The Glenwood post., 1922-12-28
CHAPTER II

The Express Is Held for a Parsonage.
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. 8 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 a card from me.
III. II. JARVIS"
The conductor, accustomed to take
charge of trains when princes, envoys
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 transcontnental for an
hour told this, but there was the fur.
ther 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 chaI.
lenged the chauffeur.
Prom Mr.. Jarvis"
"Of course; but where?"
You mean you want to know where
he was?"
Connery smiled quietly. If 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 chaufreur's face
-1nst enough to have made Connery
believe, Mt first, that prohably he had
seen the man meeting some passenger
at the station.
"You are" Connery ventured
casually.
"ln private employ; yes, sir" the
man cut off quickly. Thon C0nnery
knew him; 1t was when Gabriel War.
den Travelled on Connery's train that
the condoctor had seen this chauf-
feur. . this WIS Patrick Corboy. who
had driven Warden the night he was
Killed. But 'onnery, having won his
point, knew better than to show It,
waiting for receipt from mef" he
asked as II he had abandoned his
curiosity.
The chauffeur nodded. Connery
took sheet of paper, wrote on 1t,
sealed 1t in an envelope and handed Il
over: the chauffeur hnstened bnck TO
his car and drove off. Connery whIs-
! tied softly to himself. Evidently his