Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-01-20
CHAPTER XXI.
MeKnIaht's Theory.


confess I was staggered. the
people at the surrounding tables, alter
glancing, curiously in my direction
looked away again.
got my hat and went out In q very
uncomfortable frame Of mind. That
she would inform the police at once
\ of what she knew never doubted. un-
less possibly she would give day or
ltwo's grace in the hope that l would
change my mind.
reviewed the situation as I waited
for q car. Two passed me going In
the opposite direction and on the first
one I saw Bronson, his hat over his
eyes, his arms folded. looking moodily
ahead. Was 1t imagination? or was
the small man huddled In the corner
Of the rear scat Hotchkiss?
As the car rolled on found myself
smiling. The alert little man was for
an the world like a terrier. ever on the
scent. and securing about In every d.
Tection.
found Mcknight Mt the Incubator.
with his coat of. working with enthu-
siasm and a manicure file over the
horn Of his auto. ..
.Its the worst horn I ever ran
across" he groaned. without looking
up, as I came In. "The blankety-
blank thing won't blow"
He punched 1t savagely. finally elic-
fling a faint throaty croak.
Sounds like Group" I suggested.
"My sister.in.law uses camphor and
goose grease for It; or how about
spice poultice?"
But Mcknight never sees any Jokes
but his own. He fiung the horn clat-
tering into q corner and collapsed
sulkfly into a chair.
Now" said, "if you're through
manicuring that horn. I'll tell you
about my talk with the lady In black"
What's wrong?" asked Mcknight.
languidly. "Police watching her. too!'
mot exactly. The fact is. Rich.
there's the mischief to pay"
stoeie came in. bringing few add.
tions To our comfort When he went
out told my story. :,
you must remember" I said, that
] had seen this woman before the
morning OF the wreck. She was buy
ing her Pullman ticket when / did.
Then the next morning. when the muir
der was discovered. she grew hyster-
ical and gave her some whisky. The
third and last time I saw her. until
tonight, was when she crouched be-
side the road. after the wreck"
Mcknight slid down in his chair un.
I'll his weight rested on the small Of
nhis back and put his feet on the big
reading table.
ITS rather q facer." he said. "It's
really too good a situation for COM
monplace lawyer. It ought to be
dramatized. You can't agree. Of
chance of Jail, at least. and OF having
Alison brought into publicity. which is
out of the question. You say she was
at the Pullman window when you
were?"
Yes: I bought her ticket for her.
Gave her lower eleven" .
"And you took ten?"
Lower ten."
Mcknight Strengthened up and
looked at me.
Then she thought you were in
lower ten." r..
II suppose she did. II she thought
at ALL"
But listen, man." Mcknight was
growing excited. What do you figure
out Of this? The Conway woman
knows you have taken the notes to
Pittsburg. The probabilities are that
she follows you there. on the chance
Of an opportunity to get them. either
for Bronson or herself.
Nothing doing during the trip over
or during the day In Pittsburg: but
she learns the number Of your berth
as you buy 1t at the Pullman ticket
office in Pittsburg and she thinks she
sees her chance. No one could have
foreseen that that drunken fellow
would have craw!ed into your berth.
Now. I figure It out this way: She
wanted those. notes desperately-doee
.stiIl--not for Bronson. but to hold over