The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-05-25
CHAPTER L..
 s. E;.-@ o&nrs

 | IF HAD placed the lumber inside the yards. as directed. and was al | Fl ready rehitching the traces when
 the man crossed she street slow < ly, switching his light cane careiessIy In the air. He was forty or fortydve. heavily built, with rather pasty white face, large nose, eyes unusual 1 ly deep set and q closely clipped mus tache, beginning to gray. As I faced him in some surprise he looked me fairly in the eyes.
 1. You are the lad the train hands put of the Atlantic express at Vernon a week ago. he said n cane in on the same train. Just caught 3 glimpse Of your face in the light of the brake mans lantern. How did you get heres,
 Freight two hours later.s,
 You're not 8 bum or you wouldn't be working z
 put one foot on the wheel. fWait g minute'' and there was more animation in the tone. <I may have something better for you than this lumber wagon I'm right, ain't [. in guessing you're no regular bum r, I've bum med 1t most of the way from San Francisco I had to. was homeEick for the east and lost my transportat ton. was discharged at the Presidio
 |ice?s' ' ss''S ss7es'- ~ ,.
 The Philip pines, three years: in vaIided home 2,
 'sYou don't look it', his eyes on nc Never saw more perfect animal. s'No. boios wound. 7, He looked at his watch, and climb ed into my seat. NSee here haven't time to talk now. If you want an easier job than this come and see me at g tonight. and wen talk 1t over,
 I took the bit of pasteboard he hand cd up. . A Il right. sir. I'll be there on time. ,,
 Come to the side door, he added ssw1ftly. lowering his voice. tethe one on the south. Give three raps. By the way, what is your name?u
 Gordon Craigss answered.
 Ever been known by any other 7''
 T enlisted under another. I ran way from home and was not Of age.o
 Out of his sight looked curiously at the card, It was the advertise ment of a clothing house, and on the back was written F. B. NeaIe. 1Os Chestnut street,
 Evidently this man NeaIe had need or stranger to help him out in some scheme. Well, if the pay was good and the purpose not crifnI11al I had no objections to the spice Of danger. In deed. that was what I loved in life. I was young, full blooded strong. willing enough to take desperate chances for sufficient reward
 My father. from whom had not heard word in two years, was a prominent manufacturer in New England vfliaGc The early death of ID mother had left me to his care when was but ten years old. and we failed to understand each other. drift ing apart, until final quarrel had sent me adrift I was in my Junior year at Princeton. when the break came This all occurred four years previous. three of which had been passed in the ranks, yet even now was stubbornly resolved not to return unsuccessful
 possessed "a fairly decent suit of clothes. now pressed and cleaned after the rough trip from the coast. and that evening I dressed as carefully as possible in the dingy room of my boarding house Itwas still daylight, but there was lonE walk before me Chestnut street was across the river. in the more aristocratic section.
 It was dark enough when got there and began seeking the number. found No 1OS. It was slightly back from the street, large stone man sion, surrounded by low coping of brick and with no light showing any where. I was obliged to mount the front steps before I could assure my self this was the pIace l followed the narrow cement walk around the the first floor exhibited a faint glow