“I read the message off the wire,” returned the young fellow coolly. “I have been afraid all along that Andy McCarrey’s gang had something to do with Miss Cherry’s disappearance.”
“It is those bloodthirsty strikers!” gasped Hopkins.
“The strikers are not bloodthirsty. They are men who have worked for the railroad for years. Some of them are my neighbors and friends. They have been badly advised in this strike, I admit. But I doubt if a single ex-employee of this division has had anything to do with this beastly thing.”
“This message——”
“You were threatened before. I guess you were threatened before you came to Rockton, Mr. Hopkins,” said Ralph quickly. “You are pretty sure who is the moving spirit in this dastardly crime.”
“McCarrey. Yes, I know that. But he has men to help him. I must get to Shadow Valley at once——”
The gong in the train-shed roof sounded. Ralph started up the steps of the locomotive. Hopkins remained right at his elbow.
“You get a seat in one of the coaches where you will be comfortable, Mr. Hopkins,” advised Ralph. “I’ll get you to the place you want to reach as quickly as I can.”
“I’ll ride with you. Want me to write a pass for myself?” the excited supervisor asked. “In the locomotive I will be that much nearer the place this message came from.”
“Come aboard, then,” said Ralph, not even smiling. “We’ll waive the pass for this once.”