Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-09-04

reaved brother with the peculiar eve,
but he was nowhere to be seen, /
thought it little strange that he should
be absent at such time, but forgot
all about it in a moment.
The collins were placed in one end of
the car, and after it had been arranged
that one of the men should come into
the car and take look at the bodies
when we arrived at Redwood, he shook
hands with the others and entered one
of the coaches. As the doors closed on
him, the bells rang and We went ste am
ing away.
1t was pretty busy for an hour or
more, and We had passed two or three
stations before had time to cast more
than casual glance toward the quiet
passengers at the end of the car. But
after little while. when had leisure,
an uncomfortable wish took possession
OF me to look at the faces of the two
dead men. 1t wasn't mere morbid curl
osity. and | can't describe it any better
way than to say it was sort of vague
desire which l could not quiet without
satisfying it.
l noticed that the lids were not fasten-
ed down. My next discovery was that
the screws were gone. This struck me
as strange, for was sure l had noticed
them when the collins were lifted into
the car. | remembered that had given
the attendants permission to arrange
the caskets to their own satisfaction,
and that they had been long time do
ing 1t. If they had removed the screws
unObserved at the time. what possible
object could they have in doing so?
With this question in my mind raised
the upper portion of the lid of the coffin
nearest me and took look at the face
of the occupant. He was young man
with full face and square features.
His cheeks were not sunken. and no
had decidedly fresh appearance for
young man who had been dead nearly
two days, l thought.
Replacing the lid, I passed away to
the other coffin. Here u new and start
ling surprise met NE. The man in the
coffin was the man whom had seen in
the express Office! That red eve was
staring straight at me; and | was not
mistaken For a moment my conster-
nation was too great for words. | could
not have uttered sound had my life
depended on it.
This man who was alive after the ac-
cident, which the paper said caused the
death OF Van Scooter and Griggs, and
who made arrangements for the trans
portatlon of their remains, was now
here in this coffin, to all appearances
dead! Then l remembered that the
bereaved stranger had said that his
dead brother resembled him very close
ly. But two brothers are not apt to
have red glass eyes. Such coincidence
as this was beyond the pale of reasona-
BILE probabilities.
While yet l gazed at the supposed
corpse. the other eye opened a little,
and l was sure that it was looking at me.
l was convinced that there was fraud
here, but to show that had discovered
1t might cost me my life. So I very
quietly replaced the lid of the coffin,
and took moments time to think the
matter over.
l remembered my conversation with
the express agent, which we feared had
been overheard by the clerical. looking
stranger, and could only come to the
conclusion that the whole thing was a
deliberate plan to murder me and gain
possession CT the $4,000 in my charge.
There was no denying that the man
with the red eye was alive, and had |
no doubt that the other man was also.
kneeling down, l placed my ear close
to the side of the coffin, and could hear
him breathe quite distinctly l remem-
Der that the attendant who had boarded
the train intended 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
from the station, and rob the car before
our arrival at the next stopping 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. If | could
secure myself against an attack until we
reached the next station, | felt that all
would be well. In one instant had
decided upon plan of action. As
quickly as possibly l piled several heavy
DoAee Vi iHci Ciiallolse Oh Top OF tne TWO
collins, and then / knew | was safe.
Scarcely was this accomplished when
we ran into the station.
l Immediately found two or three Of
ficers. First the man in the coach was
secured. He was highly indignant that
he should be disturbed on such a SOL
emn mission. But it was no 90. He
was handcuffed in less than two minutes
and marched out on the platform.
1t was an easy matter to secure two
quandam dead men. They were taken
rrnaflN OF dicnd o4.1.- -