“I should think that would depend on where you come from,” I returned, with a short laugh.

“I hail from Chicago.  It’s hot there, but we get plenty of breeze from the lakes.”

I looked at the man with some attention.  He came from the city I intended to visit, and perhaps he might give me some information.

He was a burly man of middle age, and, as I have said, well dressed, though a trifle loud.  His hair was black, as was also his mustache, which he continually kept smoothing down with one hand.  I did not like his looks particularly, nor his tone of voice.  They reminded me strongly of some one, but whom I could not remember.

“You come from Chicago,” I said.  “I am going there.”

“Is that so?  Then we can travel together.  I like to have some one going along, don’t you?”

I felt like saying that that would depend on who the some one was, but thinking this would hardly be polite, I returned:—­

“I don’t know.  I’ve never travelled before.”

“No?  Well, it’s fun at first, but you soon get tired of it.  My name is Allen Price; what is yours?”

“Roger Strong.”

“Glad to meet you.”  He extended his hand.  “You’re rather young to be travelling alone—­ that is, going a distance.  Do you smoke?  We’ll go into the smoker and take it easy.  I have some prime cigars.”

“Thank you, I don’t smoke.”

“That’s too bad.  Nothing like a good cigar to quiet a man’s nerves when he’s riding.  So you’re going to Chicago?  On a visit?”

“No, sir; on business.”

“Yes?  Rather young for business—­ excuse me for saying so.”

“It is a personal business.”

“Oh, I see.  Going to claim a dead uncle’s property or something like that, I suppose.  Ha! ha! well, I wish you luck.”

Mr. Allen Price rattled on in this fashion for some time, and at length I grew interested in the man in spite of myself.  I was positive I had seen him before, but where I could not tell.  I asked him if he had ever been to Darbyville.

“Never heard of the place,” he replied.  “Only been in Jersey a month, and that time was spent principally in Jersey City and Camden.  I’m in the pottery business.  Our principal office is in Chicago.”

“Do you know much about that city?”

“Lived there all my life.”

I was on the point of asking him about Holtzmann, but on second thought decided to remain silent.

On and on sped the train, making but few stops.  There was a dining-car attached but I was travelling on a cheap scale, and made my dinner and supper from the generous lunch the widow had provided.

Mr. Price went to the dining-car and also the smoker.  He returned about nine o’clock in the evening, just as I was falling into a light doze.

“Thought I’d get a sleeper,” he explained.  “But they are all full, so I’ll have to snooze beside you here.”