The young engineer had no desire to see Mr. Barton Hopkins at this time. He learned from the day telegraph operator that nothing new about Cherry had been discovered. The supervisor had become wildly excited when he had tried to find his daughter and could not do so. It was positive that the girl had not arrived in town. She had surely disappeared at the scene of the wreck of Number 33.
Ralph did not go home at once after being relieved of his duty on the locomotive. Instead, he searched for Bob Adair. But the chief detective had not returned. It was believed he had gone down into Shadow Valley to examine into the wreck at first hand.
Ralph wondered if Mr. Adair was in the supervisor’s confidence. Had the road detective gone to Shadow Valley to look for Cherry Hopkins? The young fellow was tempted greatly to take the first train for the vicinity of the morning’s disaster!
Again, and quite involuntarily, Ralph found himself passing through the street on which the Hopkins family lived. He hesitated at the door of the bungalow, then ventured up the walk and rang the bell. A maid servant came to the door.
She started back and half closed the door when she saw Ralph in his overalls and cap. It was evident that she had been warned against receiving employees of the railroad.
“What do you want?” demanded the girl sharply.
“I don’t suppose Mr. Hopkins is at home?” asked Ralph.
“You know he ain’t supposed to be home at this time of day.”
“And—and hasn’t Miss Cherry returned?”
The maid broke out crying. “Ain’t you heard? She’s dead—or lost—or something. Her father is ’most crazy about it——”