The Holly chieftain., 1923-01-11
BY
William MacHarg
Edwin Balmer

solid bank of snow beside the car,
when the door at the farther end of
the coach opened and Conductor Con-
merry entered, calling name.
"Mr. Hillward! Mr.. Lawrence Hill
ward! Telegram for Mr.. Hillward |"
Eaton started at the first call of the
name; he sat up and faced about.
The conductor was opposite Section
Three; Eaton now waited tensely and
delayed until the conductor was past;
then putting his head out Of his cur
tains he hailed as the conductor was
going through the door,
"What name? Who is that tele-
gram fori'
"Mr. Lawrence Hillward."
"Oh, thank you; then that's mine"
Connery held back. II thought your
name was Eaton"
ut is. Mr.. Hillward-Lawrence
Hillward-is an associate Of mine who
expected to make this trip with me
but could not. So should have tele-
grams or other communications ad-
dressed to him. Is there anything to
sign?"
mo, sir-train delivery"
Eaton drew his curtains close again
and ripped the envelope open; but be-
fore reading the message he observed
with alarm that his pajama jacket
had opened across the chest, and
small round scar, such as that left by
a high-powered bullet penetrating,
was exposed. He gasped almost au-
dlbly, realizing this, and clapped his
hand to his chest and buttoned his
jacket. The messege-nine words
without signature-lay before him:
"Thicket knot youngster omniscient
issue foliage lecture tragic instiga-
tion."
1t was some code which Eaton rec
ognized but could not decipher at
once. The conductor was still stand
ing in the aisle.
"When did you get this?" Eaton
asked, looking out.
"Just now. That message came
waiting for you at simons; when we
got them this morning they sent 1t
on"
II see; thanks" Eaton, assured that
| If the conductor had seen anything he
suspected no Significance in what he
saw. closed his curtains and buttoned
them carefully. The conductor moved
on. Eaton took small English-C Chi
nese pocket dictionary from his vest
pocket and opened 1t under cover Of
the blanket; counting five words up
from "thicket" he found "they": five
down from "knot" gave him know;
six up from "youngster" was "you";
six down from "omniscient" was
"one;" seven up from Issue" was
"is;" and so continuing, he translated
the words to:
"They know you. One Is following.
Leave train instantly"
Eaton, nervous and jerky, as he
completed the first six words, laughed
as he complied the final three. Leave
train instantlyI'' The humor of
that advice in his present situation,
as he looked out the window at the
solid bank Of snow, appealed to him.
A waiter from the dining car came
back, announcing the first call for
breakfast, and spurred him into ac-
tion. Passengers from the Pullman
at the rear passed Eat0n's section for
the diner. He heard Harriet Dorne's
voice in some quiet conventional re-
mark to the man who followed her.
Eaton started at it; then he dressed
swiftly and hurried into the now de-
serted washroom and then on to
breakfast.
Harriet Dorne was sitting facing
the door at the second of the larger
tables; opposite her, and with his
back to Eaton, sat Donald Avery A
third place was laid beside the girl,
as though they expected Dorne to
join them; but they had begun their
fruit without waiting. The girl
glanced up as Eaton halted in the
doorway; her blue eyes frightened
with look part friendliness, part
purpose. "Oh, Mr.. Eaton" she smiled,
wouldn't you like to sit with us7
don't think Father Is coming to break
fast now; and If he does, of course
there's still room"
she Uulleu DdCh lHc CIldlT Deslue lleT
enticingly; and Eaton accepted 1t.
Good morning, Mr.. Avery" he said
| to Miss Dorne's companion formally
as he sat down, and the man across
the table murmured something per-
force.
AS Eaton ordered his breakfast, he
appreciated for the first time that his
coming had interrupted conversa-
tiOn-or rather a sort of monologue
Of complaint on the part Of Standish
addressed impersonally to Avery
They engaged in conversation as
they breakfasted-a conversation in
which Avery took almost no part,
though Miss Dorne tried openly to
draw him In; then the sudden en-
trance Of Connery, followed closely by
stout, brusque man who belonged
to the rear Pullman, took Eaton's at