The Treasure-Train

The Treasure-Train

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Treasure-Train, by Arthur B. Reeve #5 in our series by Arthur B. Reeve
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Title: The Treasure-Train
Author: Arthur B. Reeve
Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5087] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 24, 2002] [Date last updated: February 14, 2006]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TREASURE-TRAIN ***

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THE TREASURE-TRAIN
BY
ARTHUR B. REEVE
FRONTISPIECE BY WILL FOSTER

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
THE TREASURE-TRAIN
II. THE TRUTH-DETECTOR
III. THE SOUL-ANALYSIS
IV. THE MYSTIC POISONER
V. THE PHANTOM DESTROYER
VI. THE BEAUTY MASK
VII. THE LOVE METER
VIII. THE VITAL PRINCIPLE
IX. THE RUBBER DAGGER
X. THE SUBMARINE MINE
XI. THE GUN-RUNNER
XII. THE SUNKEN TREASURE

I
THE TREASURE-TRAIN
"I am not by nature a spy, Professor Kennedy, but--well, sometimes one is forced into something like that." Maude Euston, who had sought out Craig in his laboratory, was a striking girl, not merely because she was pretty or because her gown was modish. Perhaps it was her sincerity and artlessness that made her attractive.
She was the daughter of Barry Euston, president of the Continental Express Company, and one could readily see why, aside from the position her father held, she should be among the most-sought- after young women in the city.
Miss Euston looked straight into Kennedy's eyes as she added, without waiting for him to ask a question:
"Yesterday I heard something that has made me think a great deal. You know, we live at the St. Germaine when we are in town. I've noticed for several months past that the lobbies are full of strange, foreign-looking people.
"Well, yesterday afternoon I was sitting alone in the tea-room of the hotel, waiting for some friends. On the other side of a huge palm I heard a couple whispering. I have seen the woman about the hotel often, though I know that she doesn't live there. The man I don't remember ever having seen before. They mentioned the name of Granville Barnes, treasurer of father's company--"
"Is that so?" cut in Kennedy, quickly. "I read the story about him in the papers this morning."
As for myself, I was instantly alive with interest, too.
Granville Barnes had been suddenly stricken while riding in his car in the country, and the report had it that he was hovering between life and death in the General Hospital. The chauffeur had been stricken, too, by the same incomprehensible malady, though apparently not so badly.
How the chauffeur managed to save the car was a miracle, but he brought it to a stop beside the road, where the two were found gasping, a quarter of an hour later, by a passing motorist, who rushed them to a doctor, who had them transferred to the hospital in the city. Neither of them seemed able or willing to throw any light on what had happened.
"Just what was it you overheard?" encouraged Kennedy.
"I heard the man tell the woman," Miss Euston replied, slowly, "that now was the chance--when any of the great warring powers would welcome and wink at any blow that might cripple the other to the slightest degree. I heard him say something about the Continental Express Company, and that was enough to make me listen, for, you know, father's company is handling the big shipments of gold and securities that are coming here from abroad by way of Halifax. Then I heard her mention the names of Mr. Barnes and of Mr. Lane, too, the general manager." She paused, as though not relishing the idea of having the names bandied about. "Last night the--the attack on him--for that is all that I can think it was--occurred."
As she stopped again, I could not help thinking what a tale of strange plotting the casual conversation suggested. New York, I knew, was full of high-class international crooks and flimflammers who had flocked there because the great field of their operations in Europe was closed. The war had literally dumped them on us. Was some one using a band of these crooks