The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-04-18
The Blind Mans
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he demanded.
what business? Why, only that
I'm Lawrence Hillward - that's
all, my friend! What are you up
to, anyway? Lawrence HillwarG
travelling with youl never set
eyes on you until l saw you on
this train; and you take my tele-
grant" The charge was made
loudly and distinctly; every one in
the dining car had put down fork
or cup or spoon and was staring
at him. what did you want
with it," the stout man blared on.
Say, hand it over now!"
Eaton felt he was paling. He
realized that the passengers al
ready had judge his explanation
and found him wanting. Avery was
gazing up at him with a sort of
.contented triumph.
The telegram was for me, con-
ductor." he repeated.
Get that telegram, conductor"
the stout man demanded again.
Il suppose" Connery suggested,
YOU have letters or a card or
something, Mr.. Eaton, to show
your relationship to Lawrence
Hillward."
mo; | have not"
The man asserting himself as
Hillward grunted.
Have you anything to show
you are Lawrence Hillward?"
Eaton demanded of him.
Did you tell any one on the
train that your name was Hillward
before you wanted this telegram"
1t was Harriet Dorne's voice
which interposed; and Eaton felt
his pulse leap as she spoke for him.
Il never gave any other name
than Lawrence Hillward," the 9TH
er declared.
Connery gaZed from one claim
ant to the other. "Will you give
this gentleman the telegram" he
asked Eaton.
II will not"
Then | shall furnish him an
other copy"
That's for you to decide"
Eaton said; and as though the
matter was closed for him, he re-
sumed his seat. Harriet Dorne
began to chat with him as lightly
as before. Whatever effect the
incident Just closed had had upon
the others, 1t appeared to have
had none at all upon her.
Are you ready to go back to
our car now, Harriet?" Avery In
quired when she had finished her
breakfast, though Eaton was not
yet through.
Surely there's no hurry about
anything today" the girl returned.
They waited until Eaton had
finished.
Shall we all go back to the OBJ
servation car and see If there's
walk down the track of whether
it's showed over?" she said i'm
partially to the two. They went
thru the Pullmans together.
In the last Pullman some one
still was sleeping behind the cur
tains of Section Three, for a
mans hand hung over the aisle.
II was a gentleman's hand, with
long, well-formed fingers, sensi-
tive and at the same time strong.
That was the berth of Harriet
Dorne's father; Eaton gazed down
at the hand as he approached the
section. and then he looked up
quickly to the girl. She had OBJ
served the hand. as also had Az
cry; but. plainly, neither of them
noticed anything strange either in
its posture or appearance. Their
only care had been to avoid brush
ing against 1t on the way down
the aisle so as not to disturb the
man behind the curtain; but Eat
on, as he saw the hand, started.
He was the last of the three to
pass, and so the others did not no.
tice his start; but so strong was
the fascination of the hand in the
aisle that he turned back and gaz-
ed at it before going on into the
observation car.
Drifts of snow eight or ten feet
high came up to the rear of the
train: the end of the platform it.
self was buried under three feet
of snow; the men standing on
the platform could barely look
over the higher drifts.
There's no way from the train
in that direction now" Harriet
Dorne lamented as she saw this.
There's the top of the cars,
Miss Dorne," Eaton suggested. eff
we could get up there, we'd get
a fairly decent walk and see ev-
|erything"
Good" the girl applauded.
How do we get up?"
"I'll see the conductor about
It," Eaton offered; and before
Avery could discuss It, he started
back thru the train.
CHAPTER vi.
Conductor Connery had passed
thru the Pullmans several times
during the morning. Each time
he had seen the hand which hung
out into the aisle from between
the curtains in Section Three of
the last sleeper; but the only def
mite thought that came to him
was that Dorne was a sound Sleep
/ err.
Connery took a seat in the diner
and breakfasted leisureiy. Then
he walked back thru the train.
Dorne by now must be up, and
might want something.
| A. A.A.~.I I..k