utside of the danger zone
before the armistice expired. Would she not defer to his judgment and
let him send the _Nadia_ back to safety while there was yet time?

Mrs. Brewster, the placid, let him say his say without interruption. But
when he finished, the placidity became active opposition. The
president's wife would not listen for a moment to an expedient which did
not--could not--include the president himself.

"I know, Howard, you're nervous--you can't help being nervous," she
said, cutting him to the quick when nothing was farther from her
intention. "But you haven't stopped to think what you're asking. If
there is any real danger for us--which I can't believe--that is all the
more reason why we shouldn't run away and leave your cousin Ned behind.
I wouldn't think of it for an instant, and neither would any of the
others."

Being hurt again in his tenderest part by the quite unconscious gibe,
Lidgerwood did not press his proposal further.

"I merely wished to state the case and to give you a chance to get out
and away from the trouble while we could get you out," he said, a little
stiffly. Then: "It is barely possible that the others may agree with me
instead of with you: will you tell them about it when they come back to
the car, and send word to my office after you have decided in open
council what you wish to do? Only don't let it be very late; a delay of
two or three hours may make it impossible for us to get the _Nadia_ over
the Desert Division."

Mrs. Brewster promised, and the superintendent went upstairs to his
office. A glance into Hallock's room in passing showed him the chief
clerk's box-like desk untenanted, and he wondered if Judson would find
his man somewhere in the town. He hoped so. It would be better for all
concerned if the arrest could be made without too many witnesses. True,
Hallock had few friends in the railroad service, at least among those
who professed loyalty to the management, but with explosives lying about
everywhere underfoot, one could not be too careful of matches and fire.

The superintendent had scarcely closed the door upon his entrance into
his own room when it was opened again with McCloskey's hand on the
latch. The trainmaster came to report that a careful search of
Callahan's files had not disclosed any message to Leckhard. Also, he
added that Dix, who should have come on duty at three o'clock, was still
absent.

"What do you make out of that?" queried Lidgerwood.