The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-05

! theieSs, IL was my duty TO exercise every
precaution, and so declined cigar which
he offered me shortly after the train had
started, and presently some brandy and
water which he had in flask. thought
he seemed little hurt at nv not accept
ing either the cigar or the brandy, but he
! kept on chatting quite pleasantly, telling
me anecdotes OF the stock exchange, and
| about a very eccentric old gentleman who
was client of his firm. and whom he was
going to Rugby TO see on their behalf.
Once or twice 1 was on the point of asking
! him the name of his firm, as he did not
mention il, but / refrained somehow,
owing TO feeling of delicacy. Thus he
made himself so agreeable during the two
hours run down to Rugby that / felt
| quite sorry as the time approached for
/ parting with him.
"Well, the oldest and dearest friends
! must part at last" he SAID laughingly, as
the train was running into the station.
Then, taking out his cigar-case again, he
selected cigar for himself and was about
| to put the case back in his pocket, when,
as If by an afterthought, he offered it to
me. saying:
"These are really very good; do try
| one"
l could not very we'll refuse second
time without giving otfense. Besides,
there was no longer any ground for sus-
picion, as he was going to leave the car
risge in few seconds. So / took q cigar
and lighted it just as we came alongside
the platform of Rugby junction.
There is hardly time to ask you to have
drink" he said, as he was going out of
the carriage. Stay, though; here is the
guard he'll mind the carriage while We
e, - NJ
Well, perhaps you are right. Goodbye,
I'll see you in London in a dav or two
Guard, you'll see that no one else gets
into this compartment. Goodbye again. 3"
He had scarcely left the door when the
guard said: BOX all right, sir?"
"Yes," | said, putting my hand under
the seat to feel that it was there As
did so the guard turned his lantern on it
to satisfy himself that it was safe. Hav-
ing done this, he shut the door and went
away.
He had not been gone more than a
minute when, to my great annoyance, a
stout, elderly man got into the compart-
ment and sat down at the far end OF the
seat on which was sitting. He had no
luggage OF any kind, and hardly looked
ike the kind of men who are accustomed
to travel first-class.
DO you object to my smoking?"
asked
''Not at ALL though 1 don't smoke NY
sell" said the stranger; seems wasteful
habit. One-half of the population, /
think, spend as much on cigars and to-
bacco as would feed and clothe the other
halt"
This answer, rather ungracious though
II was, treasured me, and eliminated any
little mistrust might have felt toward my
companion. 1t was not, / thought. the
kind OF remark a thief would be likely to
make. The speaker, to judge from his
rather brusque manner and HARDEST face
was probably a manufacturer of some
sort.
sim sorry / was away when, that gen.
tleman got in, sir, the guard whispered
to me through the window just before the
train started.
ooh, it was all right" replied, and i'm
mediately afterward we began to move
out of the station.
For a few minutes I tried to engage the
stranger IN conversation, but gradually
desisted, as he seemed rather taciturn,
and, owing 10 the noise of the train
and the distance between US, it was neces-
sary to shout in order to make ones self
heard
Then I lay back in my seat. quietly
putting my cigar and meditating about a
young lady whom had visited that even
ing before l left Brixton. We should
want, let me see-to keep house-the
cigar was very strong-I threw it away
we should want-my reckoning was very
cOnfused-I seemed to forget the figures
directly | had thought Of them-how dark
the carriage was!
1t was broad Daylight The stranger
was running over green fields with the
strong box, which he carried as lightly IN
bis hands as If it were only feathers
weight. ! was trying TO pursue him, but
nv limbs seemed as if they were half
paralvzed. / could hardly move nv legs;
at last sank powerless IN the soft grass,
whilst he disappeared over stiIe. As
lay there two policemen seized hold of my
arms, and raising me from the ground,
half led, half carried me to police station,
whittier we were followed, as soon as we
got on the high road, by a noisy crowd.
What is the matter ?" l exclaimed, as
We assembled the steps of the station
house. What have L done that you are
bringing me here?"
the constables. "You and your friend
Mr.. Hill are a nice little pair" Merciful
heavens. was charged with being an
accomplish in the robbery of the strong
boxi
They led me through a long white
washed passage and pushed me into a mar
row cell. The gloomy walls swan about
me as staggered to a seat on which l
sank unconscious. How long this state of
Inconsistencies lasted / could not saw,
when suddenly / was awakened by what
seemed to be a roar of thunder. Instant
~ sprang to my feet, but as did so |
was thrown back again on the seat bv
what seemed like the throes Of an earth
quake. The whole place was in motion.
The seat was softly cushioned, a lamp
was shining from the ceiling, and
il was quite dark without. What
did it mean2 1t must have taken me
about quarter Of minute to realize that
bad only been dreaming, and that | was
in my compartment of the train, which
was rushing along at the rate of fifty or
sixty miles an hour. What time was it?
looked at my watch. Ten minutes past
2 We had just left Crewe, and in another
hour or so we should be at Marlborough.
But my companion-the strange man who
got in at Rugby-where was he? Good
heavens, he had gone! Must have got out
OF the train at either Stafford or Crewe.
And / fell asleep-though l was in charge
of f22,O00. y pretty sort of fellow TO be
intrusted with the care of such sum
What would Mr.. Andrews (our manager)
or Mr.. Smith say If they heard of such a
thing? The box! l felt with my hand
under the seat. Yes, thank God, it was