"You're not going to fall down on this, boys. I'm confident of that. Don't tip it to the police until you hear from me. We may have to stall him for he would be a fool to walk into Grand Central--but cover it just the same. That train makes a stop at Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Albany--and sometimes at Yonkers. Use long distance, on all those cities as he may stop off and change to Pullmans attached to trains from the west. Miss Johnson was to be absent to-day but I think I'll call her anyhow. Then she will know what is going on. So long--don't get rattled--keep your noodles working--and get this man! I'll be down soon," growled the big fellow, as he hung up the receiver and set the shower going. A little later on Mary Johnson, with a smile of anticipation, answered a ring from the telephone bell. She was sure it was Updyke, and with a laugh at his nerve for rousing her out of bed on her first day off, she finally answered the call. "I just knew it was you," said she--"now, what about my beauty sleep!" she exclaimed, with a laugh. "I wanted to look pretty to-night." "Everything is off for to-night," replied Updyke, manlike, not stopping to think how jarring were the words he had spoken. Mary Johnson, unnerved, awaiting further explanation. "Did you get that?" he asked, with equal abruptness. "Oh, quite so!--my little dream won't come true," said she, in a queer small voice that brought Updyke back to earth in a hurry. "Well, my dear little Mary, there is a big hustle on in our office this morning and I want you to come down. Parkins has escaped and is headed this way--due this morning. The night and day managers are both on for the day, and I need _you_," said Updyke, in gentle voice. "I'll be down in an hour, dear big man, and will stay until we get him," replied Mary with her usual workaday emphasis. "Good-bye, dear, don't worry--we will run him down before night." And so began a careful and constant search for a man who looked like Parkins until the Updyke Agency was all out of breath. Also every soul in it worn to a frazzle. But Mary Johnson failed to show a single sign of the weariness she must have felt, as with bright eyes and alert brain she steadied the forces about her. George Carver, using every Ranger on Long Island, invaded all places that offered concealment. The hut, on the outer drive, was to be watched day and night and the old home of Winifred at Patchogue had a guard inside its door. Dreamy Hollow and the Sawyer home were also included as a zone to be protected, although the reasons given seemed far-fetched and foolish. "You never can tell," bellowed Updyke, by phone, as he warned Mrs. Bond that eternal vigilance was the price of safety, when a demented brain roamed at large. "But I can't get to Mr. Villard," she urged as a reason for not doing more in the way of safeguarding the premises.