ir to the conductor.

I panted out that I wanted a berth, found that there would be a vacant
one on board the "sleeper" at my disposal, and sat down in the
smoking-room, ostensibly to wait while the bed was made up for me.

I must have been a curious object to look upon in my dishevelled and
hybrid costume, not an article of which, save the boots and trousers,
had been made for me. But I had no thoughts to waste upon my own
appearance. I sat wondering at the unhesitating way in which I had
rushed ahead, and staked my all on this one throw of the dice, so to
say. If my man had not left San Francisco, or if he _had_ left, and
in another direction, in great probability I had lost all trace of him
for ever. Yet I had flung myself on board this train as though I had had
my quarry in my eye, and had but to put out my hand to lay hold upon
him. I was now beginning to be very much astonished at myself.

Having come on board, however, I would at once begin a tour of
exploration, I resolved, going from one end of the train to the other,
and not forgetting a visit (with or without leave) to the "cab" of the
engine.

I rose, pulling myself together, and saying again between my teeth,
"Yes, it's dogged as does it," when a man came into the smoking-room. I
had been alone before.

We looked at each other. He was a tall, slim, young fellow, with a
smooth face. At sight of me he stopped short, flushed to the roots of
his close-cropped hair, and would precipitately have retired had I not
taken one quick step forward and grasped him by the shoulder.

Gone was the curly wig, the beard, and the lump on the nose, which had
been modelled after Farnham's; gone was the green shade, the sling, and
the limp, but much of the odd resemblance, which had been heightened in
so artistic a manner, still remained. At last, after crossing an ocean
and a continent to do it, I had got my hands on the man I had come to
find, and I didn't mean to let him go.

Yes, it certainly had been "dogged" that had done it.

CHAPTER XXVI

A Tell-tale Ornament

"No, you don't!" I remarked, cheerfully, and with the force of superior
muscles I pulled him towards me. "Come, sit down here by me," I said. "I
want to talk to you." And somehow it came about that we subsided on the
cushioned seat together.

He had recognised me, of course, as the man he had seen in the
hotel--the man, Noel Stanton, against whom I did not doubt his cablegram
had warned him. H