The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-07-11

TO look at the faces Of the two dead men
1t wasn't mere morbid curiosity, and ]
can't describe it in any way better than
10 say it was a sort of vague desire
which could not quiet without satisfy
ing it.
! noticed that the lids were not
fastened down, My next discovery was
that the screws were gone. This struck
me az strange, for | was sure ] had
noticed them when the coifins were lifted
into the car. | remembered that had
given the attendants permission TO
arrange the caskets TO their own salts
faction, and that they had been long
time doing it. If they had removed the
screws unobserved at that time, what
possible object could they have had in
doing so? With this question on my
mind | raised the upper portion of the
lid of the coffin nearest me and took
look at the face of the occupant, lie
was a young man, with full face and
square features, His cheeks were not
sunken, and he had a decidedly fresh
appearance for young man who had
been dead nearly two days, thought,
Replacing the lid, | parsed away to the
other coffin. Here new and startling
surprise met me. The man in the coffin
was the man whom had seen in the
express office! That red eye was staring
straight at me, and | was not mis-
taken For a moment my Consterna-
tion was too great for words | could
not have uttered sound had my lie de
pended on it.
This man who was alive after the aCci-
dent, which the paper said caused the
death of Van Scooter and Griggs, and who
had made arrangements for the transpor-
tation of their remains, was now here in
this coffin, to all appearances dead !
Then | remembered that the bereaved
stranger had said that his dead brother
resembled him very closel y. But two
brothers are not apt TO have red glass.
eyes? Such coincidence as this was
beyond the pale of reasonable proba-
bility.
While yet | gszed at the supposed
corpse, the other eye opened little,
and was sure that it was looking at mel
| was convinced there was fraud here,
but TO show that had discovered it
might cost me my life. 81 very quiet.
ly replaced the lid of the coffin and took
moments time TO think the matter
over.
remembered my conversation with
the express agent, which we feared had
been overheard by the clericalappearing
stranger, and could only come to the
conclusion that the whole thing was a
deliberate plan to murder me and gain
possession lof the :$SO,0O0, in my
charge. There was no denying that the
man with the red eyes was alive, and |
had no doubt that the other man was
also. Kueeling down, placed my ear
close to the side Of the coffin, and could
hear him breathe quite distinctly. !
remembered that it WAS the intention OF
the attendant who had boarded the train
to enter the car at Redwood, ostensibly
for the purpose OF seeing the bodies, and
| could not doubt that the three men
intended to attack me after the train
pulled out of the station, and rob the
car before our arrival at the next stop
ping place. There was but one station
between us and Redwood, and | knew
We would be there in ten minutes more.
| had no time for hesitation, Instant
action WAS my only chance for safety.
III could secure myself against attack
until we reached the next station, | felt
that all would be we'll In one instant
had decided upon a plan OF action. As
quietly as possible | piled several heavy
boxes of merchandise on top OF the two
coflins, and then | knew | was safe.
Scarcely was this accomplished when we
raE into the station.
| Immediately found two or three
officers, First the man IN the coach was
secured He was high! y indignant that
he should be disturbed on such solemn
mission But it was no go. He was
handcufied in less than two minutes and
marched out on the platform.
1t was an easy matter to secure the
two quondam dead men. They were
taken greatly at disadvantage, and
were deprived of all power to resist
almost before they became aware how
their nice little scheme mad terminated.
All three had been we'll armed.
Bound and guarded the three miscre.
ants were taken to Redwood and lodged
in the county Jail.
Before ! left | took look at them
through the grated doors of their cells
When | paid my respects to the man
with the red eye, he smiled a little and
remarked patronizingly:
"You're pretty sharp young man
1t takes middling keen boy to outwi
u.s."
"Permit me TO sympathize with 20,
in your sorrow at the loss of your dea
brother, just a little"