The Argosy, January 1906 — page 117: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

NO WAY OUT. The detective glanced at the mes- sage. “'That’s a good clue. Come on,” he said. “ Let’s hurry up there.” “To the Grand Central Station?” inquired Perriam. “ Tixactly. Where else do you sup- pose? Maybe the operator there can tell us something. We had a man sta- tioned at the depot yesterday, watching for Ladd, but 1 reckon they must have given him the shp. Come on; we'll take a cab.” The operator at the Grand Central telegraph office was able to furnish them with some slight information. “That telegram,” said he, “ was sent by a darned pretty girl. A brunette. She was a peach, too, I can tell you.” “Did she write it herself?” askéd the detective. “Yes, sir. She wrote it right at the desk here, and she was crying while she wrote it.” “And who was with her?” Perriam eagerly. “A young man and a middle-aged lady.” = a middle-aged woman!” exclaimed the policeman ‘and the reporter in a breath, looking at each other in sur- asked prise. “Yes. A stout woman with a red face. She appeared to be very nervous, and so did the young man, for that mat- ter. ‘The whole three of them acted so strangely that IL couldn’t help remem- bering them.” oT suppose you don’t know the train they took,” remarked the policeman hopelessly. “Yes, I do. If you want to know real bad, you’re in rare luck, for I wouldn’t have known it myself only for an accident. The girl, who was crying, as I’ve said, left her lace handkerchief on the counter. I noticed it immediate- ly she stepped out of the office, and called to her to come back, but she ap- | parently did not hear. I sent one of the kids after her, and he caught her just as they were about to step aboard the train at platform six.” “ What time was this ? ”” asked Per- riam excitedly. “ At seven-thirty.” “The seyen-thirty train on track six. ‘said the detective admiringly. 299 This is the best clue yet!” cried Per- riam to the detective. “I don’t know who the middle-aged woman can be, but well get them now, Connaughton, if we have to follow them to the end of the earth!” CHAPTER VIII. ONE SURPRISE ON TOP OF ANOTHER. PERRIAM and the detective went to the station master’s office in the Grand Central Depot, and there learned that the seven-thirty train from track six ran to Clayton. “That means they've beaten it to Canada,” growled Connaughton. “I guessed as much. They’ve gone across the river, and they’ve got a day’s start. Now, how do you propose to get them ? ” “Tm going out there after them,” replied the *reporter quietly. “My office has given me permission to use all the time and money I need to find Ladd. I’m going to find him, too—him and the girl he’s run off with. Ill get off the train at every stopping-place and make inquiries about them. Wherever they are, Pll get them, Connaughton, Pil promise you that.” “By Jove, you’re the most enterpris- ing newspaper man I’ve ever met!” “Yor throw yourself so heartily into this case that one would think your interest was personal, instead of purely profes- sional.” Perriam did not return any answer to this remark. “We'll notify the chiefs of police at Clayton and on the other side of the river,” continued the detective. “ We’ll have the fugitives looked for. You'll get plenty of assistance from the olice.”’ “Good!” said Perriam. “The next train for Clayton doesn’t leave for two hours yet, I understand. That’ll give me time to get to my boarding-house and pack a few things.” “Say, Perriam,” struck in the detec- tive, “ have you got any idea as to the identity of this woman who accompa- nied them—the stout woman with the red face?” Cor comicbook