"Conductor, do you happen to know," he questioned, "who the young man is who took Section Three in the car forward?" 

 Connery gasped; but the question put to him the impossibility of his being sure of any recognition from the description.  "He gave his name on his ticket as Philip D. Eaton, sir," Connery replied. 

 "Is that all you know about him?" 

 "Yes, sir." 

 "If you find out anything about him, let me know," Dorne bade. 

 "Yes, sir."  Connery moved away and soon went back to look again at Eaton. Had Mr. Dorne also seen the likeness of Eaton in the published descriptions of the man whom Warden had said was most outrageously wronged? the man for whom Warden had been willing to risk his life, who afterwards had not dared to come forward to aid the police with anything he might know? Connery determined to let nothing interfere with learning more of Eaton; Dorne's request only gave him added responsibility. 

 Dorne, however, was not depending upon Connery alone for further information. As soon as the conductor had gone, he turned back to his daughter and Avery upon the seat opposite. 

 "Avery," he said in a tone of direction, "I wish you to get in conversation with this Philip Eaton. It will probably be useful if you let Harriet talk with him too. She would get impressions helpful to me which you can't." 

 The girl started with surprise but recovered at once.  "Yes, Father," she said. 

 "What, sir?" Avery ventured to protest. 

 

 

 CHAPTER III 

 MISS DORNE MEETS EATON 

 Dorne motioned Avery to the aisle, where already some of the passengers, having settled their belongings in their sections, were beginning to wander through the cars seeking acquaintances or players to make up a card game. Eaton, however, was not among these. On the contrary, when these approached him in his section, he frankly avoided chance of their speaking to him, by an appearance of complete immersion in his own concerns. The Englishman directly across the aisle from Eaton clearly was not likely to 

 Prev. P 16/255 next