CHAPTER XIX
ON THE LOOKOUT
Ten minutes later Ralph and Bob Adair entered the office of thesuperintendent of the Great Northern. As they did so, a tall,well-dressed man left by another door. Adair nudged Ralph.
"The President of the road," he spoke in a low quick tone.
"Yes, I see," nodded Ralph.
"Eyes and ears wide open. We're going to see some lively doings, if Idon't mistake my cue."
Ralph felt the dignity and force of the occasion. It was a good deal fora mere youth to realize that he was being called into an importantconference on a footing with old and experienced railroaders. Theserious yet pleasant greeting of the superintendent told that thesituation was a distinct compliment to the fine record and ability ofthe young railroader.
Ralph modestly took a chair to one side of the big table at which thesuperintendent and his assistant were seated. Adair produced thatformidable memorandum book of his, stuffed with all kinds of secrets ofthe rail.
"We had better get down to business without any preamble," spoke thehead official briskly. "Before we begin, however, I wish to commend you,Fairbanks, for your diligence in our behalf."
"Thank you, sir," said Ralph with a flush of pleasure.
"Yourself and Glidden handled the situation at the relay just as wewould have wished it done. What is your report, Adair?"
The road detective consulted his notes in a matter-of-fact way, andbegan detailing his information as if he was reading off a freightschedule, but Ralph was immensely interested and so were his otherauditors.
Part of what Adair told was news to Ralph. The most of Adair'sdisclosures, however, linked to what he already suspected or knew.Briefly narrated, the two queerly-acting men who had been noticed byRalph in the company of Glen Palmer's grandfather and during the troublein the tunnel had been the starting clews in the case.
"There is a man named Rivers and half a dozen fellow conspirators whoare making most of the trouble," said the road officer. "Two of the menFairbanks spotted over two weeks ago. They were after the secrets of ourpaymaster, as we well know. From word I have received from an assistant,Dallas, they and a group of helpers are hanging around the vicinity ofscene of the smash up last night."
"There's a mystery to explain, Adair," here broke in the superintendent."What was the motive for the collision?"
"Just malicious mischief, I presume--a part of the contract of the gangto hamper and cripple the Great Northern all they can," returned theassistant. "The work was done by the same group--the word I havereceived from young Dallas assures me of that."
"If I may be allowed to say a word," submitted Ralph.
"Certainly," nodded the superintendent, and all eyes were instantlyfixed on Ralph. The latter took from his pocket the memorandum book andletters which had belonged to the injured train wrecker. He explainedhow he had found them. There was sharp attention, while the officersexpressed approval in their looks.
"From all I can gather from these," explained Ralph, "the man who ranaway with the old engine was Rivers. This book bears his name. From it Iwould think he was receiving a goodly sum each week from some mysterioussource for 'looking after' the Great Northern, as it is expressed."
"This is the underhand work of our rivals in business," declared theassistant superintendent bitterly.
"I think so, too," assented Ralph. "Outside of that, however, it iscertain that Rivers and his fellow conspirators are doing some business'on the side,' as he again aptly expresses it in his notes. A letterwill show you that a man named Kingston hired him to wreck the two carsnear the quarry."
"Kingston, the contractor? Why, it was his own machinery. He had a largecontract to do some extensive blasting work for the Great Northern,"spoke Adair.
"Yes," nodded Ralph, "I guess that from what the memorandum book tellsme. The contract, however, had to be done in a certain time or Kingstonforfeited a heavy bond, I believe."
"That is true," said the superintendent.
"He found out that his machinery would not do the work and that he wouldlose on his contract."
"And wrecked his own plant!" exclaimed the assistant superintendent.
"Incredible!" murmured the head official at his side.
"You deserve something for ferreting that out," declared Adairapprobatively. "There is your evidence, gentlemen, it seems," he added,pushing the documents over to the others.
"This is getting pretty serious," observed the superintendent.
"I will hunt up the contractor," said Adair, making a note. "I have menlooking for Grizzly and Mason. The other suspects in the service arebeing shadowed. I think, with the start this famous young friend ofours, Fairbanks, has given us, there will be a general clearing up ofthe situation in a short time. Dallas is in the company and confidenceof the conspirators. There will be some arrests and confessions within afew days. I think I can safely promise that."
Ralph listened attentively while the others engaged in a generaldiscussion of the situation. It was arranged that he should resume hisposition at headquarters in the office of the chief train dispatcher.Adair was to go down the line for the avowed purpose of getting moreclosely in touch with his faithful young assistant, Zeph Dallas. Thelatter, through the exercise of a keen intelligence and perseverance,seemed to proudly hold the key to the entire situation, and Ralph wasglad of it.
"There is one other subject of importance," remarked the road officer,as the superintendent arose and the conference seemed as on end.
"What is that?"
"The pay car affair."
"I thought that was all arranged."
"It is, so far as we are concerned, but shall I advise Fairbanks of thearrangements?"
"By all means," directed the superintendent promptly.
"Yes, he has proven his trustworthiness and ability," supplemented theassistant, "and it is our wish that he should be appraised of exactlywhat is going on."
"Very well," nodded Adair, in his usual brusque manner, "I will attendto that. Come on, Fairbanks."
Ralph bowed courteously to his two official friends and left the roomwith the road officer. As they reached the street Adair linked his armin that of Ralph in a confidential way.
"See here, Fairbanks," he remarked, "such tricks as that smash up andthe pay car business any road may have to tackle from time to time. Weshall attend to the fellows behind those schemes all right, but it'sbigger game we are after. A plot has crippled our service, corrupted ouroperators, stolen our private wire information. Bear this in view, andwhen new things come up along that line, which they are bound to do, digout all you can under the surface that will give us a handle against thereal plotter--the rival road that is trying to throw us down."
"I understand, Mr. Adair," said Ralph.
"You are going up to the train dispatcher's office?"
"Yes."
"I'll join you there in about half an hour, as I have some cyphermessages I want you particularly to attend to. I'll tell you then aboutthis pay car business."
Ralph had to be content with this. As he walked along he wondered whatAdair would have to tell him. The fifteenth of the month was only tendays ahead, and the pay car according to usual schedule should start onthe regular trip three days earlier.
Ralph was glad to get back to duty pure and simple. Seated at his deskhe was soon absorbed in getting accumulated work out of the way. He waspretty busy when one of the second trick men came up to him.
"Mr. Fairbanks," he said, "I thought I would speak to you about amessage I took over the commercial wire early this morning."
"Is that it." inquired Ralph, at once guessing the allusion, andproducing the little yellow slip of paper that the road officer hadgiven him.
"'From Glen Palmer,'" read the operator over Ralph's shoulder--"yes,that's the one: 'Look out for the pacer.' It came in on a jumble ofstuff like a quick cut in. There was more, but I couldn't catch it. Isignaled 'repeat,' but lost the sine, and it was clicked so thunderinglyfast I got mixed on th
e letters."
"You don't know the point of sending, then?" asked Ralph.
"No. I didn't know what the other end was trying to give me: Look outfor the packer? faker, pacer?"
"Hello!" said Ralph, so strangely and suddenly that the operator startedat him agape.
"What's the matter?" inquired the latter, wonderingly.
Ralph did not reply. He was thinking hard. A sudden light hadilluminated his mind.
"I've got it," he breathed in some mental triumph. "'Look out for thepay car!'"
Ralph, the Train Dispatcher; Or, The Mystery of the Pay Car Page 19
