d
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 passenger
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 passenger coach. The men he was
watching sat side by side, engaged in conversation. There were only a
few passengers aboard.

Ralph kept his eye on the two men. He noticed that Bartlett consulted
his watch frequently and glanced as often from the car window.
Finally, when the brakeman was out on the rear platform and the
conductor at the front of the coach, the young fireman saw Bartlett
quickly draw a small screwdriver from his pocket. Hiding its handle in
his palm and letting the blade run along one finger, he dropped his
arm down the seat rail into the middle of the aisle.

Morris watched towards the rear platform, Bartlett kept his eye on the
conductor. His hand worked against the floor of the car. Finally he
drew up his arm, put the screwdriver in his pocket and once more
resumed his watch on the outside landscape.

There was a sharp signal, and the train gave a jerk. Bartlett arose to
his feet. The next instant he fell flat headlong, and lay apparently
insensible on the floor of the coach.

The conductor ran outside. The train started up again. Ralph, from the
open doorway, heard the engineer shout back something about a false
signal, presumably the work of the strikers. The train proceeded on
its way.

It was not until then, as he re-entered the co