The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-02-21

on TO my van, oeSide Wnlcn lHe deIeclNe
waited for me.
"No 60, you see," he muttered GROSSLY,
"and yet it seemed to me SO likely that
they take this train
81 don't see how it should seem likely"
l answered, for l hadn't gone with him in
the idea. at doesn't seem to me very
likely that three such skillful thieves as
you are logging, 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 suspicion"
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 its sure
enough that they haven't left it up to now.
That they'll be in a 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 CO.
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 hadn't quite made
up in my mind; and he was looking cross
enough for anything in that last glimpse
caught of him.
Having nothing better to do, | wondered
range their getting away while the walls
were covered with the description of them,
and every official on the line was up in it.
There was not doubt about their being
three very dexterous knaves, but then our
detective force was very dexterous, too,
though they weren't knaves, land do be-
lieve the greater dexterity is generally on
the knavish side and so it was odd that
the description still was ineffective; and the
offered reward unclaimed. | read over
again the bill in my pocket which describ-
ed the robbers. Edward Capron, alias
Captain Winter, alias John Pearson, alias
DR.. Grow; thick set, active man, Of mid
die height, and about fifty years of age:
with thick iron-gray hair and whskers,
dark gray eyes and an aquiline nose
Mary Capron, his wife, tall woman OF
forty; with a handsome, fair face quaint,
ity of very red hair, and cut across her
under lip. Edward Capron, their son, a
slightly built youth of not more than fif-
teen OR SIXTEEN" Though, for the matter
of that, thought he might have had cum
ming enough for twice his age, "with
closely cut black hair, light gray eyes, and
delicate features"
We all knew this description well enough
and for two days had kept our eyes open,
hoping to identify them among the passen-
gers. But our scrutiny had been all in
vain; and as the train rushed on, l felt
how disappointed the Police at Euston
would be when we arrived again without
even tidings of them.
1 was soon tired of this subject, and
went back to worrying myself about the
sad-looking, yellow haired girl, who had SC
evidently wished to travel alone, and had
been so successfully foiled in the attempt
by that intrusive fop with the handsome
beard. Foolishly l kept on thinking OF
her, until as we were dashing almost like
lightning through the wind and darkness,
only fifteen or twenty minutes from Chalk
Farm, the bell in my van rang out with a
sharp and sudden summons. | never won
dered for a moment who had pulled the
cord. Instinctively knew, and-it was
the carriage furthest from my van. left
my place almost breathlessly as the engine
slackened speed, and fastening along the
footboard, hesitated at no window until
reached the one from which | felt quite
sure that frightened young face would be
looking out. My heart literally in dread
as stopped, and looked into the carriage.
What did 1 see? Only the two passengers
buried in their separate corners. The
young lady raised her head from the book
she held, and looked up at me astonished
-childishly and wenderingly astonished.
elias anything happened to the train %
she asked timidly.
The gentleman reused himself leisurely
from a seemingly snug nap. "What on
earth has stopped US in this hole?" he
said, rising and pushing his handsome face
and his long beard past me at the window
1t was only too evident that the alarm
had not been given from this carriage; yet
the feeling had been such a certainty to me
that it was long before | felt quite con-
WINGED to the contrary; and | went on
along the fOotboard to other carriages very
that one. Utter darkness surrounded us
outside, but from the lamp-lit compart-
ments eager heads were thrust, searching
for the reason of this unexpected stop
page. No one owned to having summon
ed me until | reached that second class
carriage near my own van, (Which L had
FASTENED past BEFORE where the fidgety,
deaf old lady who had amused me at Rugby
| SAT dlOue. Hdu no HceQ W iooh III ahu
question her. Her head was quite out OF
the window, and, though she had her back
to the light and l couldn't see her face,
her voice was cool enough to show that she
was not overpowered by fear.
What time you've been coming" she
said. @ Where is it ?''
| GO Where's what 81
But though yelled the question with all
my might and main, believe might just
as hopefully have questioned the telegraph
post which stood beside US, and have ex-
pected an answer along the wires.
"Where's the small luncheon basket?''
she inquired, pulling out her long purse
with great fussiness. "a small luncheon
basket, my good man, and make haste ~
Shall ever forget the sharp expectancy
of the old lady's eyes as they looked into
mine, first over, then under, then through
her glttering, gold-rimmed spectacles
What surprised me most particularly was
the fact of her decidedly not being, as any
one might SUPPOSE ravng lunatic.
BE quick with the small luncheon bas