The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-07-30

larry entered the statlOn, ana the
other Blackwater passengers alighted
I even saw that he was met there by
a friend.''
"Indeed! Did you see that person
distinctly"
"Quite distinctly"
"Can you describe his appear.
ance?
II think so. He was short and
very slight, sandy-haired, with a
bushy mustache and beard, and he
wore a closely fitting suit of gray
tweed. His age [ should take to be
about thirty-eight or forty"
"Did Mr.. Dwerrihouse leave the
station in this persons company"
II cannot tell. I saw them walk
ing together down the platform, and
then I saw them standing aside under
a gas:jet, talking earnestly. After
that I lost sight of them quite sud-
denly; and just then my train went
on, and I with it"
The chairman and secretary con-
ferred together in an undertone. The
directors whispered to each other.
One or two looked suspiciously at the
guard. I could see that my evidence
remained unshaken, and that, like
myself, they suspected some compiled
ty between the guard and the default
er.
GLOW far did you conduct that
4:15 express on the day in question,
Somers ?" asked the chairman.
Call through, SIR" replied the
guard "from London to Crampton.' -
"How was it that you were not re-
lieved at Clayborough? 1 thought
there was always change of guards
at Clayborough."
"There used to be, sir, till the new
regulations came in force last Mid
summer; since when, the guards in
charge of express trains go the whole
way through"
The chairman turned to the secre.
tary.
II think it would be as WE'LL" he
said, eff we had the day-book to refer
to upon this point"
Again the secretary touched the
silver hand-bell, and desired the por.
ter in attendance to summon Mr.
Raikes. From a word or two drop.
ped by another Of the directors, I gath
cred that Mr.. Raikes was one of the
under-secretaries.
He came,-a small, slight, sandy.
haired. keen-eyed man, with an eager,
nervous manner, and a forest of light
beard and mustache. He just showed
himself at the door of the board-room,
and, being requested to bring Ger.
tain day book from certain shelf in
certain room, bowed and vanished
He was there such moment, and
the surprise Of seeing him was SO
great and sudden, that it was not un-
til the door had closed upon him that
I found voice to speak. He was no
sooner gone, however, than I sprang
to my feet.
"That person." I said, 'is the same
who met Mr.. Dwerrihouse upon the
platform at Blackwater!'
There was a general movement o1
surprise. The chairman looked grave
and somewhat agitated.
"Take care, Mr.. Langford," he
said, ''take care what you say?'
Il am as positive Of his identity as
of my own"
"Do you consider the consequences
of your words? Do you consider
that. you are bringing a charge Of the
gravest character against one of the
Company's servants p
II am willing to be put on my oath,
if necessary. The man who came to
that door minute since, is the same
whom I saw talking with Mr.. DIVER.
rihouse on the Blackwater platform.
Were he twenty times the: Company's
servant, I could say neither more no,
less."
The chairman turned again to the
guard.
"Did you see Mr.. Raikes in the
train, or on the platform ?" he asked.
Somers shook his head.
Il am confident Mr.. Raikes was
not in the train," he said "and I Ger
tainly did not see him on the plat
FORM"
The chairman turned next to tht
secretary.
"Mr. Raikes is in your office, Mr.
Hunter" he said. "Can you remem
ber if he was absent on the fourth in
slant ?"
II do not think he was" replied thu
secretary; 'but I am not prepared t<
speak positively. I have been away
most afternoons myself lately, ant
MIR. Raikes might easily have absent
ed himself if he had been disposed"
At this moment the under-secretar,
returned with the day-book under hi
arm.
"Be pleased to refer, Mr.. Raikes,'
said the chairman, "to the entries o
the fourth instant, and see what Ben
jamin Somers' duties were on tha
day."
| Mr.. Raikes threw open the cum
brous volume, and ran practised ey
and finger down some three or fou