Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-12-21
CHAPTER n
The Express Is Held for a personaqe

The Express is Held for a Personals.
Bob Connery, special conductor for
the Coast division of one of the chief
transcontinentals, was having late
breakfast on his day off at his little
cottage on the shore of Puget sound.
when he was treated to the unusual
sight of a large car stopping before
his door. The chauffeur hurried from
the car to the house with an envelope
in his hand. Connery, meeting him at
the door, opened the envelope and
found within an order in the hand
writing of the president of the rail-
road and over his signature.
"Connery:
mo. 5 being held at Seattle termi-
nal until nine o'clock-will run one
hour late. This is your authority to
supersede the regular man as conduc-
tor-prepared to go through to Chi
cago. You will facilitate every desire
and obey, when possible, any request
even as to running of the train, which
may be made by passenger who will
identify himself by card from me.
"H. r. JARVIS"
The conductor, accustomed to take
charge of trains when princes, ENJOYS,
Presidents and great people of any sort
took to travel publicly or privately.
fingered the heavy cream-colored note
paper upon which the order was writ
ten and looked up at the chauffeur.
The order was surprising enough
even to Connery. Some passenger of
extraordinary influence, obviously, was
to take the train; not only the hold
ing of the transcontinental for an
hour told this, but there was the fur
Their plain statement that the passen-
ger would be incognito. Astonishing
also was the fact that the order was
written upon private note-paper.
There had been monogram at the
top of the sheet, but it had been torn
off; that would not have been If Mr..
Jarvis had sent the order from home.
Who could have had the president of
the road call upon him at half past
seven in the morning and have told
Mr.. Jarvis to hold the Express for an
hour?
Connery was certain of the distinc-
tive characters of the presidents hand
handwriting. The enigma Of the or
der, however, had piqued him so that
he pretended doubt.
where did you get this?" he chal-
lenged the chauffeur.
From Mr.. Jarvis"
"Of course; but whereT
"You mean you want to know where
he WASP"
Connery smiled quietly. II he him.
self was trusted to be cautious and
circumspect, the chauffeur also plain
ly was accustomed to be in the en-
ploy Of one who required reticence.
Connery looked from the note to the
bearer more keenly. There was some
thing familiar In the chauffeurs face
just enough to have made Connery
believe. at first that probably he had
seen the man meeting some passenger
at the station.
"You are" Connery ventured
casually.
I'm private employ; yes, sir" the
man cut off quickly. Then Connery
knew him; it was when Gabriel War
den travelled on Connery's train that
the conductor had seen this chauf-
feur; this was Patrick Corboy. who
had driven Warden the night he was
killed. But CoBnery, having won his
point. knew better than 70 show II.
waiting for a receipt from me?, he
asked as II he had abandoned his
curiosity.
The chauffeur nodded. Connery
took sheet Of paper. wrote on r.
scaled II in an envelope and handed It
over: the chauffeur FASTENED bact r.
his car and drove on. Connerv whis.
led softly 70 himself Eyiden'l- h,