The Dolores star., 1923-01-26
By
William MacHarg
Edwin Balmer


solid bank OF snow beside the ear,
when the door at the farther end of
the coach opened and Conductor Con
merry entered. calling a name.
MIR. Hillward! Mr.. Lawrence Hill
wardl Telegram for MIR. HilIward -
Eaton started at the first call of the
name; he sat up and faced about.
The conductor was opposite Section
| Three: Eaton now waited tenselS 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 tcle-
gram for?"
MIR. Lawrence Hillward."
"Oh. thank you: then that's mine"
Connery held back. Il thought your
name was Eaton"
at is. Mr.. Hillward-Lawrence
| Hillward-is an associate of mine who
expected to make this trip with me
| hut could not. So should have tele-
| grams or other communications ad-
| dressed to him. Is there anything to
sign?"
NO, 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
high-powered bullet penetrating.
was exposed. He gasped almost au-
dibly, realizing this. and clapped his
hand to his chest and buttoned his
jacket. The message-nine words
without signature-lay before him:
''Thicket knot youngster omnlSClent
issue foliage lecture tragic instiga-
ton"
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 thisT Eaton
asked looking out
Just now. That message came
through yesterday some time and was
waiting for you at Simons; when we
got them this morning they sent 1t
on
81 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 a small English Chi
nese pocket dictionary from his vest
pocket and opened it 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 tissue" 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 compiled the final three. Leave
train Instantly" The humor of
that advice in his present situation,
as he looked out the window at the
| solid bank Of snow, appealed to him.
waiter from the dining car came
back, announcing the first call for
breakfast, and spurred him into ac-
| don. Passengers from the Pullman
Mt the rear passed Eaton'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 a look part friendlness. part
purpose. "Oh, Mr.. Eaton" she smiled,
wouldn't you like TO sit with us? I
don't think Father is coming to break
fast now; and If he does, of course
there's still room"
She pulled back the chair beside her
| ehti'ihEis anu TIdtOn 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 sort of monologue
OF complaint on the part of Standisb
addressed impersonally to Avery.
They engaged in conversation ms
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.
tentiOn and hers
Which Is hlm?" the man with Con.
i H.