The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-10-24

hIlu III Olntl plNNCs lllOTc OF less TeSpeC- |
table. Now, he was changing n check
for some petty amount, and was evil
IDENTIFY astonished by the immensity Of
the order had presented left the
bank with my pocket-book full of notes,
and found | had lost the train. The
next would be the night express, so |
strolled into billiard.room. There was
some clever play going on, aud ! stood
watching the players till some one chal-
lenged me to have game. If | have
one special vanity it is my science with
the cue. | accepted and as did so a
strange feeling, which had been growing
upon me, took IA sudden turn, which
startled me.
"The challenge was from the man whom
I 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 a man being followed and
plundcred in train, and somehow as
sociated the story with the man before
me, 1t was the first time ! had we're
paid him any particular attention, but
| gave him full observation now. The
more looked athim the less liked him.
He was handsome, gentlemanly, with a
fair form snd elegant figure full of sup
pleness and strength. His manner was
singularIy 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.
" ] never like stranger to be atlable
and prepossessing, and my friend was
the very pink of ahability and grace
" We 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
60 thought there was something more
than a mere coincidence in this second
meeting, since we stood together at the
bankers. He was III a cigar-shop OppO-
site, but with companion.
"Not hundred yards from the TEN.
pile gate stood man whom | recognized
with a very welcome feeling 1t was
George Vixen, the detective.
He was fashionably dres. ed, and
looked an aristocrat of the first water.
went up and greeted him as should
an old familiar friend, held out my hand,
and said, Come with me; | have some
thing to say
"fle shook hands in the most natural
way possible ! took his arm, and we
entered an adjacent hotel.
81 told him Of my suspicion, tod
him of the sum in my possession, and
Of the journey had to perform by rail.
81 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 see
that we have scented the game
"And you, I said; 'how will you
act%
al will travel to Liverpool by the
night express
"He left me. | had no fear now,
knowing him to be clever and deter
mined fellow.
Taking casual glance across the
road, saw my man with his companion.
1t was quiet evident that they were
were tracking me, though | lost sight of
them before reaching ST. Paul.
81 strolled along the churchyard
wandering nearly to Islington, then
went through the city again before |
made for the station. My acquaintance
of the billiard-roOm did not come in
sight, though kept on the alert.
81 took my ticket, lingering almost
to the moment of starting before | en-
tered the carriage, but my man did not
appear. Two men were in the com
partment with me. ! could not see the
face of one, and the other was a stranger
"The bell rang. The guard had Just
time to put a bewildered old gentleman
in by my side, and we were off.
"The man whose face | had not seen
turned towards me.
81 could hardly repress an exc!ama-
ton. There was no mistaking that
frank, genial countenanCe, nor the
lurking devil in those eyes, whose soft
ness was so sinister.
I" He had me, then, at last Vixen
had broken his promise, and | was left to
travel that perilous journey alone with
the man who had followed me so skill
fully, another who might be his con-
federate, and an old gentleman who,
after grumbling out his indignation
against all railway servants and lOComO-
tive-traveling in general, was fast asleep
in the corner.
"That the intentions of my billiard
player were bad was manifested by the
fact of his having assumed false
mustaches and beard. They added to
the beauty of his face, but lent to his
eyes that sleepy, cruel glitter that is
characteristic of the Asiatic.
"He spoke to me, remarking the
oddity of our being travelling compan-
ions, and grew unpleasantly familiar.
| answered him, not wishing to appear
churlish or afraid, knowing that ] could
trust SohSthinS w my o"h o'ohSN'
should the worst come.
ave had made the last sioppage, and
were rolling through the gloom, when
among other topics our conversation
touched on jewelry. He drew a snowy
ring from his finger, telling me it was a
curious piece of workmanship, having
secret spring, which he said | could
not discover.
Il took it, searched in vain for
spring, and then, returning it to him, it
dropped and rolled under my feet.
"Istooped to pick it up, and 50 did
he; but at that moment, when my head
was down, he had me tightly by the
throat, and threw me to the carriage
floor.