“Then you know what you have saved the country, and what you have been worth to the Service.”
The young man flushed with pleasure.
“Thank you, sir,” he said, looking down. “I understood it was important, and I am glad I was able to accomplish the errand without failing.”
“Have you reason to suppose you were followed, except for what you saw at the station in this city?”
“Yes, sir; I am sure there were detectives after me as I was leaving New York. They were suspicious of me. I saw one of the men who had been at the dinner with me watching me. The disguise—and—some circumstances—threw him off. He wasn’t sure. Then, there was a man—you know him, Balder—at Pittsburgh?——”
“Pittsburgh!”
“Yes, you wonder how I got to Pittsburgh. You see, I was shadowed almost from the first I suspect, for when I reached the station in New York I was sure I recognized this man who had sat opposite me a few minutes before. I suppose my disguise, which you so thoughtfully provided, bothered him, for though he followed me about at a little distance he didn’t speak to me. I had to get on the first train that circumstances permitted, and perhaps the fact that it was a Chicago train made him think he was mistaken in me. Anyhow I saw no more of him after the train left the station. Rather unexpectedly I found I could get the drawing-room compartment, and went into immediate retirement, leaving the train at daylight where it was delayed on a side track, and walked across country till I found a conveyance that took me to a Pittsburgh train. It didn’t seem feasible to get away from the Chicago train any sooner as the train made no further stops, and it was rather late at night by the time I boarded it. I thought I would run less risk by making a détour. I never dreamed they would have watchers out for me at Pittsburgh, and I can’t think yet how they managed to get on my track, but almost the first minute I landed I spied Balder stretching his neck over the crowds. I bolted from the station at once and finding a carriage drawn up before the door just ready for me I got in and ordered them to drive me to East Liberty station.
“I am afraid I shall always be suspicious of handy closed carriages after this experience. I certainly have reason to be. The door was no sooner closed on me than the driver began to race like mad through the streets. I didn’t think much of it at first until he had been going some time, fully long enough to have reached East Liberty, and the horse was still rushing like a locomotive. Then I saw that we were in a lonely district of the city that seemed unfamiliar. That alarmed me and I tapped on the window and called to the driver. He paid no attention. Then I found the doors were fastened shut, and the windows plugged so they wouldn’t open.
“I discovered that an armed man rode beside the driver. I managed to get one of the doors open after a good deal of work, and escaped when we stopped for a freight train to pass; but I’m satisfied that I was being kidnapped and if I hadn’t got away just when I did you would never have heard of me again or the message either. I finally managed to reach East Liberty station and jumped on the first train that came in, but I caught a glimpse of Balder stretching his neck over the crowd. He must have seen me and had Hale and Burke on the watch when I got here. They just missed me by a half second. They went over to the restaurant—didn’t expect me on a special, but I escaped them, and I’m mighty glad to get that little paper into your possession and out of mine. It’s rather a long story to tell the whole, but I think you have the main facts.”
There was a suspicious glitter in the keen eyes of the kind old chief as he put out his hand and grasped Gordon’s in a hearty shake; but all he said was: