Whether or not she had come from the Japanese boat, Connery could not
tell; her ticket, at least, disclaimed for her any connection with the
foreign baggage-labels, for it was merely the ordinary form calling for
transportation from Seattle to Chicago. Connery was certain he did not
know her. He noticed that old Sammy had held her at the gate as long
as possible, as if hoping to recollect who she might be; but now that
she was gone, the gateman gave his attention more closely to the first
man--a tall, strongly built man, neither heavy nor light, and with a
powerful patrician face. His hair and his mustache, which was clipped
short and did not conceal his good mouth, were dark; his brows were
black and distinct, but not bushy or unpleasantly thick; his eyes were
hidden by smoked glasses such as one wears against a glare of snow.
"Chicago?" old Sammy questioned. Connery knew that it was to draw the
voice in reply; but the man barely nodded, took back his ticket--which
also was the ordinary form of transportation from Seattle to
Chicago--and strode on to the train. Connery found his gaze following
this man; the conductor did not know him, nor had old Sammy recognized
him; but both were trying to place him. He, unquestionably, was a man
to be known, though not more so than many who traveled in the
transcontinental trains.
A trim, self-assured man of thirty--his open overcoat showed a cutaway
underneath--came past next, proffering the plain Seattle-Chicago ticket.
An Englishman, with red-veined cheeks, fumbling, clumsy fingers and
curious, interested eyes, immediately followed. To him, plainly, the
majority of the baggage on the trucks belonged; he had "booked" the
train at Hong Kong and seemed pleasantly surprised that his tourist
ticket was instantly accepted. The name upon the strip, "Henry
Standish," corresponded with the "H. S., Nottingham," emblazoned on the
luggage.
The remaining man, carrying his own grips, which were not initialed,
set them down in the gate and felt in his pocket for his transportation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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