The spectator., 1921-05-13
CHAPTER Vlil-Continued.

-1
 The execution details had been turned over to Clanahan, the political boss of Portal City,
 The plot itself was simple. At certain hour of a given night an anonymous letter was to be sent to Mir NorcrosS telling him that a gang of noted train robbers was stealing an engine from the Portal City yard for the purpose of running down the line and wrecking the Fast Mail. which often carried bullion express car. If the boss should fall for it. as he did. when the time came-and go in person to stop the raid. he was to be overpowered and spirited away, q forged letter purporting to be no- tice of his resignation was to be left for Mir. Van Britt. and fake tele- gram. making the same announce ment. was to be sent to President Dunton in New York. Nothing was left indefinite but the choosing of the night.
 "I suppose Hatch was to give the word said the boss. who had been listening soberly while the lawyer talked.
 "That is the inference. Hatch prob ably gave the word after his talk with you but the time was made even more propitious by the arrival of the two telegrams the one from Mir. Chad wick. and the one from Mir. Dunton, both of which they doubtless inter- cepted by means of the tapped wires"
 Mir. Norcross looked up quickly.
 Ripley, did Dunton know what was going to he done to me?"
 "Oh, think not It wasn't at all necessary that he should he taken In on it. He has been opposing your policies all along. and had just sent you q pretty savage call-,lown. He didn't want you inithe first place. and he has been anxious to get rid of you ever since. vThe plotters knew very we'll what he would do If he should get wire which purnorted to be your resignation He would appoint an other man. quick. and all they would have to do would he to make sure that you were well off stage. and would stay off until the other man could take hold"
 ''It worked out like charm" ad- mitted the boss. with wry smile. "I haven't been talking much about the details, partly because l wanted to find out if this young fellow. Tarbell, was as good as the majors recom- mendatlon of him, and partly because I'm honestly ashamed. Ripley Any man of my age and experience who would swallow bait, hook. and line as l did that night deserves to get all that is coming to him."
 You can tell me now, can't you?" queried the attorney.
 "Oh, yes you have 1t all-or prac letter about the Mail hold-up. and while don't rattle very easily. or dnarily. that was one time when I lost my head, just for the moment The obvious thing to do-if any atten- ton whatever was to be paid to the anonymous warping-was to telephone the police and the round-house. did neither because I thought 1t might be too slow"
 "So you made a straight shoot for the scene of actionf"
 "I did; down the back streets and across the lower end of the plaza As fl appeared-or rather as It was made to appear-I was barely in time. There were men at the engine, and when sprinted across the yard they were ready to move it out to the main line. l yelled at tlrem and ran in. Three of them tackled me the moment l came within reach. I got one Of the three on the point of the jaw, and they had to leave him behind; but there were enough more of them. Before l fairly realized what was happening, they had me trussed up like u Christmas tur- key, and loaded into the cab of the engine. From that on, it was all plain sailing"
 "Then they took you to the old lum- Der camp?" AS fast as the engine could be made to turn her wheels Arroyo has no night operator, and when we sneaked ] through the Banta yard and past the station. the operator there was asleep. | I saw him. with his head in the crook l of his arm. at the telegraph table in | the bay window as we passed. "We ran out tO the Timber Noun 1 tain .Y.' and fron that on up the old 1 saw-mill line. The rail connections |