Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-02-12

was quite out of the window, and thougI
she had her back to the light, and
couldn't t see her face, her voice was COO
enough to show that she was not over
powered by fear.
what time you've been coming!
she said. "Where is itP"
where's what2"
But though yelled the question witt
all my might and main, | belieYe ! nigh
just as hopefully questioned the telegraph
post which | could dimly see beside us
and have expected an answer along TIN
wire.
where's the small luncheon basket p
she inquired, pulling out her long purs
with great fussiness. "a small luncheon
basket, my good man, and make haste"
Shall lever forget the sharp expectanc,
of the old lady's eyes as they looked int
mine, first over, then under, then through
her glittering gold.rimmed spectacles
What surprised me most particularly wa!
the fact of her decidedly not beng, as any
one might suppose, a raving lunatic.
BE quick with the small luncheon
basket, please" she said, resignedly sit
ting down, and pouring the contents ot
her purse out into her lap, 81 am as
hungry as can be.
suppose that when she looked up al
me from the silver she was counting she
saw my utter bewllderment-I didn't try
to make her hear, for knew it to be use.
less-tor she raised her voice suddenly to
a shrill pitch of peevishness, and pointed
with one hand to the wall of the carriage.
Look there! Don't it say Small lunch
con baskets. Pull dowr the cordP'
want small luncheon basket, so pull
ed down the cord. Make haste and get it
for me, or I'll report you to the mana
gers"
Seeing now that she was almost as blind
as she was deaf, began to understand
what she meant. On the spot to which
she pointed, over the seat opposite her,
two papers were posted in line, one the
advertisement of "Small luncheon bask-
cts" supplied at Rugby, the other the
company's directions for summoning the
guard to stop the train in cases of danger
AS they happened to be placed, the large
letters did read as she said: "Small lunch
con baskets. Pull down the cord"
While was gazing from her to the bills,
getting over bit of my antonishment,
and she was giving me every now and
then sharp touch on the shoulder to re.
call me to my duty and hasten me with her
refreshment, we we've joined by one of the
directors, who happened to be going up
to town by the express. But his just and
natural wrath, loud as it was, never
moved the hungry old lady; no, not in the
slightest degree. She never heard one
word Of it, and only mildly insisted in the
midst of it that she was almost tired of
waiting for her small luncheon basket
With fierce parting shot the director
tried to make her understand that she had
incurred penalty of fj but he couldn't,
though he bawled it at her until the poor
old thing-perhaps mortified at having
taken so much trouble for nothing; per.
haps frightened at the c0mmotion she
saw, though she didn' thear it-sank back
in her seat ina strong fit of mysteries, and
let ,hillings and sixpences roll out Of her
lap and settle under the seats.
1t seemed to be long time before we
started on again, but | suppose it was
only a six or seven minutes delay after
all. expect | should have waited to
explain the stoppage to the pretty young
girl Of whom considered myself sort of
protector, but, as | said, she was mt the
very opposite end of the train, and waa
IN haste now. There must have been
good laugh in several of the carriages when
the cause Of our stopplge got whispered
about As for me, when got back INTO
my van, solitary as it was, | chuckled
over it until we stopped at Chalk Farm to
take tickets.
1t seemed to me that the train was taken
into custody as soon as it was stopped
there.
"0f course you have the carriage doors
all locked, and I'll go down with you
while you open them one by one. Ny
men are in possession of the platform.
This was said to me by Davis, detcc-
tive officer whom knew pretty well by
now, having had good bit to do with
him about this Warwickshire robbery.
at is no use" said before we started,
the train was searched, as you may say,
at Rugby. Every passenger has under
gone close scrutiny, ! can tell you.
What causes such scientific preparations
for us hereP"
"A telegram received ten minutes ago. !"
he answered. at seems two of the
thieves we are dogging are in this train
in clever disguise. We have had pretty
full particulars, though the discovery
wasn't made until after you left the june. |
ton. Have you nOtc9d"-dropped his
voice little here-"a young lady and
gentleman together IN either carriage2"
| felt bit of an odd catching in my
breath as he spoke. NO." i said, quite
in hurry, mo young lady and gentle.
man belonging together; but there may
be plenty in the train. What ifthere are,
though? There was no young lady or
gentleman among the robberSW
Among the robbers" rejoined Davis,
with suppressed enjoyment, twas a VIC
man who'd make herself into anything;
and you must own that 4 gentleman with |
a dark, long beard isn't bad for lady
known to us pretty well by her thick red |
hair and cut under her lip"
but theyoung lady?" asked, cogitat-
ing this.
"Ah! the young lady, true enough.
Well, what should you say now if | told
you she grew out Of that boy with the |
closely cut, dark hair that we're after"
| remembered the pretty plaits and the |
loose falling hair. remembered the be. |
wilderment in the eyes which usually had
their natural expression, and didn't an
swerthis at all,
81 wish | had as good a chance of |
catching the old fellow as have of catch. |
ing the woman and boy, continued Davis, |
as we moved slowly past the locked lug. |
gage van. 81 know they're here and
| shallrecognize them under any disguise;
but we've no clue yet to the other rascal. |
It's most aggravating that by some means |
we've lost sight of the biggest rogu' of
all. Come along"
| did come along, feeling very stupid |
ly glad that there was all the train to |
search before we could reach that car
riage at the other end, where sat the girl |
whom had in way taken under my
protection.
"When are we to be allowed to leave |
this train, pray Call me 4 cab" said |
the deaf old lady, plaintvely, as we reach
ed her carriage, and found her gazing
out in most evident and utterl Ignorance
Of all that was going on around her.
81 am locked In, Ga'ad. Do you hearP"
| heard, ay, sharp enough. only
wished she could hear me as readily. Da.
Wis stood aside watching while unlocked
her door and helped her down. Then,
seeing her heiplessness and her countless
packages, he beckoned a porter to her,
winking expressively to cali his attention
to possible shilling.