The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-10-10

/ had noticed at the bankers. There
was nothing strange in the fact of his
being in the room, one of his favorite
resorts, but was possessed by the vague
shadow of single idea. / had read
somewhere of man being followed and
plundered in train, and somehow as
sociated the story with the man before
me. 1t was the first time / had ever
paid him any particular attention, but
/ gave him full observation now. The
more looked athim the less | liked him.
He was handsome, gentlemanly, with
fair form and elegant figure full of sup
plenees and strength. His manner was
singularly unassuming, his face frank
and genial; but looking closely at him
you could see something sinister-looking
in the depth and softness of his eyes.
al never like stranger to be affable
and prepossessing, and my friend was
the very pink of afability and grace.
ave played for an hour with alter
mating success. He was an amusing
companion, well informed, and had
travelled; but was shy of conversation.
/ left him, and still having some time to
spare, went to the Temple
"When, at the expiration of some
thirty or forty minutes, / emerged into
Fleet-street, almost the first person upon
whom my gaze fell was my late antago-
mist at billiards.
IL thought there was something more
than a mere coincidence in this second
meeting, since we stood together at the
bankers. He was in cigar-shop oppo-
site, but with companion.
Not hundred yards from the Tenn
pie gate stood a man whom recognized
with very welcome feeling. 1t was
| George Vixen. the detective.
"He was fashionably dressed, and
looked an aristocrat of the first water.
i went up and greeted him as / should
an old familiar friend, held out my hand,
and said, Come with me I have some
thing to say
"He shook hands in the most natural
way possible. | took his arm, and we
entered an adjacent hotel.
81 told him of my suspicion, told
him of the sum in my possession, and
of the journey had to perform by rail
Il saw that, watching through the
glass of the door, he was taking a men
tai photograph of the two men.
They mean business said Vixen
quietly, but shall be with you. We
must part at the door, or they will SET
that we have scented the game
And you,' I said; how will yo1
actT
." will travel to Liverpool by tn
night express
"He left me. | had no fear now
mined fellow.
Taking casual glance across tn
road, | saw my man with his companion
, 1t was quiet evident that they wer
! were tracking me, though 1 lost sight Q
them before reaching st. Paul.
1" / strolled along the churchyar
, wandering nearly to Islington, the
= went through the city again before
made for the station. My acquaintanc
of the billiard-room did not come i
sight, though kept on the alert.
, 81 took my ticket, lingering almo:
to the moment of starting before ! el
tered the carriage, but my man did nc
q, appear. Two men were in the con
partment with me. / could not see th
face of one, and the other was a strange
. "The bell rang. The guard had iu'
= time to put a bewildered old gentlema
in by my side, and we were off.
O "The man whose face l had not see
: turned towards me.
, az could hardly repress an exclam
u ton. There was no mistaking thi
! frank, genial countenance, nor til
lurking devil in those eyes, whose sof
. ness was so sinister.
He had me, then, at last. Vixe
had broken his promise, and was left.
. travel that perilous journey alone wit
the man who had followed me so skill
g fully, another who might be his col
|, federate, and an old gentleman VIII,
after grumbling out his indignatio
against all railway servants and locom,
i tive-traveling in general, was fast aslee
= in the corner.
8 "That the intentions of my billiarc
4 player were bad was manifested by Il
= fact of his having assumed fall
" mustaches and beard. They added
, the beauty of his face, but lent to b
~ eyes that sleepy, cruel glitter that
! characteristic Of the Asiatic.
He spoke to me, remarking Il
= oddity of our being travelling compa
=. ions, and grew unpleasantly familia
! | answered him, not wishing to appe
# churlish or afraid, knowing that cou
e trust something to my own streng
- should the worst come.
"We had made the last stoppage, al
.. were rolling through the gloom, whe
70 among other, topics our conversatic
;s touched on jewelry. He drew a shov
q ring from his finger, telling me it was
"A curious piece of workmanship, havil
~ secret spring, which he said | cou
'n not discover.
HI tnOE ~ ooornbod -, ,-o,,, c.
T spring, and then, returning it to him,
y dropped and rolled under my feet.
ID lstooped to pick it up, and SO d
~ he; but at that moment, when my he
ia was down, he had me tightly by t
throat, and threw me to the carria
floor.
Il ellis confederate was upon me in
-. instant. could scarcely breathe, a.
90 - could not struggle, for heavy knee W
upon my chest and two strong, brut
hands were crushing the life from i
=, throat.
re- Though the horror of the situati
did not last a minute, it seemed
eternity to me. felt the ruffian's han
be searching for my pocket-book and
he strained desperately for a chance of
Do sistance.
Their work was nearly dol
on Cramped in that small space, 1 v
% ;sa powerless, and the veins in my thrt
''0 and head were swelling like sinuc
bo bars, when the old gentleman in t
corner awoke and came to my resistan
- l heard a low whirr of some weapon
- its descent, and my first assailant reel
IN from me, stunned. Then the old gent
man, with a strength and rapidity
nc action wonderful to see in a person
,Iy his age, seized the scoundrel, lifted h
~ away and dashed him down on a seat.
There was brief struggle, and ti
do / heard sharp click. Scoundrel |
ne second had pair of handouts on
IL wrist.
t's "'They were more prompt than l /
ec' expected, said the old gentleman,
w moving his woelen comforter, W
"I which he fastened my first assailar
;da hands behind him, and a railway C