The Glenwood post., 1922-12-28

lle CdT uASupptdreu, CoAHSAy SuACu
off to the sound.
The March morning was windy and
wet, with storm blowing In from the
Pacific. From Eliot bay reverberated
the roar of the steam-whistle Of some
large ship signaling its intention to
pass another to the left. The incom-
ing vessel loomed in sight and showed
and the white and red-barred flag of
the japanese line, the Nippon Yusen
Kaisha. Connery saw that 1t was, as
he anticipated, the Tamba Maru, due
two days before, having been delayed
by bad weather over the Pacific. 1t
would dock, Connery estimated, just
in time to permit passenger to catch
the Eastern Express If that were held
till nine o'clock. So, as he fastened
to the car line, Connery smiled at him
self for taking the trouble to make
his earlier surmises.
Old Sammy Seaton, the gateman,
stood in his iron coop twirling punch
about his finger. Old Sammy's scheme
of sudden wealth-everyone has
pan pN WHICH my w
may arrive-was to recognize and ap-
prehend some wrongdoer, or some lost
or kidnapped person for whom a great
reward would be given. His position
at the gate through which must pass
most of the people arriving at the
great Coast city, or wishing to depart
from 1t, certainly was excellent; and
by constant and careful reading of
the papers, classifying and memoriz-
ing faces, he prepared himself to take
advantage of any opportunity. Sammy
still awaited his great Strike"
"Any one off on Number Five. Sam
my?" Connery questioned carelessly
as he approached.
Old Sammy shook his head. "What
are we holding for7" he whispered.
"Ah-for them?'
couple of station-boys, overloaded
with hand-baggage, scurried in from
the street; someone shouted for a
trunk-truck, and baggagemen ran. A
group of people, who evidently had
come to the station in covered cars,
crowded out to the gate and lined up
to pass old Sammy. The gateman
Strengthened importantly and scruti-
nized each person presenting a ticket.
Connery inspected with attention the
file at the gate and watched old Sam
my also as each passed him.
The. first in line was girl-a girl
about twenty-five or three, Connery
guessed. She had the easy, interested
air of a person of assured position.
When Connery first saw her, she
seemed to be accompanying the man
who now was behind her; but she of
fered her own ticket for perusal at
the gate, and as soon as she was
through, she hurried on ahead alone.
Connery was certain he did not
know her. He noticed that old Sam.
my had held her nt the gate as long
as possible. as If hoping to recollect
who she might be; but now that she
was gone, the gateman gave his atten.
tion more closely to the first mana
tall, strongly built man, neither heavy
nor light, and with powerful, pa
trfcfan face. His eyes were hidden
by smoked glasses such as one wears
against glare or snow.
Connery found his gaze following
this man; the. conductor did not know
him, nor had old Sammy recognized
him; but both were trying to place
him. He, unquestionably was a man
to be known, though not more so than
mental trains.
A trim. self-assured man OF thirty
his open overcoat showed cutaway
underneath-came past next, proffer-
ing the plain seattle-Chicago ticket.
An Englishman, with red-veined
cheeks, fumbling, clumsy fingers and
curious, interested eyes, Immediately
followed.
The remaining man, carrying his
own grips, set them down in the gate
and felt in his pocket for his transpor-
tation.
This person had appeared suddenly
after the line of four had formed in
front of old Sammy at the gate; he
had taken his place with them only
after scrutiny of them. His ticket
was strip which originally had held
coupons for the Pacific voyage and
some indefinite journey in Asia be-
fore; unlike the northumberland
his baggage did not bear the pastors
of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha-the
ticket was close to the date when 1t
would have expired. 1t bore upon the
line where the purchaser signed. the
name "Philip d. Eaton" in plain, Wig
orous characters without shading or
flourish.
AS sudden eddy of the gale ahour
the shed blew the ticket from old
Sammy's cold fingers, the young man
stopped to recover 1t. The wind blew
Off his cloth cap as he did so, and as
he bent and Strengthened before old
Sammy, the old man suddenly gasped
and while the traveller pulled on his
cap, recovered his ticket and hurried
down the platform to the train. the
gateman stood staring after him as
though trying to recall who the man
M Ia n