Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-11-17

ped to the rear platform, where the voice
ad evidently come from, andsaw q young
is's nlilitary-looking gentlemen handing a
pa )er to policeman who stood by the
/ trs III, and saying, evidently in answer to
come objection: r.
II will see you harmless. Show the
massage 10 your captain. am Mr.. -,
assistant secretary of war. But find the
operator first, and make him send it, with
out fail; it must go--do you understand
and hold you responsible"
With that the train moved slowly on,
tho policeman bowing himself back, with
ipger 70 his hat, considerably impressed
With his important responsibility.
Mr. Assistant Secretary of War entered
tbs Car ahead of me, passed by Brisket's
seat without so much as looking ai it, evil
IDENTIFY totally unconscious OF Brisket's ex-
istence. IL was clear that whatever reas-
ons the latter might have for fearing the
lpolice, IN This case neither, the call for the
police nor the dispatch had reference TO
him.
lie was still looking out of the window
as slipped into the seat beside him, but
1qu.ckly turned, and, with assumed indif.
ference, but In voice scarcely audible,
asked:
whats the trouble?''
Nothing particular" answered, with
as much meaning in my words as possible; !;
''oEly some detective, suppose, telegraph
/ ing ahead for more assistance at the next
station to arrest some one on board the
train. ."
he had BY that time recovered all his self.
possession, and eyed me so quietly. vet SO
firmly, SO scrutinizingly, that I quailed,
and dropped my glance, feeling strongly
how totally unable was TO sustain the in
sulting suspicion had SO plainly express
ed. ~l - ~
81 scarcely should think that" he re-
piled, after moments pause. MANY
persons herd the call out; saw them
looking out of the windows, and such a
warning as that would scarcely improve
their chances Of catching the thief No,
Mr. Hartley; shrewdly as you guessed.
think this time You must be mistaken"
Taking in all the meaning there was in
his words. bluntly asked: rs sczs
"Whs. good would the warming do the
thief? You do not mean that man would
jaIp of this express-train in the dark?'
81 mesn," he said. speaking between his
| teeth, and Kissing out the words with sup
pressed vehemence, II mean that man,
honnded on by despair, becomes reckless,
desperate, and does not stop to think"
"Tickets, gentlemeL!' and the bright
\ light from the conductors lantern fell full
and sudden upon Brisket's face. He turn
ed quickly aside. but not before had no.
ticed en- expression of such utter, reckless
defiance as filed me with fear and dread.
Tickets, gentlemen, if you pleaser' re-
peased the conductor, in slight tone of
llmpatience. MI. Grant avoke from a doze,
and fumbled Tor his ticket. while Brisket
and handed out ours-his hand steady,
mine visibly trembling. Efp-r Sffr
Through to Washington" asked the
conductor. and, being answered in the az
frrlative, handed us each pink way tick
ct, saying: "Now you won't be disturb
He opened the rear door to see If any
one stood on the platform and then return
ed to The forward car. - - y i
Mr.. Grant examined his ticket carefully,
and tul ned to me.
This is some new dodge" he said.
sleepily. "What do all these figures
meanf
did not answer at once, and be turned
to Brisket with the same inquiry. But Bris-
ket didn't know either.
There are ten numbers, I see," said I,
examing the ticket carefully. for had new
er noticed it before, land they are all be-
low thirty. They must represent the days
of the month; and. sure enough, to-day is
the 18th. and the 16 is punched through"
That's So" chimed in Grant: ''and ]
suppose they have blue and yellow tickets
with the other days, SO as to change them
every day. But don't see, now, what the
object is" - asts
1T must be in order to prevent fraud in
some way" suggested.
Something like these nev-fashioned
checks that have al the hundreds and thou
sands printed along the edge, and You cut
| out the amount with punch. besides writ
ing it in ink. Not much chance of a forg-
cry with those"
''Pooh?" interrupted Brisket; ''they are
no protection against forgery. Not one
man in twenty would take the trouble to
compare the amounts"
'Nov, gentlemen, if you'll allow me I'll
pct up this bed, ;" said the colored waiter
boy, putting his head in at the door.
'Is this your sta.e-room?" asked Bris-
ket, abruptly rising. 81 am afraid we have
kept you waiting. g.""--------------4.---
stood in the .pessage-way. while the
boy prepared the conch, filed, with srs-
picion no longer, but with the certainty,
that Brisket had committed some great
crime. / felt almost certain that ha had
been guilty OF forgery, and had strange,
inexpllcabie foreooding that1 was in some
way mixed up with It. My eyes involun-
tariiy followed him, as he retired 70 his
couch. which was only the third ifon my
own, ar.d no1ced that ne lay down fully
dressed
I threw off my coat and vest and lay
doSn, hoping to gain few hours sleep.
But it Was hopeless undertaking. The
couch seemed unusually hard and uncom-
Portable. and the pillows soft and clammy,
and the noise seemed greater than usual.
and the air in the car more close and stiff
ing. It was impossible TO sleep. And then
this mystery about Brisket. Why was be
50 startled when I saudi had looked Sor
blm on the train? Why should he fear me?
Why his terror on the mention of the Do
liceS Why should peaceabls man 90 arm.
ed? for was certain that he carried = re-
volver, and tina; he was feeling for il when
"polics" was called the second time. And
what had to do with it2 That his crime
was forgery, was the merest srrmise; and
even by forgery, how could suffer? His
1 transactions with Us were all of the sim