The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-23
CHAPTER xxx.
In the Dining-Room.

In the Dining Room.
That was Saturday night, two weeks
after the wreck. The previous five
days had been full of swift-following
cvents-the woman in the house next
door, the picture in the theater of a
man about 10 leap from the doomed
train, the dinner at the Dallases, and
Richey's discovery that Alison was the
had come our visit to the Carter 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 tri
umphantly Stuart for Sullivan and his
subsequent discontinue; Mcknight at
the station with Alison, and later the
confession that he was out of the run
ming.
And vet, when ] thought it all over,
the entire week and its events were two
sides Of a triangle that was narrow
ing 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 carriage
block, and smoking pipe that made
the night hideous. The sense of the
ridiculous is very close to the sense
Of tragedy. | opened my screen and
whistled, and Johnson looked up and
grinned. We said nothing ] held up
a handful of cigars, ne extended his
hat, and when ] finally went TO sleep,
il was 10 a soothing breeze that waited
in salt air and faint aroma Of good
tobacco. was thoroughly tired, but
| slept restlessly, dreaming Of two de-
tcctives with Pittsburg warrants being
held up by Hotchkiss at the point of n
splint. while Alison fastened their
hands with chain that was broken
and much too short. | was reused
about dawn by light rap at the door.
and, opening it, ! found Forbes, in a
pair of trousers and paiama coat.
He was as pleasant as most fleshy peo-
pie are when they have TO get up at
night, and he said the telephone bad
been ringing for an hour. and he didn Z
know why somebody else in the blank
rty-blank house couldn't have heard
IL. He wouldn't get to sleep until
noon.
As he was palpably asleep on his
feet, ] left him Jgrumbling and went to
the telephone. 1t proved to be Richey.
who had found me by the simple ex-
pedient of tracing Alison, and he was
iubiaut.
"Youll have 10 come back he
said. "Got a railroad schedule there7'
81 don Z sleep with one in my Dock-
ct | retorted. "but if YOU II hold the
line II call out the window to John.
son. He's probably got one. -
Johnson' . ] could hear the laugh
with which Mcknight compreheuded
the situation. He was still chuckling
when I came back.
"Train to Richmond at six-thirtv
a. M ! said. "What time is it
nowl'
"Four Listen. Lollie. We've got
him. Do YOU hear! Through the wom-
woman, the lady of the restaurant
he was obviously avoiding names
&" she is playing our cards for us. No
i don t know why and I don t care.
But you be at the Incubator tonight Mt
eight 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
clothes, and the note on my dresser
which informed them the next morning
that | had folded my tents like the
Arabs and silently stolen away. For at
half after five Johnson and |, the for
mer as uninqulsitive as ever, were on
our way through the dust to the STA
tion, three miles away, and by four
that afternoon we were in Washing
ton, The Journey had been unevent-
full. Johnson relaxed under the in
nueGcc of my tobacco, and spoke at
some length on the latest Improvements
in ealIows, dilating on the absurdity
of cutting out the former free passes
TO see the affair in operation. | re
member, too. that he mentioned the
curious anomaly that permits a man
about to he hanged to cat a hearty
meal. ] did not enjoy my dinner that
night.
Before VIC got into Washington / had
made IN arrangement with Johnson 10
surrender myself at two the following
afternoons Also. | had wired to Ali.
son, asking her if she would carry out
the contract she had made. Tho de-
tective saw me home aud left me there,
Mrs. Klopton received me with dig
she asked me when ] would dine told
me that something was wrong
" "Now-what is it,, Mrs. Klopton9'
| demanded finally, when she had in
formed me. in n patient and long sufF
fcring tone. that she felt worn ort
and thought she needed a rest.
"When / lived with Mr.. Just ice
Springer she began acidly, her mend
ing basket in her hands. 1T was, an
orderly, well-conducted household (you
can ask any Of the nelghbors. Meals
were cooked and. what's more, they
were eaten: there was none off, this
here ono day and gone the nextY husi.
ness. II
Nonsense" Observed ''iYou'rc