no it was a sight worse than that sir it was as sends a cold chill to my whenever i thinks about it and yet it began so cheerful just i first began to be a i was in the bead by a couple of two middle aged comfortable ladies small s � as i should set em down as and they asked me how much it was to half a crown says i worry good young man says the of em then drive away and just stop at the first public house will ye well i pulled up willing enough at the first public and they gave me a shilling and had some gin and beer and never mind the change young man says the but drive along sharp and stop at the next public house well between and i should think they stopped at a matter of four and twenty public houses the lady with the was nothing to them moreover unlike her they never failed to get what they wanted at each until they had took a great deal more than was good for them and i must os they had made me a little � re s e � er the rank time it was you may keep the change yoimg man that i had at last more than five and twenty shillings of it mostly in this is all worry nice thought i as long as it lasts but sooner or later these here parties will be a off and me to see em home which may be will be the station for they had not told me their address yet but only they must ha been ver much accustomed to strong for unless it was and a bit which the one as was not the did continual they showed no s of bein overcome what a middle aged female of the respectable class can take and yet sit in a is only known to us drivers but these two they beat all as ever i see well at they gave their address at last it was a queer little street but very respectable looking and i em up to their house which i noticed had all the blinds down they got out without much help and the one as was not the she speaks to me for the first time and says young man says she you have us well and safe and over and above your fare you shall see my dear daughter well thought i here is a queer start this party has taken such a fancy to dick which was me that she wants him to become her law and i aloud don t said she quite solemn like and pointing to the drawn down blinds but come in well i went in not into the parlour as i expected but up stairs the two ladies leading the way at the first floor i stopped i did not like it � the house was so dark and still but then thinks i lor i m only the rank a poor and it s their own money i ve got in my pocket after all why should they want to rob me so i went on into the floor front which was a room here the old lady as was not the began to moan and cry and pointing to the on which lay covered with a sheet she says there is my poor daughter and the other one she turned the sheet back a little and there was the face of a dead young lady very white and quiet but looking to me as had never any one dead before most awful coming as it did so sudden and unexpected and just after i had been down below it gave me i do assure you an uncommon turn indeed i can quite believe it mr said i if the thing happened as you state but did it really happen as true as i sit here sir why who would ever have invented such a story p then what is your explanation of the two women s conduct that ain t my business sir my business was only to drive em and you may be sure i did not stop a more in that ere house to ask any questions it is however my opinion that the old lady as was not the was really the poor girl s mother and that sorrow had made her take to drink for comfort and as for the other she was glad enough to with her friend so far as drinking the liquor went but at the time it seemed to me a most terrible start i do assure you it s the worst thing as has ever happened to me yet since i ha been on the s the wouldn t have it happen again for twice twenty five shillings � here s the station sir and see you ve got fifteen to spare all along of my good horse which i hope you will take into account in the fare according on her majesty s service special when i was first appointed one of her majesty s of machinery i thought myself a considerable personage i was but a young man but it seemed to me that i was set for ever above the troubles and certainly the of life that there was no need to to any man and that by no possible combination of circumstances could i ever be put in a it was fated however that within a very few months of my appointment i was to endure a greater fright than i had suffered in my lifetime before greater than when i was a told to stay at which was the delicate introduction to the and greater than when i went in for my civil service examination choked with dates to the as in the latter case it was 