The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-05-24

plies or OF the lOu0 aSlueS WHICH tney
INDUCED in to each other. l had reach
ed the other end of the train, and was
just about making my way back to my
own van, when the young lady I had
before noticed went slowly in front Of
me towards the empty first-class com.
partment near which / stood.
"Am I right for Euston?" she asked
me gently, as she hesitated at the door
"All right, Miss" said taking the
door from her, and standing while she
got in. "Any luggage?' For from
that very moment / took her in sort
of way into my charge, because she was
so thoroughly alone, you see, not hav'
ing any friends there even to see hei
off.
"No luggage, thank you" she an
swered, putting her little leather satch'
ell down beside her on the seat, and set
Ting herself in the corner farthest from
the open door. "Do we stop anywhere
between here and London?"
"Don't stop again, Miss, except for a
few minutes to take tickets" Then
looked at her as much as to say, "You
are all right, because Pm the guard"
and shut the door.
1 suppose that, without exactly being
aware of it, kept sort of watch over
this carriage, for saw plainly enough
lazy young gentleman whopersistent-
ly kept lowering about it and looking
in. His inquisitive eyes had of course
caught sight of the pretty face in there
alone, and I could see that he was ma
king up his mind to join her; but>he
seemed doing it in most careless and
languid manner. He was no gentleman
for that reason, / said to myself, yet his
dress was handsome, and the hand that
played with his long, dark beard was
small and fashionably gloved. Glancing
still into the far corner Of that one first
class compartment, he fingered until
the last moment was come; then, quite
leisurely, he walked up to the door,
opened it, entered the carriage, and in
an instant the door was banged to be-
hind him. Without the least hesitation
1 went up to the window and stood near
it while the lamp was fitted in the COM
partment. The gentleman was stand.
ing up within, drawing on dark over
coat; the young lady in the distant
corner was looking from the window as
if even the half. darkness was better to
look at than her companion. Mortified
a good deal at the failure of my scheme
for her comfort, 1 went on to my van,
beside which the detective waited for
me.
"No go, you see," he muttered Grossly
"and yet it seemed to me like that
they'd take this train"
81 don't see how it should seem like
.iy < answered, for hadn't gone with
him in the idea. "It doesn't seem to me
very likely that three such skillful
thieves as you are lodging, who did
their work in this neighborhood so
cleverly two nights ago, should leave
the station any night by the very train
which the police watch with double sus-
picion."
doesn't it?" he echoed, with most
satirical knoWingness. "Perhaps you
haven't yet got it quite clear in your
mind how they will leave the town; for
it's sure enough that they haven't left
it up to now. That they'll be in hurry
to leave it, is sure enough too, for this
isn't the sort of place they'll care to
hide in longer than necessary. Well,
what's the hardest place for us to track
them in?-London. And what's the
easiest place for them to get on
sea from ?-London. Then naturally
enough to London they'll want to GO.
Isn't this fast train and shouldn't you
choose fast train if you were running
away from the police ?"
didn't tell him what sort of train ]
should choose, because 1 hadn't quite
made up my mind; and he was looking
cross enough for anything in that last
glimpse caught of him.
Having nothing better to do, I won.
dered good deal how these thieves
could arrange their getting way while
the walls were covered with the descrip.
tion of them, and every official on the
line was up in it. There was no doubt
about their being three very dexterous
knaves, but then our detective force
was very deXterous too, though they
weren't knaves (and l do believe the
greater dexterity is not on the knavish
side) and so it was odd that the descrip
ton still was ineffective and the offered
reward unclaimed. / read over again
the bill in my pocket which described
the robbers. edward Capon, alias
Captain Winter, alias DR.. Crow; a thick
set, active man, of middle height, ant
about fifty years of age; with thick
iron. grey hair and whiskers, dark gray
eyes and an aquiline nose. Mary Ca
pom, his wife, tall woman of forty
with handsome fair face, quantity o
very red hair, and cut across her up
per lip. Edward Capon, their son, {
slight youth of not more than fifteen O.
sixteen, though, for the matter Of that
thought he might have had cunning
enough for twice his age, with closel.
cut black hair, light gray eyes, and del
icate features"
We all knew this description wei
enough, and for two days had kept ou
eyes open, hoping to identify then
among the passengers. But our scrutl
ny had all been in vain, and as the trai
rushed on, l felt how disappointed tn
police at Euston would be when we Al
rived again without even tldings G
| them.
l was soon tired of this subject, an
went back to worrying myself about tn
sad looking, yellow haired girl, VIII
had so evidently wished to travel alpn
and been 80 successfully foiled in the al
tempt by that intrusive fop with tn
handsome beard. Foolishly 1 kept o
thinking Of her, until, as we were dash
ing almost like lightning through til
wind and darkness, only fifteen G