Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-28

low and his appearance, to the pro-
curing of the combination of the safe
on Colonel Manyan's part, constituted
along general lines, no very difficult
problem for Bruce to solve. The finer
details. just how the eX-military man
had been enabled to get the desired
information. mattered little. The fell
low might have been an innocent tool
or a guilty accomplice.
In either event, it was of no moment
to Bruce, and, murmuring something
light to the anxious colonel, standing
at his front gate, the young man con-
tinued his way to the station. Exit
Colonel Manyan, the others expression
had seemed to say, exit, for all time,
from the comedy!
But the play was going on; for him,
Bruce, the action was quickening. He
leaned back now in his seat in the
car. A shrill whistle replaced the
painting without; the train moved.
AS it started, a man ran hurriedly
across the platform and swung him
self up on to one of the cars, but not
before Bruce had caught a quick
glimpse of his face. He experienced
no surprise; from Caglionis hasty
visit to the express office and the Sec
retary's presumably precipitate flight
to New York on the train before this
one, a very simple method Of effect
to-cause reasoning had led Mr.. Bruce
directly, inevitably to single human
agency-the innocent looking James,
Bamford's valet. Sir Archibald had
more than one mouchard, or informer,
at his beck and rod. 1T would seem,"
murmured Chatfield Bruce to. himself,
as the train gathered impetus, 1T
would seem from an eXtraneous point
of view, that a rather serious mistake
has been made-the mistake of hav-
ing overlooked a pawn!
But mistake or not, he had to go on
with the game. Check" had been
said by Caglioni; other forces pressed
for a mate" That, however, had not
yet come. Not yet, sang the wheels,
not yet! His brain was eXhilarated,
his eyes brilliant with excitement.
Comscot, with it's little homes, nesting
so cozily on a green lap between ver-
dant hills, faded from view; Mr..
Woods place was the last to be seen.
The train made but one or two stops
on the way to the city. The first time
it drew up, Bruce rose suddenly and
left the car. How long did they re-
main at this station, he asked the
conductor. A couple of minutes, came
the reply, and the young man darted
into the telegraph office and started to
write a message. Some one followed
and stood near, protesting to be oc-
cupied in a like task. Bruce did not
turn his head, but he knew well, OF
course. who he was. He shaded the
yellow paper with his elbow and scrib-
bled in fine, almost illegible charac-
ters.
The clerk who received it started to
read the message aloud, while count
ing the words. The young man stop
ped him; he was not to do that, sharp
ly; how did the telegraph operator
know it did not contain a hint or an
important tip on the market? The
man finished in silence, perusing the
contents and estimating the charge;
then. pointing downward with a re-
proving finger, What is that word?"
he asked severely of this rather too
particular person.
At the question, he who had come
into the office directly after Bruce bent
his head more eXpectantly; but that
young gentleman did not answer au-
dibly. Taking the telegram and grasp
ing the pen once more, Bruce, with a
printed the word there had been doubt
about-the word meet" after which
he again returned the message to the
operator, paid for it, and started away
The conductors All aboard" greet
ed him at the threshold. Bruce closed
the door of the telegraph office sharp
ly, so sharply that he almost swung
it hard against the Wallets face. But
that person again managed to get the
train by clutching the hand-rail of the
last car; Bruce, however, felt fairly
assured that the fellow had caught only
part of the address and nothing in the
telegram that would he of service to
him. A smile came to the young mans
face. He forgot the dangers and
thought only of the Zest of the new
contest. 1t had opened fairly and
promised varied interests and piquan-
cy of situation. He tried in fancy to
look ahead, but mists seemed waving
before his eyes. or one fact he felt
certain: the battle royal was swing
ing itself into larger field and great
er hazards. His expression changed
his gaze suddenly grew more intent.
Through the open door at the far
end of the car, he caught for mo-
ment the whisk of woman's skirts
as she changed her seat in the coach
ahead-a gown he knew and remem-
bered, draping a form, young, yet full
After a brief thoughtful interval, Mr.
Bruce rose and looked into the parloI
coach. Miss Flossie Burke was there
and cOnversing cOnfidentiallE wltr
none other than Mr.. Bolger! The sun
shine glinted the girls hair; her Grim
son lips babbled OF what?
Bruce moved softly toward them;
the coach was Pullman. He dropped
into the section behind Miss Burke
and Mr. Bolger. They sat with theiI
heads close together, and neither no.
| tiCed the young man. Other people
| We're passing to and fro: it was par
ticularly noisy bit of track they ira
verScd at the moment; Mr.. Bolgel
lifted his voice slightly. Miss Flossie
seemed To have ingratiated herself
somewhat quickly and coZily into the
confidence of the man employed 10y heI
uncle: she permitted her green eyes
rather free holder scope In hel
hand was a little russet bag. with sill
vrr-gilt trimmings; her gloved fingers
| fOndled it.
II,1 ,bo datactivp hepn an aynrrt q