The dial again called Ralph. By the time he had attended to the levers, he noticed that Mrs. Davis had produced a thick heavy veil and was concealing her face under it. She stood fidgeting nervously at a window at the far end of the room, her back turned to the trapdoor, as if to escape direct attention.
The master mechanic came into view. Then he helped his companion into the room.
Ralph caught his breath quickly and his lips compressed a trifle, as he recognized Gasper Farrington.
His advent was a certain new cause of some inquietude to the young leverman. An old-time enemy, and a bitter and crafty one, Ralph knew he could never expect any good from the miserly old magnate of Stanley Junction.
Farrington's wealth and position gave him a certain influence and power that had been repeatedly used to crush those he did not like. He disliked the Fairbanks family for more reasons than one, and he had tried to crush Ralph more than once. In these efforts, however, he had failed. Ralph had come off the victor because he was in the right, which always prevails, sooner or later.
In their last encounter, Ralph had forced the scheming Farrington to release the fraudulent mortgage he held on the Fairbanks cottage. He had bargained to keep the humiliating details of Farrington's swindling operations secret as long as the defeated magnate let them alone. He did not think that Farrington would now risk public exposure by attempting any further tricky measures of gain or revenge. Still, Ralph disliked coming in contact with the man, who would willingly do him an injury and gloat over his downfall.
He was glad that Farrington did not notice him. The attention of the magnate was at once directed to a blue-print plan nailed between two windows.
"There is the switch plan of the yards, Mr. Farrington," said the master mechanic, indicating the sheet of paper in question.
Mr. Blake nodded to Ralph. Then he looked inquiringly at Mrs. Davis.
"A lady who was looking for Mort Bemis," explained Ralph. "He owes her some money, it seems."