In the meantime Bracken returned and promptly at 11 a.m. left for the railroad station in a cab with Dodge.  Jesse followed in another.  As the two passed through the gates the detective caught a glimpse of Dodge’s ticket and saw that it had been issued by the Mexican National Railway.  Retiring to the telegraph office in the station he wired New York as follows: 

     Bird flying.—­Sunset Limited.  Destination not known.  I am with him.

He then hastily purchased a ticket to Houston, Texas, and boarded the train.  Dodge’s companion had bidden him good-by as the engine started, and Jesse’s task now became that of ferreting out Dodge’s destination.  After some difficulty he managed to get a glimpse of the whole of the fugitive’s ticket and thus discovered that he was on his way to the City of Mexico, via Eagle Pass, Texas, while from the Pullman conductor he learned that Dodge had secured sleeping-car accommodation as far as San Antonio, Texas, only.

So far all was well.  He knew Dodge but Dodge did not know him, and later on in the afternoon he had the satisfaction of a long talk with his quarry in the observation car where they amiably discussed together current events and argued politics with the same vehemence as if they had been commercial travellers thrown fortuitously into each other’s company.  Dodge, however, cleverly evaded any reference to his destination.

When the train reached Morgan City, Louisiana, at 3 P.M., which was the first stop, Jesse wired New York as follows: 

     On Sunset Limited with friend.  He has transportation to the City of
     Mexico, via Eagle Pass, where I am now journeying with him.  Answer
     to Beaumont, Texas.

Later in the afternoon he sent an additional message from Lafayette, Louisiana: 

     Have seen transportation of friend and am positive of destination.

Dodge was occupying Section 3 of the sleeping car “Capitola,” and, as became an invalid, retired early.

At Beaumont Jesse failed to receive any reply to his various messages, and when the train arrived at Houston no word came from New York until it was almost the time of departure.  Waiting until practically the last moment Jesse hurried through the gates of the Union Station at Houston and bought a ticket to San Antonio.  As he was leaving the ticket window Night Chief of Police John Howard and two officers came hurrying up inquiring anxiously for “Mr. Jesse.”  The reinforcements had arrived.

Outside on the track “The Sunset Limited” was just getting under way.  The first frantic puffs were being vomited from the funnel.  Inside Dodge was sleeping peacefully in his berth.  Jesse, accompanied by Chief Howard, hurried up to the conductor who was about to swing on to the steps of the sleeper, and ordered him to hold the train till the fugitive could be removed.  After some argument the conductor grumblingly complied and Dodge was aroused from pleasant dreams of the “Creole Quarter” to the cold reality of being dragged out of bed by a policeman.  He was unceremoniously hustled out of the sleeping car into a carriage and taken to Head-quarters where he admitted his identity and remarked: