"Clark—Porter—whatever you know don't speak of it, or great trouble may result. Will see you within two days."
"I wonder what the next development will be?" murmured Ralph. "'Great trouble may result.' I don't understand it at all. 'Will see you in two days'—then there is some explanation coming. Clark, or whatever his real name is, must suspect or know that his cousin, Dave Bissell, has told me something. Well, I certainly won't make any move about this strange affair until Clark haf had an opportunity to straighten things out. Is the meantime, I've got a good deal of personal business on my hands."
Ralph was a good deal in doubt and anxious as to his railroad career, immediate and prospective. As has been told, his trip to Bridgeport had been a record run. The fact that the China & Japan Mail could be delivered on time, indicated a possibility that the Great Northern might make a feature of new train service. It would not, however, be done in a day. No. 999 might be put on the Dover branch of the Great Northern, or accomodation service to other points, and the Overland Express connection canceled.
There had been all kinds of speculation and gossip at the dog house as to the new system
