The Washburn leader., 1915-07-09
CHAPTER xxxIiI.


Pullman.
"Come inside" Law suggested, "and
Introduce me to the brakeman. pre-
sumo I've got to fix things up with
him"
IF there's really any doubt in your
mind as to that" Barcus said, rising,
Il don't mind telling you you're right"
He paused as Alan entered the car
before him and was greeted by a storm
of vituperation that fairly blistered
the panels of the Pullman. Mr.. Seneca
Trine, helpless in his invalid chair,
thus celebrated his introduction to the
young man whom he had never before
seen whose life he had schemed to
take these many years. His heavy
voice doomed and echoed through the
car like the sounding of a tocsin.
Alan made no effort to respond, but
listened with his head critically to
one side and an exasperating express
sion of deep interest informing his
countenance until Mr.. Trine was
out of breath and vitriol; when
the younger man bowed with the slight
est shade of mockery in his manner
and waved q tolerant hand to Barcus.
"He has, no doubt" Alan inquired.
"his own private cell aboard this car?"
"Yas, subj" Barcus agreed, aping
we'll the manner of his apparent caste
and color. "Ain't dat de troof?"
''Take him away, then," Alan re-
quested wcarily-"if you please"
"Yas, subj" Barcus replied. with
nimble alacrity selling the back of the
wheeled chair and swinging it round
for spin up the length of the car.
Before Trine had recovered enough
to curse him properly, the door to his
drawing room was closed and Barcus
was ambling back down the aisle.
His grin of relish at this turning Of
the tables on the mcnomaniac proved,
however, short-lived. 1t erased itself
In twinkling when Judith shouldered
roughly past him, wearing sullen
and forbidding countenance, and flung
herself into the drawing room with
her father.
The cause of her temper was not
far to seek: at the far end of the car
Alan was bending solicitously over the
chair in which Rose was resting. One
Of his arms was around her shoulder.
Her face was lifted confidently to his.
Barcus mused morosely on his ap-
prehension of trouble a-brew, simmer
ing over the waxing fire of that strange
woman's jealousy. He didn't like the
prospect at all. If only Alan and Rose
hadn't been so desperately in love
that they couldn't keep away from one
another! If only Alan had been SEN
sible enough to outwit the woman and
leave her behind when he started in
pursuit of the special! If only there
had not been that light engine in pur-
suit-as Barcus firmly believed it must
be-loaded to the guards with Trine's
INSCRIPTIONS hirelings!
No telling when they might catch
up!
The fear Of this last catastrophe
worked together with his fears Of Ju.
dith to render that night q sleepless
one for Barcus. He spent 1t in a chair
whence he could watch both the door
to the compartment Judith had chosen
for her own formerly Marrophat's
quarters) and the endless ribbons Of
steel that swept beneath the tracks.
But nothing happened. He mapped
uneasily from time to time. waking
with start Of fright, but always to
ind nothing amiss. Ever Judith
stopped behind that closed door, and
ever the track behind was innocent Of
the glare Of pursuing headlight.
Nor did anything untoward mark the
progress Of the morning-unless. in.
deed, Judith's protracted sessions
with her father behind the closed
door Of the drawing room were to be
counted ominous.
Ever since lunch-time the girl had
been closeted with her father; Barcus
had been getting some well.earned and
sorely.needed rest in his quarters; !;
Alan standing his watch ON the obseri
walton platform. in company with
Rose; and the train booming along
through an uncouth wilderness Of arid