
and q derby hat?" asked eagerly.
Mcknight was trying to look uncon-
esrned, but I was frankly anxious. II
was clear that the man had jumped
somewhere in the mile of track just
beyond.
well. yes. l did" The agent cleared
his throat. when the smash came
the operator at NIX sent word along
the wire, both ways. / got it here,
and 1 was pretty near crazy, though /
knew 1t wasn't any fault Of mine.
Il was standing on the track look
ing down, for l couldn't leave the Of
nee. when = young fellow with light
hair limped up to me and asked me
what that smoke was over there.
That's what's left of the Washing
ton Flier,' I said, and guess there's
souls going up in that smoke
lido you mean the first section?'
he said, getting kind of greenish-yel-
low.
That's what l mean / said; split
10 kindling wood because Rafferty,, on
the second section didn't want to be
late
HE put his hand out in front Of
him. and the satchel fell with bang
my God!' he said, and dropped
right on the track in heap.
II got him into the station and he
came around. but he kept on gr0aning
something awful. He'd sprained his
ankle, and when he got little better
drove him over in Carter's milk wag
on to the Carter place, and l reckon
he stayed there SPELL"
That's all, is it," I asked.
That's all-or, no, there's some
thing else. About noon that day one
Of the Carter twins came down will
note from him asking me to sent
q long-distance message to some ona
in Washington"
ITO whom" I asked eagerly.
II reckon I've forgot the name, bu
the message was that this fellow
Sullivan was his name-was at M
and If the man had escaped from TIL
wreck would he come to see him"
| "He wouldn't have sent that mes
sage to me-" said to Mcknight, rath
er crestfallen. He'd have every oh
ject in keeping out of my way"
There might be reasons" Nc
Knight observed judicially. H
might not have found the paper
then"
WAS the name Blakeley?" asked
ct might have been-I can't sa!
But the man wasn't there, and Their
was a lot of noise. l couldn't hea
we'll. Then in half an hour down cam
the other twin to say the gentlema
was taking on awful and didn't war
the message sent"
Hes gone, of course?"
Eyes. Limped down here in abol
three days and took the noon train II
the city"
1t seemed a certainty now that oil
man, having hurt himself somewh;
in his jump, had stayed quietly in tt
farm house until he was able to ira
ell. But, to be positive, we decided
visit the Carter place.
I gave the station agent a fve-dt
lar bill, which he rolled up with
couple Of others and stuck in b
pocket. turned as we got to Der
in the road, and he was looking cul
ously after us.
1t was not until we had climbed Il
hill and turned onto the road to IL
Carter place that I realized where v
were going. Although we approacht
1t from another direction, l knew Il
J. farm house at once. II was the OF
I where Alison West and l had brea
tasted nine days before With a ne
restraint between us, I did not te
Mcknight. wondered afterward
: he had suspected 1t. I saw him loo
ing hard at the gatepost which hi
figured in one of our mysteries, but !
asked no questions. Afterward I
grew almost taciturn, for him. and /
me do most of the talking.
We opened the front gate of IL
! Carter place and went slowly up Il
walk. Two ragged youngsters, ALL
even to freckles and squints. wei
playing in the yard.
"Is your mother around?" asked.
: I'm the front room Walk in" the
answered in identical tones.
AS we got to the porch we hea,
voices, and stopped. I knocked. b,
the people within, engaged in anima
ed, rather one-sided conversation, d
not answer.
In the front room. Walk in
quoted Mcknight, and did so.
In the stuffy farm parlor two pc
pie were sitting. One, pleasan
faced woman with a checked apro
rose, somewhat embarrassed, to me-
us. She did not know me. and | W;