Middletown transcript., 1900-10-27
Caught the Wrong Man
By F. Young.

NES, we commercial travellers have
our fair share of odd experiences
and we grow case-hardened in time
But there was one occasion when un'
consciously played queer part in
big affair, and whenever l travel OF
this line circumstances come vividlJ
before my minds eye, and I experience
a strange feeling of nervousness which
try as l will, cannot overcome.
1t happened one night in December
good many years ago, when l was
young on the road. was travelling by
the evening train from Euston to catch
the midnight boat at Liverpool for Bel
fast.
arrived at the terminus on the
stroke of the hour, and barely had time
to get my ticket and fling myself and
bag into. second smoker before the
train moved off.
There were only two other passen-
gers in the compartment. occupying
the ends of the same seat; so, with q
sigh of relief, I settled myself down in
corner and prepared to enjoy a cigar
and the latest evening paper.
Before starting to read took look
at my fellow-passengers, for have al
ways been fond of chat, and can gen
orally spot likely talker at once How
ever, there was little prospect of any
thing of the kind, for both were mid
dle-aged men of reserved appearance,
who would hardly deign to notice a
youngster like myself. The one oppo-
site to me, clean-shaved. man with a
professional air, was buried in his pa
per; while the other was lying back in
the far corner with his cap over his
eyes, smoking big cigar, and appar-
emily half asleep.
We had got as far as Rugby without
word being spoken, when l suddenly
felt my foot jagged in a peculiar way
and looking up met the keen glance
Of my professional neighbor.
: Excuse me, sir" said he, with an odd
smile. would you mind exchanging
papers? I see you have exhausted
yours.
Certainly" said I, slightly sur
prised, and we swapped accordingly.
while, he gave my toe another warning
kick
Imagine my establishment when I
sawpenciled on the margin of his paper
these words:
keep calm. I'm a Scotland Yard
man. Our beilow-traseler is Burnside
you know who. Warrant for his ar
rest waits me at Liverpool; but NAV
have to secure him before we reach
there. Rely on your. assistance if nee
essary. Speak to. me in refreshments
room. Stafford"
""Of conrseI knew who Burnside was
everybody did then. You may remem-
Der he was Lord As secretary. who
abscended with her ladyship's dia-
monds,and made a big stir at the time.
though the affair was hushed up after
wards.
l was pretty cool in those days. and
I read the words over and over again
before I, permitted myself to take a,
peep at the redoubtable Burnside him.
SELF. He, was still smoking lazily, and
was evidently unconscious of the
proximity of danger. For week he
had eluded capture, and the last item.
of news was that the police were still
working on .clew some days old. The
very paper I held contained a para
graph to that effect very carefully
marked in pencil by my detective
friend.
You may guess was terribly ex-
cited by the time we reached Stafford.
where five minutes stop was made:
and no sooner had the train pulled up
than l pocketed the paper containing
the strange message, and hurried off
to the efreshment-room. "A minute
later the detective joined me, loung-
ing up>in careless style.
+. 'sDon't look round" he said: she's
over there at the coffee counter. If
he suspects anything he'll bolt. He's
expecting someone at Crewe, 1 fancy.
for he sent wire from the telegram
office at Euston to a party there, and
1 overheard the clerk asking him about
some figures in the telegram, 1854.
they were"
"Why, that's the number of ons
compartment" said I.
You're a deep one; but not deep
enough he went on. "Just fetch out
my friend there, and undo him. Mind,
no tricksl"
. l. obeyed, in kind of stupor, and
presently Burnside was sitting up on
the opposite seat rubbing his brow in.
a dazed manner.
@Are you all right. Barker ?'' said the
bearded man, still keeping his revolver
pointed at me.
"Ohl you've come. Burt" said Burn
side, recovering his senses. Have
they got clean away?"
'sWe've nabbed one of them; but not
the one we want.
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