Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-08

roem across The platform toward
| the train.
This way, gentlemen said the
guard, opening the door of 3 COM
+. partDenf behind that which / occu-
spIeds but IN the same carriage
" here we were, the station was
somewhat dark; but Just as they
were getting in, the light OF the
guards lamp fell upon them, and
vas struck with the fact that, not
cnly were they Of the same height
and build, but they were dressed in
the same way, and that way was
l precisely that Of the man against
| whom i jostled outside the bank. i
could not tell why, but felt very
uneasy, and had it not been too late,
g we were already out of the sta
1on, and going rapidly through
tunnel, should have got the porter
% go with me to NJ. reasoned
With myself that, after all, was
quite safe. / was locked in on each
tide, and the motion of the train
would as enectually prevent any
enc from reaching me as it would
hinder me from reaching the guard.
Reason as would, however, felt
more and more uncomfortable, and
determined that, at the first stop
page, would get some alteration
tmade. / little knew where my first
sstoppage was to be; little did ]
Think of the nature OF those who
rode behind me, or Of the doom that
hung oyer me. Suddenly thought
/ Tie thunder of the train became
fainter, and the motion of the car.
riage less rapid.
While I was trying TO solve this
matter, the carriage seemed to stop,
and then to move again Hooked
out. Good heavens! the train was
considerable distance ahead, and l
was being rapidly carried back to-
ward W. Faster and faster sped
the carriage on its return, and more
terrified did become The motion
of the carriage became as swift as it
had been behind the mail--nay, even
switzerland my heart sank within
me, my very knees shook under me,
and my hair seemed to bristle with
the terrible suspense OF those mo-
ments, while big drops of cold per-
spiration fell from my face. On, en-
we sped, and then the motion began
to slacken. Good God what should
j do? The carriage stopped; q
click as of key in the door near
which i stood; moment, and the
light of the carriage lamp fell upon
the face / saw outside the bank.
The man or fend pointed q pistol at
ne. i drew back q step and was
seized from behind; my assailsnt
had entered frons the opposite door.
Tie one with the pistol advanced
across the floor Of the carriage; /
made one frantic grasp at him, saw
hin raise the butt-end Of his Weap-
on. and then felt dizzy, and IN at
tempting to grasp his arm tainted
awgy.
When / came to myself 1 was
lying on the floor of the carriage,
too weak to move; the doors were
open, and the bitter storm beat in
upon me in all its Wintry fury. i
eo1ld not quite realize nay situation;
all seemed confused and muddled.
only remembered that ought to
have been at NJ, but that some
terrible violence had prostrated me.
Presently / heard the whistle of an
engine as if coming from NJ, and
confused as i was, i knew the fate
which awaited me if, In the storm,
the advancing train should be upon
me ere the driver noticed my car
riage. Imade q desperate attempt
to rise, but in vain. The shrill
whistle sounded again, still nearer,
and this time it was answered by
another of deeper tone from the op-
posite direction, and I caught, in q
lull of. the storm, the sound Of wheels
of the approaching engines. be-
came sick with horror, and / closed
my eyes in dread.
Then the advancing engines whis-
tied again and again, and, o, joyl /
could tell that they went slower and
slower, and then stopped. Then /
lost all consciousness once more.
When l again became sensible,
found myself sitting up, and some
one holding me. felt, too, that the
carriage was in motion. l opened
my eyes, and found myself with
Mr.. Wilmot and the cashier. The
porter of the bank and the station
master of W. were also there.
tried to speak but could not. /
made motion with my hand, to try
to make them comprehend that l
could not speak.
'tHe wants something to drink"
said Mr.. Wilmot. "Has any one
got some brandy?"
No one had, but in a few minutes
more we were at W, and l was
taken into the refreshment room
and placed under the care of a sur
geon. Under the effects Of warmth
and stimulants soon revived suffi-
GENTLY to give an account of what
had happened, so far as / under
stood it. The station master stated
it as beyond doubt that the men
who attacked me were prepared
with carefully considered plan,
which they had but too well sue
ceeded in carrying out. They had
evidently got along the footbOard
Of the carriage, and when ascending
a steep incline, they had undone the
couplings, so that the carriage ran
back on the level. Their place had
been well chosen, as it was in avery
lonely part of the country, and far
from any station. The fact that the
turnpike road approached the line
at pOint some three hundred yards
from where the carriage stopped, |
had possibly facilitated their es-
cape. was lost to account for the /
arrival of the two engines, which |
evidently came to search for the
missing carriage. This was soon
explained. As regarded the engine |
from M, that was sent back as
soen as ever the train reached that |
station, because the carriage was
immediately missed The engine !
from W, with Mr.. Wilmot and |
the others, started on account of q
discovery made by Mr.. Wilmot, |
which caused the utmost consterna-
tion. This discovery was nothing |
less than that the telegram from |
M was a forgery. Mr.. Wiimot |
had telegraphed to Mr.. Dane to say
that the relief asked for had been |
scent. To this announcement Mr.. |
Dane replied that he could not un- |
derstand it, that something was
wrong, and that he should await |
Mr.. Wilmot's explanation at the |
statiou of NJ. The false tele- |
gram had been carefully conceived, |
and, unfortunately for me, was in !
the private code of our bank. When |
il was telegraphed from NJ that !
the train had arrived minus my car |
riage the case against me looked |
doubly strong, and the two men
who entered at W were set |
down as confederates who were to |
help me carry Off the booty. When, |
however, i was found in the car !
riage, q new light broke in upon the !
minds of my rescuers, and it was |
seen that was the victim, not the !
chief criminal.
1t remained now TO try TO discoV- |
er the daring scoundrei who had I
planned and executed this nefarioGs |
deed, and, if possible, retake the |