Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-05-27

face in there alone, and 1 could see
that he was making up his mind to
Join her, but he seemed doing it in
most careless and languid manner. He
was no gentleman for that reason, [
said to myself, yet his dress was hand
some. and the hand that played with
his long, dark beard was small and
fashionably gloved. CHANGING still into
the far corner Of that one first-class
compartment, he fingered until the last
moment was come, then quite leisurely
he walked up TO the door, opened it,
entered the carriage, and in an instance
the door was banged behind him.
Without the least hesitation | went up
to the window, and stood near it while
the lamp was fitted in the compart-
ment. The gentleman was standing up
within, drawing on a dark overcoat;
| the young lady in the distant corner
was looking from the window as if even
the half darkness was better TO look at
than this companion. Mortified a
good deal at the failure of my scheme
| for her comfort, I went on to my van,
beside which the detective waited for
| me.
"No CO." you see, he muttered cross
ly, "and yet it seemed to me so likely
that they'd take this train"
II don't see how it should seem like
ly," [ answered, for [ hadn't gone with
him in the idea. cit 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 polio watch with double
suspicion"
Doesn't it?" he echoed, with most
satirical 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 isn'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 ?
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 police?"
| didn't tell him what sort of train
| 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 coed deal how these thieves
could arrange their getting away while
| the walls were covered with descrip-
ton of them, and every official on the
lipe 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
knaves land | do believe the greater
dexterity is generally on the knavish
side;) and so it was odd that the de-
scription still was ineffective, and the
offered reward unclaimed. read over
and over again the bill in my pocket
which described the robbers: cd
ward Carpen, alias Captain Walker,
alias John Pearson, alias DR.. Grow; a
thickset, active man, of middle height,
and about so years of age, with thick
iron-gray hair and whiskers, dark gray
eyes. and an aquiline nose. Mary
Carpon, his wife, a tall woman of 40,
with a handsome, fair face, quantity
of very red hair, and a cut across her
under lip. Edware Carpon, their son,
a slightly built youth of not more than
Is or 16" though, for the matter of
that, think he had cunning enough
for twice his age) with closely-cut black
hair, light, gray eyes and delicate fea-
lures"
We all knew this description well
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 oil
them.
I was soon tired of this subject, and
went back to worrying myself about the
sad looking, yellow-haired 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 L kept on
thinking other, until, as we were dash,
ing almost like lightning through the
wind and darkness, only fifteen OF
twenty minutes from Chalk Farm, the
bell in my van rang ont with a sharp
: and sudden summons. | never won.
dered for moment who had pulled
the cord. Instinctively / knew, and
1t was the carriage farthest from my
van. | left my place almost breathless
ly as the engine slackened speed, and
Fastening along the foot board, hesitateG
at no window until | reached the one
from which felt quite sure that a
frightened young face would be look
ing out. My heart literally beat in
dread as [ stopped and looked out into
the carriage. What did I see? Only
the two passengers buried in their sep.
arate corners. The young lady raised
her head from the book she held, and
and looked up at me astonished,-
chlldlshly and wonderinglY astonish.
ed.
"Has anything happened to the
train?" she asked, timidly.
The gentleman reused himself lei
surel y from the seemingly snug nap
What on earth has stopped us in this
holeY' he said, rising, and pushing his
handsome face and his long beard past
me at the 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 | fell
convinced to the contrary; and went
along the footboard to the other car
riages very much more slowly than ]
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 rensnns