The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-10-14

I sion OF the trains was purposely caused
| but that it was an accident, and that the
robbery was a sudden evil inspiration on
the part of the robber.
Eighteen months passed away, and
Pinkerton, always more o. less on the
watch, had we'll nigh forgotten the hob
nailed boots, when one fine morning lie
received a tclegraphic dispatch which
summoned him to another accident, w hich
! had just happened on the same railroad,
within twelve miles of the city Of Chica-
90. On his arrival he found great con-
course of persons, officers and men and
passengers about the wreck, and he i'm
mediately ordered rope to be payed cut
and guarded by the company's servants
while he made an examination of the
ground, and search for the hob nailed
boots, if. by any chance, they might fig
ured upon this scene also. He first ex-
amined the locality where the obstruction
was placed that overthrow the train, and, !,
TO his great JOY AMI surprise, there was
the old boot mark with the many hob
mails and a full impression also of the
right foot.
OF course be said nothing, but began to
make detours in ali directions to see if he
could pick up the retreatlng trail. lie
thought it most likely tie man would 90
boldly towards the village after he had
laid his trap, and SO he FASTENED on till ne
came to bit Of grass leading to the main
road on the heights above. Here he
stumbled upon the footmark once more,
and proceeded right and left upon line
with this discovery, he found the advance
ing foot TOO. The grass, however, threw
him off all further trail. but he had proved
that the same man who had hand in
the previous robbery had planned the
present disaster also and, better still,
ghat he came from and returned to the
village. Owing to some accident else
where this train was late by several hours.
1t was an early morning train, and the
design clearly was to throw it off the line
and rob the mails, but it was defeated.
Nr. Pinkerton remained privately in
the village, putting Up at the chief hotel
and passing for salesman of dry goods,
for several weeks, making observations
and notes. He soon knew every body in
the place, and had not been there a week
before lie began TO suspect a man who
was then absent, but who, when in town,
stopped at the hotel where he then lodged.
A short time afterwards be returned, and
Pinkerton found that he was an English
man, and began 10 look Cor his eleven
foot. Bot he did not wear it at the time
he was introduced 10 him, and Pinkerton
reasoned that such boots as those hob
nailed ones could only be in rcquisition in
wet or dirty weather, and he began to
pray that it might rain. He kept a Sc
we're and close watch upon the English
man, and followed him always when he
could do so without detection.
A fortnight passed away. and the Eng
lisGman began to exhibit signs of great
uneasiness and unrest He was always
going out at night and Pinkerton was al
ways following him, and his face was al
ways turned toward the railroad, upon
which he was sure to desceEd and make
examinations of the road for about mile
and half on beth sides of the village
One day he had received some letters
from New York, and Pinkerton watched
him more closely than usual. About
quarter of mile from the village was
graveyard on a hill which commanded the
railroad, and at dark the Lnglishman set
out toward this wild and romantic spot.
and Pinkerton after him. The night was
cloudy. but every now and then the moon
broke out and lighted up the lovely scenery.
To Pinkerton's amazement, he climbed
the fence of the graveyard, and sat there
looking toward the village, so that his
f'shadow" had to hide himself. Presently
lie jumped upon grave, and strobe along
towards the middle of the cemetery, with
Pipkertoh still after him, behind the trees
and oraye-stones. He could hear bim
muttering to himself and occasionally
talking aloud, and then he stole up to him
as near as he dared, and managed at last
to creep into vaulted grave close to him,
one of the side slabs Of which had fallen
down. TIE dew was heavy and the grass
so sarcharged with it that he was wet
tHrough but kept on listening, and final
" made out that he was reciting a solilo~
guy from Lord Byron's "Manfred," and
occasionally gesticulating wildly to the
moon. Was the man mad What re-
morse had brought him here to vent itself
in the terrible and dreadful lines of Man
fred a? At last he pulled out his watch
and tried to make out the time.
Then he jumped over the fence and
ran down to the railroad He was evil
dently waiting for somebody. For whom?
Time would show perhaps, for Pinkerton
still followed him Once he lost sight of
him. then he fancied he heard voices, and
hurried in the direction whence the sounds
proceeded-and as he gained upon them
he found that his man was retaining. So
he skuIked again, and the man went over
TO the churchyard Here he stopped sevN
eral times and listened. What had he
been doing Had he laid another trap
for the overthrow of another train 1t
was dreadful thought ; and as it struck
him the due train was beard in the dis