The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-10-28
"Small luncheon baskets. Pull down

Small luncheon baskets. Pull dowr
the cord.,,
While was gazing from her to thu
bills, getting over bit of my astonish
ment, and she was giving me every now
and then sharp touch on the shoulder
to recall me to my duty and hasten me
with her refreshment, we were Joined by
one of the directors who happened to bt
going up to town by the express. But
his just and natural wrath-loud as il
was-never moved the hungry old lady
no, not in the slightest degree. She
never heard one word of it, and only
mildly insisted, in the midst of it, thai
she was almost tired of waiting for hel
small luncheon basket.
With fierce parting shot the director
tried to make her understand that she
had incurred a penalty of five pounds,
but he couldn't, though he bawled it at
her until the poor thing-perhaps NOR
titled at having taken so much trouble
for nothing, perhaps overcome by her
hunger, perhaps frightened at the COM
motion she saw, though didn't hear
sank back in her seat in strong fit of
Mysteries, and let her shillings and six
pences roll out of her lap and settle un-
der the seats.
1t seemed to me long time before we
started on again, but | suppose it was
only six or seven minutes delay after
all. expect should have waited to
explain the stoppage to the pretty young
girl OF whom considered myself sort
of protector; but, as / said, she was at
the very opposite end of the train, and
was in haste now. There must have
been good laugh in several of the ear
riages where the cause of our stoppaee
got whispered about. AS for me, when
l got back into my van, solitary as it
was, chuckled over it until we stopped
at Chalk farm to take tickets.
1t seemed to me that the train was
taken into custody as soon as it stopped
here.
"Of course you have the carriage
doors all locked, and I'll 60 down with
you while you open them one by one.
My men are in possession of the plat
FORM
This was said to me by Davis, detec-
tive officer whom knew pretty well by
now, having had good bit to do with
him about this Warwickshire robbery.
Its mouse, " | said before we started,
"the train was searched, as you may
say, at Rugby. Every passenger has
undergone close scrutiny, can tell
you. What causes such scientific pre-
paration for us here?''
:" A telegram received ten minutes
h., a IL
OF the thieves we are lodging are in the
train in clever disguises. We have had
pretty full particulars, though the dis
covery wasn't made until after you left
the junction. Have you noticed''-he
dropped his voice a little here-"a
young lady and gentleman together in
either carriagep''
| felt bit of an odd catching in my
breath as he spoke. ''No,' said quite
in a hurry. "No young gentleman and
lady belonging together; but there may
be plenty in the train. What if there
are thought There was no young lady
or gentleman among the robbers!''
"Among the robbers,' rejoined Da-
Wis, with suppressed enjoyment, sswas
woman who'd make herself into any
thing; and you must own that gentle
man with dark long beard isn't bad
for lady known to us pretty well by
her thick red hair and cut on her up
per lip
but the young lady," asked, cogi-
tating this.
''Ah! the young lady! True enough;
well, what should you say, now, if /
told you she grew out of that boy with
the closely cut, dark hair that we are
after!n
| remembered the pretty plaits and
the loose, falling hair. | remembered
the bewilderment in the eyes which en-
tirely hid their natural expression, and
| didn't answer this at all.
81 wish l had as good chance of
catching the old fellow as / have of
the woman and boy,n con-
tinued Davis, as we moved slowly past
the locked luggage van. 81 know
they're here, and that l shall recognize
them under any guise; but we've no
clue to the other rascal. It's most ag-
gravating that, by some means, we've
lost sight of the biggest rogue of all.
Come along"
| did come along, feeling very stupid
ly glad that there was all the train to
search before we could reach that car
riage at the other end where sat the girl
whom ! had, in way, taken under my
protection.
"When are we to be allowed to leave
this train, pray? Cab me a cab," cried
the deaf old lady, plaintively, as we
reached her carriage, and found her
gazing out in most evident and utter ig-
norance of all that was going on around
her. II am locked in, ga'ad. Do you
hear?''
| heard; aye, sharp enough. / only
wished she could hear me as readily.