The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-11

floor, whIstling softly, and even by letting
down the window. But even the thrush of
cold air, curling fog, and drizzl1ng rain
produced no effect whatever upon the
figure in the rug Clifford began to feel
that there was something uncanny in this
stolidity; it seemed to him that, since the
moment when he himself climbed into the
carriage, Samuel Pogson had not even
moved. He became alarmed. He felt that
he would rather be overwhelmed with re-
proaches, stuug by the old lawyers sarcas-
tic tongue, than bear this statuesque still
ness and silence in a human being any
longer.
Suddenly the train stopped; signal being
seen to be against it, the brake had had TO
be applied abruptly. Clifford was thrown
forward in his seat. When he recovered
himself he started up with an irrepressible
cry of horror.
Samuel Pogsan had fallen forward on to
the opposite seat, and lay where he had fall
len, without movement.
At first Clifford did not touch him. There
was no need. The body lay so limp, SO in
ert. that the young man knew at once that
he had had for his companion during the
whole journey dead man.
For the first few moments after he had
realized this, when he had touched one hand
and seen it fall heavily, he was too much
rousing himself, and remembering that
Page, the attendant, was in the next car
riage, he decided to call him and also to
summon the guard. The story he had to
tell was sufficiently discriminating, but it
would be better told at once.
The signals being still against the train,
Clifford was able 10 get out on the foot
board without any difficulty, to tap at the
window of the next carriage, and to beckon
to Page. who was one of the occupants.
Recognizing the fact that it would be bet
ter not to give a general alarm, he merely
said 20 the attendant that his master re-
quired his services, opened the door with his
railway key. and helped the man to get from
the one carriage TO the other.
TIE next step Clifford took was on the
whole, an unwise one. Having had the
sense to come to the conclusion that he
would own to his escapade, it would have
been better to own to every detail. But the
of the revolver in his possess
sion darted into his mind and he decided
that this fact would tell too strongly
against him. So seized by panic, he drew
the weapon from under his coat, and flung
it as far as he could from him down the
steep embankment.
Unfortunately this action was witnessed
by the guard, whose approach Clifford's
deafness had prevented his hearing. The
mans attention had been attracted by
the sounds OF doors being opened and shut,
and by the sight Of the two men on the
'ootboard
"Hellol" he cried.
And arriving close under the carriage on
The footboard of which Clifford stood, the
guard flashed his lantern up into the mans
lace
What are you doing out there? And
what's that you've been throwing away,
shin
"I'm deaf" said Clifford, in q voice which
his excitement
Deaf Are your retorted the guard,
none so deaf as those that
Won't hear, they say" he added to himself.
There's a dead man in that carriage"
vent OH Clifford. pointing to the door of
he compartment in which he had been trav-
ling.
"Ow said the guard; you'd better come
n the van along o. me then. There'll be some
questions to be asked"
He seized Clifford's arm with a firm grip,
,ut found him quite unresistirg. At that
moment Page, the attendant, looked out of
he carriage window above, with his wooden
ace contorted with excitement.
"Guardw cried he. Guard! Come
ere-quick. My masters been murdered
" that fellow there He's a discharged
Jerk, and be was threatening my poor mas
er only this afternoon at the Office. He's
obbed him and murdered him. Don't let
iim CO."
I'm not agoing to, never fear"
Windows were being let down, mems
,oices we're asking what was the matter
The guard looked ahead. and saw that the
ignal had been given that the line was
lear.
He jumped up on to the footboard.
glanced into the carriage which was the
Gene OF the tragedy, and saw at once that
he passenger was dead.
'We're going on now. Will you stop in
lereY' began the guard, who had left the
passive Clifford standing on the line.
But Page protested vehemently against
his arrangement. His master was dead,
murdered; he could be of no use; and he
would rather not be left alone With the
BODY. He would rather get into the next
carriage again. the one III which he had
travelled down.
The guard shook his head.
az can't allow that. mustn't lose sight of
you. You must travel in the van with me
and the other chap"
But surely you don't suspect me' How
can you, when-p
II don't. Bless the man! Only we don't
want any more connection than we can
help. The next carriage is half full of pas
questions before we got to Canterbury
Come on"
The guards opinion began to be that
Clifford and Page were confederates, so he
pulled down the blinds of the compartment
In which the body lay, locked the door after
him, and took both men with him into his
van.
Clifford seemed dazed, and was perfectly
quiet; but Page was voluble in his re-
g.r.r, 1Ha Of \
poured a torrent Of abuse so loudly that
Clifford, deaf as he was. lost bat little of it.
The guards opinion began to change. Con-
federates they certainly were not. As
Pages vehemence increased, SO did also the
shame aud confusion of the younger man.
De made no answer; he did not attempt TO
stop the other mans flow of words: a depre-
eating shake of the head from time to time
was all the protest he made. At list Page
asked him direct question.
"Wh hen you called me at the carriage
window" he said, abruptly, "you had re-
volver. | saw IL under your coat. What
have you done with itp
At first Clifford could not answer. He
saw the guard look at him with keen
glance of fresh Intelligence and suspicion.
de seemed to feel the rope round his neck
Page repeated bis question more dlctatori-
ally.
The guard came close to Clifford, and
spoke in his turn, loudly in the unfortunate
mans ear.
"Was il the revolver that saw you throw
away. Ell" he asked.
Clifford raised lis head
Il had a revolver, it squite true, " he said,
hoarsely. And threw it away. But I
never used IL. IL | had used it it would
have been on myseif-at least, | think SC. -
he added, slowly, almost sta.nnering.