River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-05-27

him in the idea. 1T doesn't seem to
me very likely that three such skillful
thieves as you are lodging, who did
their work in the neighborhood so clev-
erly two nights ago, should leave the
station any night by the very train
which the police watch with double
suspicion"
Doesn't it?" he echoed, with a most
satrical knowingness. Perhaps you
haven't yet got it clear in your mind
how they will leave the town, for it's
sure enough, too, for this lsn't the sort
of place they'll care to hide in longer
than necessary. Well, what's the
hardest place for us to track them in /?
London. And what's the easiest
place for them to get on sea from P
London. Then, mutually enough, to
London they'll want to go. Isn't this
fast train, and shouldn't you choose
fast train if you were running away
from the police2'
didn't tell him what sort of train
l should chose, because | hadn't quite
made up my mind; and he was locking
cross enough for anything in that last
glimpse caught of him.
Having nothing better to do, won
dered 4 coed deal how these thieves
could arrange their getting away while
the walls were covered with a descrip-
ton of them, and every official on the
lire WAS up in it. There was no doubt
about their being three very dexterous
knaves; but then our detective force was
very dexterous, too, though they weren't
In Il Ill h. 10
dexterity IS generally on the knavish
side;) and so it was odd that the de-
scripti0n still was ineffective, and the
offered reward unclaimed. read over
and over again the bill in my pocket
which described the robbers: "Ei-
ward Carpen, alias Captain Walker,
alias John Pearson, alias DR.. Grow; a
thickset, active man, of middle height,
and about 80 years of age, with thick
iron-gray hair and whiskers. dark gray
eyes, and an aquiline nose. Mary
Carpou, his wife, tall woman of 40,
with a handsome, fair face, a quantity
of very red hair, and cut across her
under lip. Edware Carpon, their son,
slightly-built youth of not more than
Is or 16" Though, for the matter of
that, think he had cunning enough
for twice his sge) with closely-cut black
hair, light, gray eyes and delicate fea-
lures"
We all knew this description we'll
enough, and for two days had kept our
eyes open, hoping to identity them
among the passengers. But our scru-
tiny had all been in vain; and as the
train rushed on, felt how disappointed
the police at Euston would be when we
arrived again without even tidings of
them.
l was soon tired of this subject, and
went back to worrying myself about the
sad looking, yellow-baired girl who had
so evidently wished to travel alone, and
had been SO successfully fooled in the
attempt by that intrusive fop with the
handsome beard. Foolishly kept on
thinking of her, until, as we were dash
ing almost like lightning through the
wind and darkness, only fifteen or
twenty minutes from Chalk Farm, the
bell in my van rang out with a sharp
and sudden summons. / never won
dered for moment who had pulled
the cord. Instinctively | knew, and
it was the carriage farthest from my
van. ] LETT my place almost breathless-
ly as the engine slackened speed, and
Fastening along the foot board, hesitated
at no window until reached the one
from which l felt quite sure that n
frightened young face would be look
ing out. My heart literally beat in
dread as stopped and looked out into
the carriage. What did l see? Only
the two passengers buried in their sep
arate corners. The young lady raised
her head from the book she held, and
and locked up at me astonished.-
childishfg and wonderingly astonish-
ed.
"Has anything happened to the
train?" she asked. timidly.
The gentleman reused himself lei
surely from the seemingly snug nap.
"What ON earth has stopped us in this
handsome face and his long beard past
me at tine window.
1t was ouly too evident that the alarm
had not been given from this carriage;
yet the feeling had been such certain
ty to me. that it was long before felt
convinced to the contrary; and l went
along the footboard to the other car
riages very much more slowly than I
had gone to the first one. Utter dark
ness surrounded us outside, but from
the lamp-lit compartments eager heads
were thrust; searching for the reasons
of this unexpected stoppage. No one
owned to having summoned me until
reached that second class carriage near
my own van (which I had FASTENED
past bef0re), where the fidgetty, deaf
old lady who had amused me at Rugby
sat alone. / had no need to lJok IN
and question her. Her head was quite
out of the window, and, though she had
her back to the light, and couldn't see
her face. her voice was cool enough to
show that she was not oyerpowered by
| fear.
what time you've been comingp
she said where is it?'
where's what?'
But though l yelled the question
with all my might and main, believe
might just as hopefully have ques-
toned the telegraph post which
could dirnly see beside us, and have
expected an answer along the wire.
"Where's the small luncheon has
ket?' she inquired, pulling out hel
long purse with great fustian. GA small
luncheon basket, my good man, make
haste"
Shall / ever forget the sharp expect
| ancy of the old lady's eyes as they
looked into mine, first over, then under
then through her glittering gold-rimmed
| spectacles? What surprised me most
| particularly was the fact of her decided
ly being, as any one might suppose, 8
raving lunatic.
BE q,sick with the small luncheon
basket, please" she said, resignedly
sitting down, and pouring the contents
of her purse into her lap, / am as
| hungry as | can be-"
| suppose that when she looked up a.
me from the silver she was counting
she saw my utter bewilderment-I did
not try to make her hear, for knew il
| to be suseless-for she raised her voice
suddenly to shrill pitch of peevish
ness, and pointed one hand to the wal
| of the carriage.
Look here! Don't it say Small
| luncheon baskets. Pull down the cord !?
want small luncheon basket, so
pulled down the cord. Make haste gel
it me, or I'll report you to the man
ayers"
Seeing now that she was almost as
blind as she was deaf began to under
stand what she meant. On the spot &c
l uhinb sba ,Noiptpd over tho scat 0OpO-