National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-01-19
HOW THEY ESCAPED.

The train was waiting to leave the sta
ton. There had been robberies on the
line. and detective was eagerly watching
tue face, of the passengers. hoping to catch
the Thieves. |, the guard, was watching
things generally. Presently caught my
self watching a Girl whostood alone at some
di-tnce. wished could have gone
straight to her, and put her into one-tbe
most comtortabc-oi the line of carriages
at which She gazed SO timidly just a> |
htsltatel a very remarkable figure elbow
ed its way to me a stout grandly dressed
old lady, painting painfully and almost
piercing me with a pair Of restless, half
opened ewes. that looked out through the
gold-rmmed spcctacles perched Oh her
sharp nose Two porterS followed her, la
den with bags. cloaks, umbrellas and flow
crs-thc only flowers IN the station, 1 eX
pcct, that winter highland one of the
men wnkcd at me over her head while
the other guarded her treasures witha face
OF concentrated anxiety and thoughts en-
crossed by possible fee.
"ThlS is the London train, Is it ga'ad "
she asked, pecring sh lrply lsto my face
with her haIf-closcd eyes, a. If she found il
difficult 20 distinguish me even through
her Spectacias.
From her whole attitude guessed her to
be deaf, but lnever GUESSED how deaf until
after yelling my answer 50 loud that the
engine driver must have heard it eighteen
carriages off, she still remained stonily
waiting for 1t.
The she shook her head angrily and wad-
died of, looking as acid an old party as |
should ever try to avoid In AT every docr
She peercl through her glttering glasses.
the two porters following her, until she
made a stop before an empty second-cldss
curag" near my van, and with much labor
and assistance got herself and Ter packages
into it,
W hen | passed few minutes atterward, .
She was standing in the doorway, eiiectualIy |.
barring the door to any other passenger by
her own unattract'e appearance there, and .
prolonging with an evident relish the anXi- .
oty OF the obstquious porters. The young
and pretty lady had taken seat in a for .
ward carriage
suppose that, without exactly being
aware OF it, kept sort of watch over this
carriage. for | saw plainly enough lazy
Young gentleman who pcrslstently kept .
lowering about il and looking in His in
q1>itlye eyes had of course caught sight OF
the pretty face in there alone, and could
see that he was making up his mind to Join
Der; but he seemed doing it in a mos { care
less AMI langmd manner. lie was no gentle
man Tor that reason, said to myself yet
ulN dress was handsome, and the hand that
played with his long, dark beard was small
aud -
the lar corner OF that one iiIst-c class com
partment, he fingered until the last mo-
ment was come; then, quite leisurely, he
walked up to the door, opened it, entered
the carriage, and in an instant the door was
banged 70 behind him. Without the least
he-itation | went up to the window, and
stood near 1t while the lamp was fitted in
the compartment. The gentleman was
standing up within, drawing on dark over
coat; the young lady in TIE distant corner
was looking from the window as if even the
Aal darkness was better to look at than
This companion. Mortified a good deal at
lhe ialrure of my scheme for her comfort,
went on to my van, beside which the de {
'ectlye waited for me.
" No go, you secn he muttered Grossly, l
- and yet it seemed to me SO likely that '
they'd take th, train
" don't see how it should seem likely" {
answered, for | hadn't gone with him ia i
the idea. at doesn't seem to me very {
nhely that three such skillful thieves as t
you are dodging, who did their work in |
'A's nelghborhaod SO cleverly two nights 7
ago, should leave the station any night 10y {
l1e very train which the police watch with {
l'n3le Suspicion il
Having nothing better to do, | wondered :
sood Ceai how these thieves could arrange a
,1'F getting away while the walls were
-9'efed with the description of them, and :
very official on the line was up IN it. a
! lnere was no doubt about their being three e
~! d'Nterous knaAes, but then our detec- :
~ ~ iofce was very dextcrous too, though |
- weren't knaves land | do believe the b
~ al''lef deXterity is generally on the knav- e
~ SIleJ- and SO it was odd that the de- I
~ 'llon still was Ineffective and the offer +,
- ieWard unclaimed. | read over again q
roI, p'h IN my pocket which described the n
Wi,is' W5otis' Edward Capon, alias Captain a
utter alias John Pearson, alias DIR. $
- thlckset. active man, of middle
ibici- ana ABOUT fifty years OF age; with
~ A iron-gray hair and whiskers, dark v
T,,g yes, and an aquiline nose. Mary Ca !,
, b. nls vile, tai woman of forty: with
soine ialr face, quantity of very Ii