joe the hotel boy-第23节

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〃Mr。　Vane！〃

〃Oh；　Joe；　so　you're　here　already！　I'm　glad　I　won't　have　to　wait　for　you。〃

〃I'm　afraid　you　won't　be　able　to　get　a　room；　Mr。　Vane。　　But　you　can　have　mine。〃

〃I　telegraphed　ahead　for　a　room；　Joe。〃

〃Do　you　know　that　your　enemies　are　here？〃　went　on　our　hero。

〃My　enemies？〃

〃Gaff　Caven　and　Pat　Malone。　　But　they　are　traveling　under　other　names。〃

〃Have　they　seen　you？〃

〃I　think　not；　sir。〃

Mr。　Vane　soon　had　his　room　assigned　to　him　and　he　and　our　hero　passed　up　in　the　elevator。　As　soon　as　they　were　in　the　apartment　by　themselves；　Joe　related　what　he　had　seen　and　heard。

〃They　are　certainly　on　my　trail；〃　mused　Maurice　Vane。　　〃And　they　must　have　kept　pretty　close　or　they　wouldn't　know　that　I　had　asked　you　to　accompany　me。〃

〃They　have　some　plot；　Mr。　Vane。〃

〃Have　you　any　idea　what　it　is？〃

〃No；　sir；　excepting　that　they　are　going　to　try　to　do　you　out　of　your　interest　in　that　mine。〃

Maurice　Vane　and　Joe　talked　the　matter　over　for　an　hour；　but　without　satisfaction。　　Then　they　went　to　the　dining　room　for　something　to　eat。

〃We　start　for　Montana　in　the　morning；〃　said　the　gentleman。　　〃I　think　the　quicker　I　get　on　the　ground　the　better　it　will　be　for　me。〃

Although　Maurice　Vane　and　Joe　did　not　know　it；　both　were　shadowed　by　Caven　and　Malone。　The　two　rascals　had　disguised　themselves　by　donning　false　beards　and　putting　on　spectacles。

〃They　leave　in　the　morning；〃　said　Caven。　〃Malone；　we　must　get　tickets　for　the　same　train；　and；　if　possible；　the　same　sleeping　car。〃

〃It's　dangerous　work；〃　grumbled　Pat　Malone。

〃If　you　want　to　back　out；　say　so；　and　I'll　go　it　alone。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　back　out。　　But　we　must　be　careful。〃

〃I'll　be　careful；　don't　fear；〃　answered　the　leader　of　the　evil　pair。

At　the　ticket　office　of　the　hotel；　Maurice　Vane　procured　the　necessary　tickets　and　sleeper　accommodations　to　the　town　of　Golden　Pass；　Idaho。　　He　did　not　notice　that　he　was　watched。　A　moment　later　Gaff　Caven　stepped　up　to　the　desk。

〃I　want　a　couple　of　tickets　to　Golden　Pass；　too；〃　he　said；　carelessly。

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Let　me　see；　what　sleeper　did　that　other　gentleman　take？〃

〃Number　2；　sirberths　7　and　8。〃

〃Then　give　me　9　and　10　or　5　and　6；〃　went　on　Caven。

〃9　and　10here　you　are；　sir；〃　said　the　clerk；　and　made　out　the　berth　checks。　　Without　delay　Caven　hurried　away；　followed　by　Malone。

〃We'll　be　in　the　sleeping　compartment　right　next　to　that　used　by　Vane　and　the　boy；〃　chuckled　Gaff　Caven。　　〃Pat；　it　ought　to　be　dead　easy。〃

〃Have　you　the　chloroform？〃

〃Yes；　twice　as　much　as　we'll　need。〃

〃When　can　we　leave　the　train？〃

〃At　three　o'clock；　at　a　town　called　Snapwood。　We　can　get　another　train　two　hours　later；on　the　northern　route。〃

All　unconscious　of　being　watched　so　closely；　Maurice　Vane　and　Joe　rode　to　the　depot　and　boarded　the　train　when　it　came　along。　　Joe　had　been　looking　for　Caven　and　Malone；　but　without　success。

〃I　cannot　see　those　men　anywhere；〃　he　said。

〃They　are　probably　in　hiding；〃　said　his　employer。

The　train　was　only　half　full　and　for　the　time　being　Caven　and　Malone　kept　themselves　either　in　the　smoking　compartment　or　in　the　dining　car。　　It　was　dark　when　they　took　their　seats；　and　soon　the　porter　came　through　to　make　up　the　berths　for　the　night。

〃I　must　confess　I　am　rather　sleepy；〃　said　Maurice　Vane。

〃So　am　I；〃　returned　our　hero。　　〃I　am　sure　I　can　sleep　like　a　top；　no　matter　how　much　the　car　shakes。〃

〃Then　both　of　us　may　as　well　go　to　bed　at　once。〃

So　it　was　arranged；　and　they　had　the　porter　put　up　their　berths　a　few　minutes　later。　Maurice　Vane　took　the　lower　resting　place　while　our　hero　climbed　to　the　top。

Although　very　tired　it　was　some　time　before　Joe　could　get　to　sleep。　　He　heard　Maurice　Vane　breathing　heavily　and　knew　that　his　employer　must　be　fast　in　the　land　of　dreams。

When　Joe　awoke　it　was　with　a　peculiar；　dizzy　feeling　in　his　head。

His　eyes　pained　him　not　a　little　and　for　several　minutes　he　could　not　remember　where　he　was。　　Then　came　a　faint　recollection　of　having　tried　to　arise　during　the　night　but　of　being　held　down。

〃I　must　have　been　dreaming；〃　he　thought。　〃But　it　was　exactly　as　if　somebody　was　keeping　me　down　and　holding　something　over　my　mouth　and　nose。〃

He　stretched　himself　and　then　pushed　aside　the　berth　curtain　and　gazed　out　into　the　aisle　of　the　car。　　The　porter　was　already　at　work；　turning　some　of　the　berths　into　seats　once　more。　Joe　saw　that　it　was　daylight　and　consulted　the　nickel　watch　he　carried。

〃Eight　o'clock！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I've　overslept　myself　sure！　Mr。　Vane　must　be　up　long　ago。〃

He　slipped　into　his　clothing　and　then　knocked　on　the　lower　berth。

He　heard　a　deep　sigh。

〃Mr。　Vane！〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　Joe；　is　that　you？　　What　time　is　it？〃

〃Eight　o'clock。〃

〃What！〃　Maurice　Vane　started　up。　　〃I've　certainly　slept　fast　enough　this　trip。　　Are　you　getting　hungry　waiting　for　me？〃

〃I　just　woke　up　myself。〃

〃Oh！〃　Maurice　Vane　stretched　himself。　〃My；　how　dizzy　I　am。〃

〃I　am　dizzy　too；　sir。　　It　must　be　from　the　motion　of　the　car。〃

〃Probably；　although　I　rarely　feel　so；　and　I　ride　a　great　deal。　　I　feel　rather　sick　at　my　stomach；　too；〃　went　on　the　gentleman；　as　he　began　to　dress。

Joe　had　just　started　to　go　to　the　lavatory　to　wash　up　when　he　heard　his　employer　utter　an　exclamation。

〃Joe！〃

〃Yes；　sir！〃

〃Did　you　see　anything　of　my　satchel？〃

〃You　took　it　into　the　berth　with　you。〃

〃I　don't　see　it。〃

〃It　must　be　somewhere　around。　　I　saw　it　when　you　went　to　bed。〃

〃Yes；　I　put　it　under　my　pillow。〃

Both　made　a　hasty　search；　but　the　satchel　could　not　be　found。　　The　dress…suit　case　stood　under　the　seat　and　Joe's　was　beside　it。

〃This　is　strange。　　Can　I　have　been　robbed？〃

〃Was　there　much　in　that　satchel；　Mr。　Vane？〃

〃Yes；　those　mining　shares　and　some　other　articles　of　value。〃

〃Then　we　must　find　the　satchel　by　all　means。〃

〃I'll　question　the　porter　about　this。〃

The　colored　man　was　called　and　questioned；　but　he　denied　having　seen　the　bag。　　By　this　time　quite　a　few　passengers　became　interested。

〃Has　anybody　left　this　car？〃　asked　Maurice　Vane。

〃The　gen'men　that　occupied　Numbers　9　and　10；　sah；〃　said　the　porter。

〃When　did　they　get　off？〃

〃　'Bout　three　o'clock；　sahwhen　de　train　stopped　at　Snapwood。〃

〃I　haven't　any　tickets　for　Snapwood；〃　said　the　conductor；　who　had　appeared　on　the　scene。

〃Then　they　must　have　had　tickets　for　some　other　point；〃　said　Joe。

〃That　looks　black　for　them。〃

The　porter　was　asked　to　describe　the　two　men　and　did　so；　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　　Then　another　search　was　made；　and　in　a　corner；　under　a　seat；　a　bottle　was　found；　half　filled　with　chloroform。

〃It's　as　plain　as　day　to　me；〃　said　Maurice　Vane。　　〃Joe；　I　was　chloroformed。〃

〃Perhaps　I　was；　too。　　That's　what　gave　us　the　dizzy　feeling。〃

〃And　those　two　men〃

〃Must　have　been　Caven　and　Malone　in　disguise；〃　finished　our　hero。



CHAPTER　XXVII。


JOE　MAKES　A　DISCOVERY。


〃Who　are　Caven　and　Malone？〃　asked　the　conductor　of　the　train；　while　a　number　of　passengers　gathered　around；　to　hear　what　Maurice　Vane　and　our　hero　might　have　to　say。

〃They　are　two　rascals　who　are　trying　to　do　me　out　of　my　share　of　a　mine；〃　explained　Maurice　Vane。　　〃I　had　my　mining　shares　in　that　satchel。〃

〃If　you　wish　I'll　telegraph　back　to　Snapwood　for　you；〃　went　on　the　train　official。

〃How　many　miles　is　that？〃

〃A　little　over　two　hundred。〃

〃What　is　the　next　stop　of　this　train？〃

〃Leadington。〃

〃When　will　we　get　there？〃

〃In　ten　minutes。〃

A　telegram　was　prepared　and　sent　back　to　Snapwood　as　soon　as　Leadington　was　reached。　The　train　was　held　for　five　minutes　and　it　was　learned　that　nobody　had　been　seen　at　the　station　there　at　three　in　the　morning；　as　the　night　operator　and　station　master　were　away；　there　being　no　passengers　to　get　on　the　train　bound　West。

Maurice　Vane　was　much　disturbed　and　did　not　know　what　to　do。

〃To　go　back　and　look　for　them　at　Snapwood　may　be　a　mere　waste　of　time；〃　said　he。　　〃On　the　other　hand；　I　don't　feel　much　like　going　on　while　the　shares　are　out　of　my　possession。〃

〃If　you　wish　it；　Mr。　Vane；　I'll　go　back；〃　said　Joe。　　〃You　can　go　ahead；　and　if　anything　turns　up　I　will　telegraph　to　you。〃

This　pleased　the　gentleman；　and　he　said　Joe　could　go　back　on　the　very　next　train。　　The　conductor　was　again　consulted；　and　our　hero　left　the　train　bound　West　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later。

〃Here　is　some　money；〃　said　Maurice　Vane　on　parting。　　〃You'll　need　it。〃　　And　he　handed　over　two　hundred　dollars。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Vane！　will　I　need　as　much　as　this？〃

〃Perhaps。　　If　you　see　those　rascals　you　may　have　a　long　chase　to　capture　them。　　Do　not　hesitate　to　spend　the　money　if　it　appears　necessary　to　do　so。〃

Long　before　noon　our　hero　was　on　the　way　East　on　a　train　scheduled　to　stop　at　Snapwood。　He　went　without　his　dress…suit　case　and　carried　his　money　in　four　different　pockets。

The　train　was　almost　empty　and　the　riding　proved　decidedly　lonely。　　In　a　seat　he　found　an　Omaha　paper；　but　he　was　in　no　humor　for　reading。　　When　noon　came　he　took　his　time　eating　his　dinner；　so　that　the　afternoon's　ride　might　not　appear　so　lasting。

About　half…past　two　o'clock　the　train　came　to　an　unexpected　halt。

Looking　out　of　the　window　Joe　saw　that　they　were　in　something　of　a　cut；　close　to　the　edge　of