Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-29

THE MAN WIlH THE RED EYE.
About eight years ago, when had not rail
roaded Ii aS long as have III ", was employed
as messenger on a western railway. don L
Know as ii is necessary for ne 10 say what
line it was, but viii cab il the b. I. 4 q h
r., TO save myself the trouble Of pronouncing
! the whole name.
month preyiyus TO the date OF the occurrence
ol Which am going to tell you. 1 had been
y eari aga on 9ranch route for more than a
| zeal longer. IL had not been chosen 10 Take
faxton place, when he went of. You see,
Two or three attempts had been made TO rob
long run. Paxton was found dead in the car
| with bullet hole in his head But the safe
was closed tight and SECURE, though an at
proved Intellectual. But the strangest part of
It all was that the key was missing from
Paxton's pocket, and it was not found Til a
good six weeks afterward. Then il was dis
covered at the side of the track. with a card
| tied on it, on which 1t was written that rob
would murder him il he refused to give up the
| key. He was true to the last. Well. You
| may suppose that / felt just the least bit
ing sertS but the sa H1aT mt
| orders, and meant to do my duty, however
| disagreeabie it might be. Then the pay was
was acquainted with goc1 girl who was
| ready TO help me inhabit house whenever /
| should be able TO own one, and that was quite
an object to me- can assure you smoo,,,
enough for several weeks, and had become
| accustomed to the route, and made dozen
or so of very pleasant acquaintance, and !
was growing to be pretty Well contented wi h
my life. i had almost begun to think the
| robbers, whoever they might be, had given
| up allthoughts of ever making anything out OF
my car, and had sought another field of opera
| tons.
One day I was informed by the agent at
| R that some time within week would
have to take charge of about 5000 in specie
| IN It's transit over our road. The officers of
| the express company had been advised of this
Intended important shipment i'm order that
| view of the great risk incurred i'm the trans
portation of such a valuable consignment.
-, The evening after my. conversation with
| the agent be called me into the office, and told
| me the specie was to 60 over the road the
| next day but one. He produced an envelope
and handed tito me, saying as he did SO:
| There, Bill, are your orders, direct from
| the Superintendent, with his own signature
| attached. Read them carefully and obey
them TO the letter, for a little mismove might
cause great loss to the company and cost you
II shall do my duty to the very letter." 1 re-
Piled.
agent. "but you cannot be too careful. Some
| ofthe members of the light fingered profession
| ale smart as lightning. The plans they can't
devise amt worth thinking OF, and they are as
fr fiso1ght I'd Just Just put you on your guard in
| depot hadn't been deserted by every one ex-
| cept us two, and the switch engine hadn't
been up at the end of the yard, where We
| could hear its incesSant pulling, don't be-
| lieve We would have heard the sound at all
But We both noticed ii at once. and as looked
| out of the Office into the large room beyond,
door, with his head inclined toward us as if
| he was wing to Overhear our conversation.
He saw he about the time first noticed him.
knew 1t from the little start OF surprise he
| gave as his eyes met mine.
| He was all over his surprise in minute, for
| he drew his face down TO an expression of the
| utmost unconcern, and came boldly forward
to the windows of the office through which the
agent always transacted any business he
might have with persons without.
He was very fair appearing man, appar-
a little older. He was dressed in black, and,
| wearing high hat, he might have passed
very well for one of the cloth If his nose hadn't
been Just trifie luminous. The other pecu-
| liarity 1 noticed about the man was that he
| had queer sort of a red looking eye. 1t ap-
peared fixed and staring, and as he came
| strange and unnatural IN its expression that L
thought should know it il I should see it
peering at me over the wall of China.
| =" Is there small package here for Isaac G.
Van ScOter,n he asked in business like way,
| in answer to the inquiring glance of the agent.
| The agent referred to one of the big regis
tiers on the desk, and answered in the mega
| "Queer," said the man with the red eye.
sit ought to have come yesterday. Have you
| read the Evening ChrOnicle?"
| And after this abrupt interrogation, the
| stranger stood quite mOtiOnless, cycling the
agent intently for as much as minute.
| We both answered No"
The man took paper out of his pocket, and
! spreading it open before US put one of his
slender fOrefngers upon the following para
graph:
| named respectively Henry Van Scooter and G.. Ill.
| GrIggs, we're at work chopping timber 10 the pine
Van scooter instantly, and infiictng injuries upon
the person of GriggS, from which he died in less
understood their remains viii he taken to that
place for burial.
| Henry Van Scooter was my only brother
| my twin brOther-whO resembles me very
| much, and Charley GriggS was my sisters
husband. It's sad blow! sad blow! L
don't know how my poor sister will bear it.
chiefly. 1 want to, send the two bodies
through to G--by express Thursday. by
the II 40 train. What will be the charges"
The charge will be twenty-five dollar" "
The stranger only bowed solemnly in recog-
milton of the reply. Then he was silent for a
to be struggling with his grief.
The bodies will be here Thursday morn
ing,' he said. Il hope you will make all ar
my package won w nie come this week" sD'''
The agent assured him that there would be
no delay, and he might depend on having the
bodies go through to c. with the greatest
| possible expedition"
The man bowed again politely, then he said !:
lis the telegraph office near? L must break
the sOrrOwiul news to my poor sister, l sup
pose, though it's anything but pleasant
Duty
Told him how to reach the place he sought,
and, with polite thank you the sad man
with the red eye walked out of the Office, and
| In couple of minutes the sound of his foot
steps died away in the distance.
"a queer sort of a chap" saidI.
! "a little odd" answered the agent.
| 81 wonder if he heard us talking about the
| specie2' queried.
He seems honest enough"
Eyes" said /: but I'm sure he was listen
| ing to our talk when first saw him.
| Are you certain of it," the agent asked
eagerly.
"Wel-no," replied; mot altogether GER
tain, beyond all mistake, but it looked nightly
like it, can tell YOU"
Suppose you go to the telegraph Office and
see what kind Of a message he SENDS" sug
gested the agent.
No sooner said than done. FASTENED
around to the telegraph office, and as L went
in the man came out. He didn't seem TO recOg
nize meat least he didn't look at me-and
thought it prudent not to notice him.
\ bof OH r CQnd