The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-12
Western. . . .
Copyright. 1910. By Charles Scr;bner's Sons

 a little stiff1y, then: Tt is barely pos sible that the others may agree with me instead of with you. Will you tell them about it when they come back to the car and send word to my office after you have decided in open coun- cil what you wish to do? Only don't let it be very late. A delay of two or three hours may make it impossible for us to get the Nadia over the Des- ert division"
 Mrs. Brewster promised, and the su- perintendent went upstairs to his of flee. A glance into Hallock's room in passing showed him the chief clerk s boxlike desk untenanted, and he won- dered if Judson would find his man somewhere in the town. He hoped so. It would be better for all concerned if the arrest could be made without too many witnesses. True, Hallock had few friends in the railroad service, at least among those who professed loyal ty to the management, but with explo- sives lying about everywhere under foot one could not be too careful of matches and fire
 The superintendent had scarcely closed the door upon his entrance into his own room when it was opened again, with McCloskey's hand on the latch. The trainmaster came to re- port that a careful search of Gala hans files had not disclosed any mes sage to Leckhard; also he added that Dix, who should have come on duty at 3 o'clock, was still absent.
 What do you make out of that?'' queried Lidgerwood.
 McCloskey's scowl was grotesquely horrible.
 Bullying or bribery" he said short ly. They've got Dix hid away up town somewhere. But there was a message, all right, and with your name signed to it. Callahan saw 1t on Dix's hook this morning before the boy came down. It was in code-your private code. got Orton a little while ago on the Copah wire and pumped him He says there was code message and that Dix sent it. But when I asked him to repeat it back here he said he
 
 1t with him somewhere down the main line"
 Lidgerwood's exclamation was pro fane The perversity of things, ami mate and inanimate. was beginning to wear upon him.
 "Go and tell Callahan to keep after Orton until he gets word that MT. Leckhard has returned. Then have him get Leckhard himself at the other end of the wire and call me-" he di- rected. Since there is only one man besides myself in Angels who knows the private office code I'd like to know what that message said"
 ] McCloskey nodded. You mean Hal 1ock?"
 "Yes."
 ! The trainmaster was halfway to the door when he turned suddenly to say: "YaA can fire me if you want to, MT. Lidgerwood, but I've got to say my say. You're going to let that yellow doc run loose until he bites you." "No, I am not"
 "By gravies, I'd have him safe un- der lock and key before the shindy be- gins tonight if it was my job" | "He will be-" announced Lidger- wood. "I have sworn out a warrant for his arrest, and Judson has it and is looking for his man."
 The afternoon sun was poising for its plunge behind the western barrier range and Lidgerwood had sent Grady up to the cottage on the second mesa to tell Mrs. Dawson that he would not be up for dinner when the door opened to admit Miss Brewster
 "And the way into my parlor is up a winding stair," she quoted bithely and quite as if the air were not thick with threatening possibilities. ''So this Is where you live, is it? What dreary, bleak, blank placer
 Tt was a moment ago, but it isn't now" he said, and his soberness made the saying something more than bit of commonplace gallantry. Then he gave her his swing chair as the only comfortable one in the bare room, add ing, "I hope you have come to tell me that your mother has changed her mind"
 Indeed, I haven't! What do you take us for, Howard?'
 "For an exceedingly rash party of pleasure hunters, if you have decided to stay here through what is likely to happen before tomorrow morning Besides, you arc making it desperate ly hard for me-"
 She laughed lightly. "If you can't be afraid for yourself you'll be afraid for other people, won't you? It seems to be one of your necessities
 He let the taunt go unanswered.
 "1 can't believe that you know what you are facing, any of you, Eleanor. I'll tell you what I told your mother there will be battle, murder and sud den death let loose here in Angels be- fore tomorrow morning. And it is so utterly unnecessary for any of you to be involved.''
 She rose and stoods before him, put ting comradely hand on his shoul- der and looking him fairly in the eyes. "There was a ring of sinceEs*y :5 that, Howard. Do E.T really mean that there is likely to be viofehcc
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