h the sleepers, you know,
without attracting attention," she observed.

Eaton had controlled himself. "A sock!" he said again, reflectively.

He felt suddenly a rough tap upon his shoulder, and turning, he saw
that Donald Avery had come out upon the platform and was standing
beside him; and behind Avery, he saw Conductor Connery. There was no
one else on the platform.

"Will you tell me, Mr. Eaton--or whatever else your name may be--what
it is that you have been asking Miss Santoine?" Avery demanded harshly.

Eaton felt his blood surge at the tone. Harriet Santoine had turned,
and sensing the strangeness of Avery's manner, she whitened. "What is
it, Don?" she cried. "What is the matter? Is something wrong with
Father?"

"No, dear; no! Harry, what has this man been saying to you?"

"Mr. Eaton?" Her gaze went wonderingly from Avery to Eaton and back
again. "Why--why, Don! He has only been asking me what we had found
out about the attack on Father!"

"And you told him?" Avery swung toward Eaton. "You dog!" he mouthed.
"Harriet, he asked you that because he needed to know--he had to know!
He had to know how much we had found out, how near we were getting to
him! Harry, this is the man that did it!"

Eaton's fists clenched; but suddenly, recollecting, he checked himself.
Harriet, not yet comprehending, stood staring at the two; then Eaton
saw the blood rush to her face and dye forehead and cheek and neck as
she understood.

"Not here, Mr. Avery; not here!" Conductor Connery had stepped
forward, glancing back into the car to assure himself the disturbance
on the platform had not attracted the attention of the passengers in
the observation-room. He put his hand on Eaton's arm. "Come with me,
sir," he commanded.

Eaton thought anxiously for a moment. He looked to Harriet Santoine as
though about to say something to her, but he did not speak; instead, he
quietly followed the conductor. As they passed through the
observation-car into the car ahead, he heard the footsteps of Harriet
Santoine and Avery close behind them.

CHAPTER IX

QUESTIONS

Connery pulled aside the curtain of the washroom at the end of the
Santoine car--the end furthest from the drawing-room where Santoine lay.

"Step in here, sir," he directed. "Sit down, if you want. We're far
enough from the drawing-room not to disturb Mr. Santoine."

Eaton, seating himself in the corner of the leather seat built against
two walls