"Under difficulties, too. I believe that he was a prisoner, perhaps shut into some freight car, but managing to send adrift that word to me."
"You're pretty loyal to anyone you like, Fairbanks."
"I want to do the poor fellow justice," responded Ralph. "Then later, that fragment of message 'Look out for the pay car.' I can't help thinking that the boy is straight, and wants to warn and help us."
"Hope so," said Adair brusquely. "A short time will tell. I shall soon round up the crowd, and if young Palmer is in wrong with them I shall find it out."
It seemed like getting down to a decidedly humdrum existence, routine duty at the dispatcher's desk after the exciting experience preceding. When Glidden came on duty he merely smiled in his grim way, with the words to Ralph:
"In harness again, eh? I reckon things will smooth down now."
Ralph hoped so. He believed it, too, as a few days went by and in the keen zest and interest of his new work he partially forgot the active issues of the conspiracy, which seemed to have been checked or subdued.
With the departure of Grizzly and Mason the suspicious and treacherous element seemed to be eliminated from the main office. The tricks of the enemy and their methods were now known to the dispatching force, and they were constantly on their guard. A new private code was adopted by Ralph, and a system of checking up through repeats that pretty well safeguarded them against crooked messages.
Mrs. Fairbanks was congratulating herself that affairs had quieted down permanently and was enjoying the days that brought Ralph home for the evening each day, when a new ripple on the surface of affairs set things in vivid action again.
Ralph had come home to dinner and was spending a few minutes in casual conversation with his mother after the meal, when the door bell rang sharply. Ralph answered the summons to find Glidden standing outside, his face pale and anxious, and so nervous over something that he could not stand still in the same position for a single minute.
"Any trouble, Mr. Glidden?" inquired Ralph quickly.
"Only of my own," responded the old operator. "See here, I want you to do something for me. It's a hurry business. Just tell your mother not to worry if you are away to-night."