The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-09-23

blind as she was deaf, l began to under
} stand what she meant On the spot to
which she pointed above the seat Oppo-
site TO her, two papers were posted in a
line; one the advertisement of " small
luncheon baskets" supplied at Rugby,
the other the company's directions for
summoning the guard and stopping the
train in cases of danger. As they hap
pened to be placed, the large letters did
read as she had said:
Small luncheon baskets. Pull down
the cord.''
While was gazing from her to the
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 be
going up to town by the express. But
his just and natural wrath-loud as it
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, that
she was almost tired of waiting for her
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 a six or seven minutes delay after
all. | expect / should have waited to
explain the stoppage to the pretty young
girl of whom | considered myself a 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 a good laugh in several of the car
riages where the cause of our stoppage
got whispered about. As for me, when
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 90 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.
"It's no use, Il said before we started,
"the train was searched, as you may
say, at Rugby. Every passenger has
undergone close scrutiny, L can tell
you. What causes such scientific pre-
paration for us here?'
"a telegram received ten minutes |
ago, he answered. :" 1t seems that two |
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
young lady and gentleman together in
either carriage?"
| felt bit of an odd catching in nv |
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 though? There was no young lady |
or gentleman among the robbers!''
among the robbers" rejoined Da- |
Wis, with suppressed enjoyment, twas a
woman who'd make herself into any
thing; and you must own that a 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," 1 asked, cogi-
tating this.
"Ah! the young lady! True enough;
well, what should you say, now, if l
told you she grew out of that boy with |
the closely cut, dark hair that we are
afterl''
l 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 | had as good chance of |
catching the old fellow as | have of |
tinued Davis, as we moved slowly past |
the locked luggage van. 81 know
they're here, and that l shall recognize |
them under any gIlise; but we've no |
clue to the other rascal. It's most az
gravating that, by some means, we've |
lost sight of the biggest rogue of all.
Come along"
i 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? Call me cab" cried
the deaf old lady, plaintively, as we
reached her carriage, and found her
gazing out in most evident and utter 10
norance of all that was going on around
her. 81 am locked in, ga'ad. Do you
hear?"
l heard; aye, sharp enough. only
wished she could hear me as readily.
Davis stood aside watching, while un-
locked her door and helped her down.
Then, seeing her helplessness and her
NOuhblcSS ptChdStS, ut bcChOHtu d pOI-
ter to her, winking expressively to call
his attention to probable shilling.
Carriage after carriage we examined,
and though Davis detected no thief, he
turned away only more hopefully from
each. He was so sure they were there
and that escape was impossible. We /
reached the last carriage in the line, and
now my heart beat in the oldest man
ner possible.
'.Is this compartment empty, then?"
asked Davis, while my fingers were ac-
tually shaking as put my finger in the
door of the center one. Empty and
dark?"
"Even if it had been empty, it would
MT have been left dark" | muttered,
looking in. "HallO! What's come to
the lamp?"
l might well ask what was come to
the lamp, for the compartment was as
dark as if it had never been lighted; yet
4 - \ II 7 Il IL