The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-03-18

end hoor was not moved, but the windo
vas opened, head popped out, and
gruff voice demanded:
Who's therci'
Does Mr.. Darke live berei'
j wy 90 you want ID knowl'
'l've got a telegraphic message 70
him. aaT ie '.3'1
"Ughl All right. Wait moment
A very gruff voice, certainly. Mex
moment, the door was opened, as far a.
the chain would admit; and great mus
cular hand was thrust out.
Hand it here, said Mr.. Darke.
Accordingly placed the note in hi
hand.
WAIT bit, till see whether any an
swer's required.
In minute or two the window was a
gain opened. gy ~ - t.s1
"No answer" and the easement was
slammed down. With the exception o.
his voice, | had no more idea of Mr..
Darke when left, l had merely seen the
outline Of bis head when be looked out
of the window. Whether he was young
man or an old man, fair man or dark
man, | was equally at loss to know.
Ironville is thirty-fve miles from
Newstone. The mail.train runs the dis
tance in rather under an hour, and reach
es the latter place at half-past five. As
the clock pointed to half-past FIVE, 1 set
off for a stroll up the platform, determin-
ed that if any dwarf, or giant, or other
strange monster, arrived by the train, it
should not depart unseen by me. | half
expected Mr.. Darke waiting for the
train; but be was not to be seen. True
to its time, the train crawled slowly into
the station; and in another moment, the
platform was flooded with those strangely
attired individuals, whose business or
plasure induces them to travel by night.
No dwarf, nor giant, or other strange
monster. Only one passenger for New
stone; all the others booked through, as
was evident from their frantic struggles
to find their seats the moment the bell
clashed out its warning note. And this
one passenger! A slim gentleman, sty-
lishly dressed. Young, without whiskers.
but with long, fair moustache, which
he was fond of stroking with his exquisite
ly-gloved thumb and finger. He alight-
ed jauntly from first class carriage,
smiled amiably on the porter, who touch
ed bis cap, took up his small black port
manteau, gave one hurried, anxious
glance round, broke into smile again,
staggered slowly down the platform, and
pushing through the heavy folding doors.
emerged into the street. Some swell
from London come to spend Christmas
with bis friends, said to myself But
where can he be going at this time of the
morniDgl None of the inns will be open
ed for above an hour.
Without waiting to consider whether
it was any business of mine, [ pushed
through the folding doors after the trav-
eler. He was walking slowly across the
little square ir front of the station, look
ing from side to side, as if not knowing
which road to take. Suddenly dark
figure glided out from behind some pro-
lection. / could hear the murmur of a
few words Then the stranger took the
portm auteau from the travellers hand ,and
they went ON together at a rapid pace in-
to the town. All this | saw by the light
of the station lamps. When the two 6g-
ures got beyond their influence, and pass
cd out of view in the dcnser darkness be-
yond, iupelled by a vague feeling of Gu
rosity, | drew my coat closer round me,
and set off after them at a stealthy pace,
taking the darker side Of the square as [
went. / had not far to follow. They
passed into High street, and stopped op-
positc number thirty-nine. A Eouent
more, and they were both inside the house.
and the door was shut; another moment
and saw the light shining from Mr..
Darke's room iD the second floor front.
Having 20 expectation Of seeing any
thing more, and / turned back to the Of
fee, and there bending over jovial fire,
fell gradually into dose, in which Mr..
Darke, the traveller, Cary, black DIV arf,
and Binks the draper, were all mingled
10 a fantastic drama revolving endlcssly
in my weary brain. What had the tcle-
graphic message to do With the hand
some traveller! sleepily kept asking my
self at intervals of few minutes; but
without troubling myself to find an an
swer Suddenly a new light burst upon
me. | started up, thoroughly awake;
and tearing open the despatch-book, read
over again the first part of the message:
'LeuonfDgers starts by the mail to night.
Well, what has that to do with the hand :
some traveller! Why, this: don't the trav-
eier wear pair of tight fitting lemon col
ored glovesl and wasn't the outside seam
of the first finger of the right hand glove
burst open This | had noticed as be
stroked his moustache, But, even sup
posing the traveller to be the Lemonfn-
gers Of the message, what about the black
dwarfg There was no black dwarf! He
was alone. Alonel Yes; but had he not
With him small black portmanteau, OF
which be seemed to take particular care,
refusing to let the porter so much as take