"They were all false," interrupted Thorneau. "Nobody wants to kill me after
all. It was merely a bluff, Thomas."
Turning as he closed the door, Thorneau looked inquiringly toward Chet, as
though hoping he had some suggestion on the Marquette matter. By then Chet had
one.
"Why don't you call Marquette?" Chet asked. "Tell him you've had a hunch
about those shipments being waylaid at Crooked Junction."
Smilingly, Thorneau shook his head. He remarked that it would sound
implausible. So Chet modified the suggestion.
"Tell Marquette you heard from me," said Chet. "Give him the story just as
I told it. Let him stage a surprise trip to the tunnel. He won't have to know
where I am, until he has found the evidence that clears me. The tunnel ought to
convince Marquette."
FOR the next few minutes, Chet felt that his cause hung in the balance. His
deep-set eyes half closed, Thorneau was considering the proposition, and Chet
was wondering whether Thorneau himself was fully convinced. In the sunset that
trickled through the high-built window of the study, Chet watched for doubt to
register upon his new friend's visage. Doubt did show there, nevertheless Chet
decided not to draw his gun.
So far Thorneau had trusted him. Chet preferred to see it through on terms
of mutual confidence. Then, when Thorneau did speak, Chet was more than glad
that he'd restrained himself. Thorneau's doubts were fair enough, but they
didn't include mistrust of Chet.
"If I call Marquette too soon," declared Thorneau, "he might start for the
tunnel before dark, and give himself away. But if I wait until dusk, we run the
risk of having Dorgan and those other criminals waylay another shipment of
Pyrolac."
"I wish they would," asserted Chet, quite at ease again. "It would clinch
the proof against them. But -"
"But we can't afford to risk another loss of such a badly needed product,"
put in Thorneau. "I hope that is what you intended to say, Conroy."
"It wasn't," admitted Chet, bluntly, "but I'll concede the point. What I
was going to say amounts to the same thing. I was starting to tell you that
there won't be a shipment of Pyrolac until tomorrow night. That way freight is
only a biweekly."
"Then Dorgan and his crowd won't be there!"
"Probably not, but that ought to make it easier for the Feds to sneak in
and take over. Maybe they should stage it after the inbound freight arrives from
the main line. It comes in one night, and goes out the next -"
Thorneau interrupted with a chuckle. He clapped a hand on Chet's shoulder
and gestured toward the door. Together, they walked through the hallway to a
library. By then, Thorneau had decided what to do.
"We can't dictate to Marquette," decided Thorneau. "The most I can do is
wait until after dinner before calling him, which will certainly prevent him
from starting too soon. I'm sorry I can't invite you to dine with me, Conroy,
but I already have guests.
"However, your dinner will be served here, and I shall join you at
intervals, to keep you posted on Marquette's progress. By the end of this
