Part 25 (1/2)
”I see you are,” responded the man inside the room, ”primed for work, too, it seems to me.”
Ralph could not repress some excitement. The man Bartlett he instantly recognized as the person who had delivered to him in the city the papers from Gasper Farrington. His visitor he knew to be a discharged telegraph operator of the Great Northern.
”Yes,” said the latter, as the door closed on him, ”I'm ready for work, so bring on your wire-tapping scheme soon as you like.”
CHAPTER XIX
THE WIRE TAPPERS
When the door of the office that Ralph was watching closed again and was locked, the young fireman approached the room. He was very sure that some important move against the railroad was meditated by the two men he had just seen, and he was anxious to overhear their conversation if possible.
To his intense satisfaction Ralph found that a coal box rested under the clouded-gla.s.s window of the office looking into the hallway. This window was down from the top some inches. Ralph clambered up on the coal box, got to the side of the window, fixed his eye at a small s.p.a.ce where the gla.s.s was broken, and prepared to listen to the words of the two men he had in view.
Both sat in chairs now. Bartlett looked brisk and pleased; the ex-telegraph operator was unkempt, rather sullen, and acted like a man under orders on some unpleasant duty.
”Well, Morris,” said the former, ”all ready, are you? Tools and wire in that bag?”
”Batteries and all, complete outfit,” responded the other. ”What's the programme?”
”You haven't mentioned about my employing you to any one?”
”Certainly not.”
”And have arranged to stay away from town for several days?”
”A week, if you like, at ten dollars a day you promised me,” answered Morris.
”Very good. Let me see. There's a train about 10 o'clock.”
”There is, if the strikers will let it run out,” said Morris.
”Oh, they will. I have arranged all that,” chuckled Bartlett. ”They'll even help it on, knowing I'm aboard.”
”That so?” muttered Morris. ”You must have a pull somewhere.”
”I have, or at least money has, and I control the money,” grinned Bartlett. ”You are to come with me down the line about twenty miles.
You'll be told then about this special job.”
Bartlett got up and bustled about. He packed a great many papers in a satchel, and finally announced that they had better be starting for the depot.
”Any little by-play you see on the train,” said Bartlett, ”help along, mind you.”
”Why, what do you mean?” inquired Morris.
”You'll see when we get there,” replied Bartlett enigmatically.
When they reached the depot the two men got aboard the one pa.s.senger coach of the night accommodation. There was a combination express car ahead. Ralph went to the messenger in charge and arranged to have free access to do as he desired.
When the train started up, he opened the rear door of the car and commanded a clear view into the pa.s.senger coach. The men he was watching sat side by side, engaged in conversation. There were only a few pa.s.sengers aboard.