Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-03

seemed to keep pulling his body
around in circles!
Time had lost concrete significance
to the Hawk. She appeared again
fully dressed now, and, switching off
the light, went out into the hall, and
the front door closed behind her.
The Hawk parted the portieres, and
staggered across the room-and, a
moment later, a dark form, a news
paper parcel clutched under it's arm,
emerged stealthily from the vestibule,
and, Keeling like a drunken man, dis
appeared In the darkness down the
street.
XVII.
The wound was healed-partially,
at least. If the Hawk had unduly
shortened his period of convalescence,
he was perhaps justified. and not
wholly without excuse! He stood
now In the black shadows, Rugged
close to the wall of the roundhouse.
And now he moved stealthily for
ward, until, from crouched posi-
ton, he Strengthened UP against the
wall at the side, Of one of the few
windows which were lighted. Ian
son had strolled aimlessly across the
tracks from the station some ten
minutes before. and, fivs minutes
later. MacVightie had followed Ian
son--to their chosen spot for secret
conferences this little "cubbyhole'
of q turner's office in the round
house as the Hawk, from more than
one experience in the past, had very
good reason to know. They We're in
there now, and, as the Hawk was
likewise exceedingly well aware. the
events of the next few hours. and In
cident:,lly his own particular move
ments. depended. very pertinently
upon the movements OF MacViEhtie
and L1nson,
Lanson's voice in quietly modulat-
ed tones reached the Hawk:
Yves. both trains are on time to
the minute; I've taken care of that.
And so far there doesn't seem to be
a hitch anywhere. and with your men
boarding the trains west of here ut
different stations along the line. and
mixing quietly with the passengers
don't see how any one could be the
wiser on that score. Yes. 1t looks as
tho everything were all right--eh,
MacVightie?
II don't know: / hope So" Mac
Vightie's deep growl came in reply.
anyhow we've carried out instrnc-
tons from Warrington, and it's up
to the Secret Service crowd us TO
how 1t pans out
NO. 1t isn't" declared Lanson.
still quietly. 1T isn't up to soul
on earth except those OF us who have
got the responsibility of this division
on our shoulders. l believe the plan
is a good one. but because 1t came
from Washington doesn't let us out
not for a minutes! What about
Birks; has he shown up YETI"
Not yet" MacVightie answered.
and swore suddenly under his breath.
And don't mind admitting that
the crowd down there in Washing
ton make me tired! It's over two
weeks ago that l put it up to them.
They said they would take the mat
ter under consideration, and in any
case would send one of their men.
this Birks, out here to make an in
vestigation. But nothing doing!
Then, as you know. ! wrote them
again week ago. when we knew
this Alaskan gold shipment was COM
ing thru, and you know their reply:
they outlined a plan for us, and
stated definitely that Birks would
| be on deck tonight. Maybe he will
in time to tell us what we should
have done!"
'The Secret Service isn't police
force" said Lanson tersely. "The
only excuse they would have for act
ing at all would be IL your pet theory
We're correct-that the Hawk and his
gang, apart from their systematized
murders and robberies, were also
the ones who have been flooding the
| country with those counterfeit ten
dollar notes. You had no actual
proof to offer. and Washington evil
IDENTIFY hasn't felt quite so sure about
1t as you have. However there's no
use discussing that tonight. If Birks
shows up. all right: If he DOESN'T
well, l don't see that he could make
any difference one way or the other
| now
There was silence for moment,
then Lanson spoke again.
What worries me as much as any
thing" he said slowly, lis the ex-
press company making shipment of
money at the same time-forty thou
sand dollars In the cars safe. OF
course, it's logical enough with a
half million to guard anyway, but
it's an added incentive to those dew
Ills, that's all. A BALI million In raw
gold isn't any easy thing to pick up
and walk off with, and there's more
than an even chance that the Wire
Devils might pass it up on that ac-
count: but with banknotes alone in