Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-07-03
CHAPTER ~.

| A half mile away, along a road that
showed like a grey thread in the
night twinkled few lights from the
little cluster OF houses that made the
town of Bald Creek. AT the rear OF
the station itself, in the shadow OF
the walls, 1t was inky black.
There was stiffness! Then the
chattering OF II telegraph instrument
and, coincident with this, low.
scarcely audible, a sound like the
gnawing of a rat.
| The chattering Of the instrument
ceased; and, coincident again, the low
gnawing sound ceased; and, crouched
against a rear window, the Hawk
chuckled a little grimly to himself.
Within, and dingonally across from
the window, an otherwise dark inter-
ior was traversed by dull ray of
light that filtered in thru the open
connecting door of the operator
room beyond. Inside there were Lam
son. the division superintendent, and
Martin, the trusted Bald Greek opera
tor; while at any minute now, Mac
Vightie would be up on No. IL. They
were preparing to spring their trap
for the Wire Devils tonight! The
Hawk was quite well-informed on
this point for the very simple reason
that the Hawk himself had not been
entirely~idle during those twenty-fo
hours that were just past!
Again the SOunder broke into a
splutter; but this time the gnawing
sound was not resumed-the window
fasteninss were loosened now.
Came then the distant rumble Of an
approaching train: the rumble deep
| ening into a roar; the roar disinte-
grating itself into component sounds,
the wheel trucks beating at the rail
joints, the bark Of the exhaust; then
the scream of brakeshoes biting at
the wheel tires; the hiss of steam
| and in the mimic pandemonium, the
Hawk raised the window, and
crawled in over the sill.
And again the Hawk chuckled to
| himself. Up and down the line to-
night, at all stations where there were
no night operators. the roads detec-
tiyes stood guard over the telegraph
instruments. It had been MacVigh-
ties plan, originated the night before.
1t was very clever Of MacVightie, If
somewhat abortive! Also, quite irrel-
evant OF course. and quite apart from
that little matter Of ten thousand dol
lars which he, the Hawk, had taken
from the paymaster's safe last night,
MacVightie tonight was likely to be
In no very pleasant mood!
The negine without, blowing from
q full head of steam, drowned out
all other sounds. The Hawk picked
his way across the room to q posi-
ton near the connecting door, and
composedly seated himself upon the
floor behind number Of piled-up
boxes and parcels. With q grin OF
acknowledgment to the escaping
steam. he cody moved two of the
parcels a few inches to right and left,
thus providing himself with an ex-
cellent view into the operators room.
From one pocket he took an exceed
ingly small flashlight, and from an
| other a notebook, and from his hir
pocket an automatic pistol This lat
ter he Transferred to his right hand
coat pocket. Bunching the bottom OF
his coat over his hand, he flashed or
the tiny ray, found convenient ledge
formed by one Of the boxes, and upon
this laid down his notebook. The
first page. as he opened the book
contained a neatly drawn sketch OF
the interior OF Bald Creek station. He
turned this over, leaving the book
open to a blank page, and switched
off the light.
The door from the platform opened
and closed, as the train pulled out
again. man stepped into the opera
tors room-and in the darkness the
Hawk smiled appreciatively. 1t was
MacVightie, and MacVighties thin
lips were drawn tighter than usual
and the brim of his SLOUGH hat, tho
pulled far forward. did not hide the
scowl upon MacVighties countenance
! We'll, you're here all right, Lanson,
eh?" he flung out brusquely. Moth
Ing yet, by any chance, OF course?"
Lanson. from chair at the opera
tors elbow. nodded a greeting.
mot yet" he said.
MacVightie was glancing sharply
around him.
"Martin." he ordered abruptly
"close those two ticket wickets!"
The operator rose obediently, and
pulled down the little windows tina,
opened, one on each side of the Of
flee, on the mems and women's wait
ing rooms.
Whats that door there?" demand
ed MacVightie, pointing toward the
rear room.
"Just place I had partitioned of
for stores and small express stuff
Martin answered. There's no back
entrance"
"All right. then,' said Macvightie
He pulled up a chair for himself on
the other side of the operator, as
Martin returned to his seat. "You
know what we're here for, Martin
what you've to do? Mr.. Lanson has
told you?"
| yes" Martin replied. I'm to test
out for east or west, if there's any
Of that monkeying on the wire to-
night"
"Show me how it's done" directed
MacVightie tersely.
| The operator reached over to the
switchboard and picked up a key
plug.
| I've only got to plug this in-here
Or here. Those are my ground wires
east and west. The main batteries
are west Of us at Selkirk, you know
II ground out everything east for
instance, and he's working to the
east OF us the sounder'll stop because
I've cut him off from the main bat
teries. and Well hear nothing unless
adjust the relay down to get the
weak circuit from the local batteries
IL he's working west of us the sound
er will be much stronger because the