The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-10-30
THEiNSPE6TOR'S CLEW.

ATE one night / stood on the plat
form of certain London terminus,
awaiting the arrival of the Midland ex-
press. had received orders from head
quarters to shadow the leader of a
notorious gang of "smashers," andas the
gentleman in question was expected to
arrive in London by the 11:45, 1 lit my
pipe and placed myself in a position
qualified to permit of a close scrutiny of
every passenger quitting the train.
Presently the headlight of the engine
swung round the bend, and the express
slowed into the station. The next in
slant all was hustle and confusion. For
quarter of an hour or more stood
there, until the clatter of the departing
oassengersha had thinned down to isolated
footsteps, and only the railway en-
ployes and myself remained.
was disappointed; the face l had
locked for was missing, the man whose
presence l had expected had not APP
peared. The porters were now busy
upon their inspection of the vacated car
riages, and was inwardly remarking
upon the particularly deserted aspect
of the station, when cry, followed by
The sound of running feet behind me,
struck my ear. l wheeled round. A
porter with white face and eyes start
ing with horror dashed by me. He re-
turned minute or two later with the
station master, to whom was known
officially.
Come along, Inspector Dombey," he
said, as he hurried by. followed him
Immediately.
Under the porter's guidance we trav-
ersed half the length of the platform,
and drew up suddenly before second
class carriage, into which the porter
silently pointed. / looked in. On the
floor lay a man, and along the floor in
thin stream, collected in a pool in
one particular spot, was blood.
The man lay there with his legs
sprawled apart, his arms flung out limp
ly on either side, his hands tightly
clenched; no twitch, no movement. I
struck match and stopped down. The
light CLEANED DULY in the CHASTITY
patch. but revealed no trace of any
thing in the shape of clew.
For moment or two peered about,
ON and under the seats, when, Just as
the match became a mere glowing
splinter, I caught sight of dark object
lying In a corner. 1t was newspaper,
green-covered weekly, rolled up tight
ly in the form of ball. Islipped it into
my pocket, and, giving orders to few
in the little crowd that had already coll
lected, I stepped out onto the platform,
while sturdy arms lifted the body and
conveyed it to the waiting-room. Leav-
ing the carriage to be locked and un-
coupled followed.
The deceased was well dressed, but
his clothes were of foreign make and
appearance. In his pockets / found
gold and notes to large amount, but
not scrap Of paper likely to aid his
Identification. Even his railway ticket
was missing.
The doctor, on his arrival. very
promptly pronounced life extinct. and
pointing to bluish-red stab over the
region of the heart, and slight in
cision under the left shoulder blade.
added: "a clean drive of the knife like
that speaks for ITSELF"
In due course the body was conveyed
TO the mortuary, there to await identi-
tication and inquest. On examining the
paper found in the carriage i made a
CHASTITY discovery. Upon the pages
were strange streaks, varying in color
from a dull coppery brown to bright
crimson-blood, undoubtedly. In .