e else with him.
Avery returned to his seat, as the conductor appeared in the door of
the washroom followed by the Englishman from Eaton's car, Henry
Standish. Connery carried the sheet on which he had written the
questions he had asked Eaton, and Eaton's answers.
"What name were you using, Mr. Eaton, when you came from Asia to the
United States?" the conductor demanded.
Eaton reflected. "My own," he said. "Philip D. Eaton."
Connery brought the paper nearer to the light of the window, running
his finger down it till he found the note he wanted. "When I asked
this afternoon where you came from in Asia, Mr. Eaton, you answered me
something like this: You said you could give me no address abroad; you
had been traveling most of the time; you could not be placed by
inquiring at any city or hotel; you came to Seattle by the Asiatic
steamer and took this train. That was your reply, was it not?"
"Yes," Eaton answered.
"The 'Asiatic steamer'--the _Tamba Maru_ that was, Mr. Eaton."
Eaton looked up quickly and was about to speak; but from Connery his
gaze shifted swiftly to the Englishman, and checking himself, he said
nothing.
"Mr. Standish,"--Connery faced the Englishman,--"you came from Yokohama
to Seattle on the _Tamba Maru_, didn't you?"
"I did, yes."
"Do you remember this Mr. Eaton among the passengers?"
"No."
"Do you know he was not among the passengers?"
"Yes, I do."
"How do you know?"
The Englishman took a folded paper from his pocket, opened it and
handed it to the conductor. Connery, taking it, held it out to Eaton.
"Here, Mr. Eaton," he said, "is the printed passenger-list of the
people aboard the _Tamba Maru_ prepared after leaving Yokohama for
distribution among the passengers. It's unquestionably correct. Will
you point out your name on it?"
Eaton made no move to take the paper; and after holding it long enough
to give him full opportunity, Connery handed it back to the Englishman.
"That's all, Mr. Standish," he said.
Eaton sat silent as the Englishman, after staring curiously around at
them with his bulging, interested eyes, left the washroom.
"Now, Mr. Eaton," Connery said, as the sound of Standish's steps became
inaudible, "either you were not on the _Tamba Maru_ or you were on it
under some other name than Eaton. Which was it?"
"I never said I was on the _Tamba Maru_," Eaton returned steadily. "I
said I came from Asia by steamer. You yourself supplied th
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