Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-07-28

s The Hawk reached, the station, and
purchased ticket: but, as usual.
the ticket did not indicate his des-
tination--it read, not to- .Conmore,
but to. several stations farther along
the line. The local pulled in on
time. AS 1t pulled out again, the
Hawk, having appropriated the rear
seat of the smoker, lighted, tho he
inclined little toward that particular
form OF tobacco. q cigar.
His SLOUGH hat was jerked a little
forward over his eyes. He settled
back in his seat. Like links in q
chain, the keen, alert brain was
welding the events Of the days gone
by into n concrete whole. The head
the web from which the Wire Devils
operated was, logically, as he had
known. as Macyightie had, known,
outside the city. where the telegraph
line could be tapped without obser-
walton and at will. MacVightie's in
itial and only attempt to ground
out" the tap" had indicated that the
wire was being tempered with be-
tween Selkirk and Bald Creek Con-
more was between Selkirk ind Bald
. Creek. And what interest could
Kirschell. q New York crook, have in
a place like Conmore, that was little
more than q hamlet? What, then.
had prompted Kirschelrs trip to Con-
more and return? The Hawk smiled
iwhimsically. It was not proof abso-
lutte. but In his own mind it was
proof quite sufficient. Krschell's Wis
It to Conmore had been visit to the
headquarters of the gang. Also. ma
terial proof apart, he sensed intui-
lively that he had struck the right
trail Those messages. keeping the
unknown brain that schen1ed and
plotted each move In instant touch
with every unit OF the widespread
organization. making 1t possible for
them to strike at a morazn,'s warn
ing at any point over hundred miles
of country, emanated-from Conmore.
The train stopped at q station. and
went on again. The Hawk nursed
his cigar sedulously, and stared out
of the window. Twenty minutes went
by. And then the train stopped
again--at Conmore.
The Hawk did not move, save that
his eyes rested casually OIL pas
senger who was making hurried
and belated dash for the door. 1t
was quite possible that the man was
not one Of the gang, and equally
possible that the man was--he, the
Hawk. did not recognize the other
But he would do4the Wire Devils less
than justice to credit them with
lack OF interest in passen gers for
Conmcre--or In any occupant of any
car who might have left his seat and
found the platform, attractive, say,
just before Conmore was reached! II
the man was q spy, then--well-.the
Hawk smiled at his now burned to-
the-butt ctga-the man would have
little to report!
The train jerked forward into mo-
ton again. The station was on the
same side as the Hawks seattle
Hawk did not look out of the win
dow. but he was far from being OBJ
ltvtous to the fact that no platform
lights had shown thru the car win
. dows on the opposite side, of the
aisle. The speed increased little,
but still the Hawk did not stir. The
train ratified over the eas.-end sid
Ing switch of the Conmore yard.
And then the Hawk rose languidly,
tossed his cigar butt into the cuspi-
dor. brushed q very noticeable guam
tity OF cigar ash from his vest,
paused for q drink at the water
cooler. and, as tho. his smoke fin
ished. he was seeking the clearer. at
mosphere of rear car, opened the
door, and stepped out on the plat
form.
The Hawk dropped to the right of
way from the side OF the train OPP
sposite to that OF the station, landed
a. sure footed as a cat. flung him.
self instantly flat down a. the edge
OF the embankment, and Jay stlll.
Ehe local racketed its way past--the
rsd tail lights winked, and vanished
and there fell q silence, a drowsy
night silence, broken only. by the
chtrp OF insects and the far-distant
mutte- Of the receding train. The
Hawk raised his head, and looked
5nboui him. A few hundred yards
away giinted the station 81 naphore
and window lights: the sid;ng switch
light. nearer, showed green like a
huge glowing emerald in the black;
there was nothing else. There was
no sign OF habitation-nothing-
little hamlet lay hidden III a hollow
q mile away on the station side of
the track.
XIV.
The Hawk rose, and began to move
forward. ConmOrc was certainly an
tdealistic spot-from tho Wire Dew
lis standpoint! He frowned little,
There was no doubt in hiG mind but
that in a general way he had solved
the problem, that somewhere in this
vicinity the right OF way held the
wire tapDers' secret: but, as he was
we'll aware, his difficulties were far
from at an end, and that particular
SPOT might bss anywhere within sew
eral miles OF Connaore, and 1t might,
With equal reaSon, be east or west of
the station And then tbs Hawk
shrugged his shoulders. The night
was early yet early enough, to enable
MIN TO cover several miles of track
on both sides OF tho station. IL nee
essary. before daylight cs1ne, If he
had lack With him, he was On the
right side now: i, NOT, then, by mid
night he would start in on the 9TH
er. 1t rcQufred the exercise OF lit
tie philosophical paiientA, nothing
more.
1t was black along ttHs tsaA,k-a
black night no moon. no stars. And
1T Nya4 sdIeafx..-.A. .haif h<air NO asod