Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-09-14

.or a considerable distance don think
there ia, b-u much delay"
VIII all the pas~enSers come hack by
this train asked Ralph.
'les. sir"
I'VE viii wait.T said Ralph; and he
went ami paced up and down the most
deserted part Of the platform. The man
followed him with his eyes.
Anxious about friends, sir" he asked
Charles.
Yes" | heard Charles say rs | went
III Ia warm myself by the waiting room
ire. keeping sharp lookout for the ar
.ivGl of In. train. When | came out
-une time later. wondering If II Were
.ver. going u arrive NJ all, found
Charles AM the man in black walking
II and down together, evidently in
ernest conversation. When | Joined
.hs.n they c,aScl talking Il never can
imagine way people generally do when
come upl. aui the latter said that he
would make inquiry at the booking
dice. and LETT us.
who i that man. asked.
"IIlw should | know said Charles
lhsaa.ly. he slys h has been a Lon
lon detective till Just Lately, but he Is
an inspector of police now. Wcll:' as
the man returned.
Booking can'tremcmber, sir; but
the clerk ut the telegraph Office remem-
bers young lady leaving telegram
last night, to be sent on first thing this
| morning"
Has it been s,nt yeti"
"Yes. sir; some time"
"Whpre was it sent to-
THAT is against the rules, sir. The
clerk has no right to give information.
| Anyhow it is as good as certain from
what You say that the party was in the
/ train, and II. all events You will not be
kept in doubt much longer" and he
pointed to the long exp cted puff of
! white smoke in the direction i'll which
! all eyes had been so anXiously turned.
| The train came slowly round broad
curve and crawled into the station.
Ralph had come up. and his eyes Were
/ fixed intently upon il. The hand he laid
on Charles arm shook little rs he whis-
pered in a hoarse voice:
Il must speak to her alone before any
thing is said"
"You shall" replied Charles. AMI he
moved forward little and waitel for
the passengers to alisht. felt that any
chance of escape which lay in GLIDING
those keen light eyes would be small in
deed
Then ensuad scene of confusion. a
babel of tongues, as the passengers
poured out upon the platform. "Wnat
was the meaning Of it ALI" holly de-
manded an infuiated little man before
he was well ont of the carriage Why
had train been allowed to start if it
was to be overturned by snow drifs:
What had the company been about not
to make itself aware OF the state of the
line: What did the railway officials
mean by-etC., etc.
But he was not going to put up with
such scandalous treatment, He should
cause an inquiry to be made: he should
write to The Times; he should-m short.
he behaved like true Enylishman in
adverse circumstances, ana poured forth
abuse like water. Others followed
some angry, some silent, all cold and
miserable \ stout woman in black who
had been sent for to dying child was
weeping aloud: IA daz2d man with bound
up head and terrified wife were pounced
upon Immediately by eXpectant friend:
and borne off with voluble sympathy.
One or two people slightly hurt were
helped ont after the others. The train
was emptied at last. Aurelia was not
there. Charles went down the length Of
the train, looking into each carriage, ant
len came back, answering Ralph
glance with a shake of the head The
man in black, who seemed to have beer
watching him. came up.
Have all come back by this train?
Charles asked.
"All, sir eXcept"-and he hesitated-
except a few. The doctor who wen
has not returned, and the guard say
there We're some of the passengers badl,
hurt-that he would not allow to b
moved from the farm when the trail
: came for them. The engine driver an,
/ one or two others were"-
Charles made a sign to him to be 81
lent.
How far is it, he asked.
"Twenty miles, sir"
l care the roads practicable"
"No sir. At least they would be yer
uncertain once you got into the lanes ."
u I'VE can walk along the line" sal
Ralph. THAT must be clear. Let u
y start at once"
; Gould not the station master send u
: down on an engine:" asked Charles
I'VE would pay well for it. "
- The police inspector shook his head
!, but Charles went off to inquire never
theless, and he followed him. though
!. him very pushing, inquisitive kind c
Il person. | have always had great dis
like to the idle curiosity which is cor
tinually prying into the concerns {
others. Ralph and l walked up an
; down, up and down the now deserte
> platform. spoke to him once or twice
y but he hardly answered, and after
y time gave it up and we paced insilenc,
y AT last Charles returned His reque:
: for an engine had been refused, but
. further relay Of worlmen was being SCI
down the line in a couple of hours tim
and he had obtained leave for himse
l. and us to go with them. After tw
long, interminable hours of that eve
D lasting pacing we found ourselves in Il
- open truck, full of workmen, steamin
y slowly out Of the station. AT the la
- moment the man in black jumped in an
!, accompanied us.
IL Tho 1,,,+ ,