Jim paced the small confines of the parlor car wishing the train were moving faster. He had received the telegram stating that Artie had not been found when the train reached Harrisburg, and that one of the passengers recalled having seen him get off before that stop. When he wired Washington, Colonel Richmond had ordered him there to report in person. This isn't good, not good at all, Jim thought as he stopped his pacing and walked over to the side panel in the fireplace. Opening the panel he removed the speaking tube and called forward to the engine.
"Orrin…" Jim paused as he put the tube to his ear then back to his mouth, "how long until we reach Washington?" Again Jim put the tube to his ear and listened.
"Thank you, Orrin…and no, as much as I'd like you too, don't push the engines too hard. We'll be picking Colonel Richmond up there and I don't want to have to listen to him yell." Jim put the tube back up to his ear and chuckled.
It would be a long few hours but they would arrive in Washington and if they didn't have to tarry too long Jim was confident he could pick up Artemus' trail before he could get too far.
"It's a good thing I didn't follow you all the way north, pal." Jim commented softly, "We'll find you before tomorrow night I'm sure." Jim sighed as he returned to his pacing.
WWWWWWWWWW
Artie grabbed his carpet bag and headed off the train, mingling in with the crowd of loved ones and well wishers on the platform. His shoulders stooped somewhat and he shuffled his feet as he headed away from the noise in search of a livery stable. Artie had slept most of the way from Philadelphia but he felt as though he needed to find a hotel and take a long nap.
Dismissing the fatigue as nothing more than a long bumpy train ride, Artie started down the street looking in shop windows as he made his way along. Good grief Artemus…you look like death warmed over even under all this makeup, Artie thought as he caught a glimpse of himself in one of the windows. He saw a poster in a window advertising a play and his heart skipped a beat. LILY! Artie hadn't thought about the possibility of bumping into her here!
Turning away quickly, thankful he had changed his disguise to the sailor and added a scar, Artie slammed into a man headed toward the train station he had just left.
"Sorry, sir," Artie said distractedly.
"That's quite all right…uh…Artemus?" Artie looked up in a panic to see that he had bumped into none other than Frank Harper.
"Frank?" Artie questioned.
"I didn't know you were here…you must be on an assignment…nice get up, by the way." Frank smiled.
"Uh…yeah." Artie answered as he looked around for a way to make his escape.
"I'm sure you want to get back to your assignment." Frank nodded toward the playbill in the window. "You going to see her?"
"No!" Artie replied a little more forcefully than he intended. "I…can't risk that right now. In fact I'm heading out of town. I was on my way to the livery to hire a horse." Artie pulled away from Frank and started to walk away when Frank called out him.
"Sorry to have bothered you, sir. I thought I knew you…guess not." Artie merely waved as he headed across the street.
Damn, if he tells Lily I'm sure she'll tell Jim. It's only a matter of time before he gets wise to me and starts checking with my friends, Artie quickened his pace as the livery stable came into view.
WWWWWWWWWW
Jim nearly jumped out of his skin when the telegraph key sounded, breaking the eerie silence that had befallen the parlor car. He sent his acknowledgement and grabbed paper and pencil to take down the message. He had sent feelers out to every agent he could locate…this one was coming in from Chicago, that meant Frank Harper.
The door opened and Colonel Richmond entered the train carrying a valise. Jim started to rise to stand at attention when the Colonel waved him off, noting the clicking of the telegraph. He took a seat near the desk and listened as Jim took down the message. Richmond's expression turned grim as he transcribed the message in his head. When Jim had tapped out his reply, including further instructions, Richmond waited until he had replaced the key inside the false books before he spoke, breathing deeply as he did so.
"Jim, do you have anything you'd like to tell me?" Richmond glared and Jim tried not to meet his gaze. When Jim failed to answer Richmond spoke again.
"James…what was that all about? Is there something going on that I need to be informed about? Why would Frank Harper tell you he just saw Artemus in Chicago and in disguise no less?" Richmond demanded.
"Sir, let me get the train headed North and I'll answer your questions." Jim spoke softly as he contacted the engineer and told him to head to Chicago with all possible speed. When he turned around the Colonel was staring a hole in him waiting for his explanation.
"Well…are you going to tell me why Harper wired you or do I have to wire him and get an explanation?" Jim could see the anger in Richmond's eyes.
"Sir, it's not what you think…exactly." Jim began.
"Suppose you tell me exactly what it is, MISTER West." Richmond glared.
Jim stood at attention with his hands behind his back and in his calmest voice reported everything that had taken place. When he reached the part in his report about this all being a contest between the two agents Richmond shot up out of his chair like a rocket, knocking the chair over backward, which made a dull thudding sound as it hit the floor.
"You WHAT? Have you any idea how this sounds? You two were given a month off and you planned on playing cat and mouse? Of all the…" Richmond began to pace.
"Really sir, I feel terrible. Had I known Artie was this sick I never would have agreed to the contest." Jim winced and inhaled quickly when he realized he had just put the noose around his neck.
"You mean to tell me you KNEW Artemus was sick and you two still cooked up this…this…game?" Richmond was toe to toe with Jim shouting in his face.
"I…"Jim sighed, "not really, sir. I only had time to check Artie's bite. I told him to get it looked at before he took off. He was supposed to get a head start…" Just shut up, James, while you're still out of the stockade, Jim shouted to himself.
"Oh a head start huh…and just how much of a head start does he have?" Richmond asked not sure he wanted to know.
"Well, since he started out by tricking me and disguising himself…the trip down here…travel time back to pick up his trail…I'd have to say Artie has about three days on us…uh…I mean me. Artie has about three days on me sir." Richmond could see that Jim felt about an inch high but he was in no mood to let the agent off easy.
"You had better hope we can pick up his trail in Chicago, Jim. Grant's fit to be tied. It was all I could do to talk him into staying in Washington and not joining in the search." Jim's head snapped up at that comment.
"The President wanted to…oh boy what have we done?" Jim sighed.
"What you two have done, James, is to invoke the President's wrath. Even Congress isn't that stupid." Jim sighed audibly and Richmond almost felt sorry for him.
"I am so sorry, sir. I will find Artie and I will find him in time." Jim vowed.
"You had better hope so, Jim. Grant's calling for your badge if you don't." Jim's eyes widened.
WWWWWWWWWW
Thinking Jim might check all the liveries in the area for rented animals, Artie parted with some of his money and bought a fine horse and saddle. I can sell it once I get to San Francisco, Artie thought as he laughed at the story he had told the livery owner. Jim would never suspect it was Artie that had bought the horse. He had paid a few saddle tramps he had met to rent horses and give the livery owner towns spread out in every direction as their destination.
Artie entered the telegraph office tugging at his collar and wiping his brow. Where had he picked up a fever? Dismissing it as the beginnings of a cold and shaking his head, he approached the counter and spoke to the clerk.
"I'd like to send a telegram." Artie said as he wrote his message out on the pad at the counter.
The clerk looked the message over then he glanced between the pad and the man sending the message. He excused himself and went to the back room and looked through his received wires. Nodding to himself he returned to the counter and spoke in a hurried voice.
"Your name wouldn't happen to be Artemus Gordon would it?" The clerk asked and Artie eyed him warily.
"Maybe…why do you ask?" The clerk held out an envelope.
"I have a telegram here for him." Before he could say more Artie took the wire and opened it, his eyes scanning the page.
"Oh really, James, how can you think I'd fall for something so see through as that. You really must think I belong behind a desk or I'm not much better than a wet behind the ears greenhorn agent." Artie snickered as he reached for the pad the clerk held.
"I need to rewrite my response." Artie smirked as he tore the sheet off and wrote out a new wire.
"Think you can trick me do you, Jim? Well wait'll you get a load of this!" Artie muttered as he quickly scribbled. Before handing the message to the clerk Artie looked at him conspiratorially.
"Hey can you send this wire to this key code but make it look like it came from somewhere else?" Artie grinned as the clerk looked at him as if he had lost his marbles.
"Uh…sure that can be done. Where would you like this to come from?"
"Hmm…how about Orland Park? They've got a telegraph office there. Have them send the wire to that key code." Artie reached into his pocket and pulled out a bill and handed it to the clerk.
"This ought to cover it." The clerk looked at the money and his eyes bulged.
"This is more than enough, sir. I can't take this."
"Sure you can. Consider it payment in advance." Artie smiled.
"Payment for what?" The clerk asked perplexed.
"Oh I have a little favor to ask." Artie leaned close to the clerk and talked in hushed tones.
