Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1903-12-01

| There was train waiting, but that
has gone with the gentleman who or
dered it.
ut is liep said. I ordered the
train and ordered it in person. Surely
! you ought to remember mer"
, 1t was the misfortune of the major
to have an unmistakable limp. This it
was that made him so certain that the
station master would not mistake him.
Well, SIR said the official I do not
know that l should recollect the gen
tleman who ordered the trSan any more
than that he limped very badly, and
that was what made me so positive
about the gent who has gone off in the
special, for he limped as If his leg was
broken-a more real limp than the one
| see you are putting on for the occa-
sion. In other respects the gent who
has just gone off and you are very
much of likeness
"The two officers seized me by either
shoulder and began to urge me for
ward out of the station. AS we
marched into the road rider on horse
back came Gathering up. Immediately
he saw me he refined in and dismount-
ed. Saluting respectfully, he said:
Her majesty has dispatched me
after you, sir, in the hope that should
catch the train and commands that you
present this document also with the
others you have in your possession
THE detectives were staggered, and
the man. finding that did not take the
document from him. looked down and
saw the handouts.
"'What does this mean? he said to
the detectives.
"'It means, interrupted, that l
have been arrested by mistake for
some criminal who, owing to likeness,
pretended or real, to me has gained
possession of my special train to Lon
don and is now making good his es-
cape
at was the work Of but brace of
seconds for the detectives to release
my hands, muttering apologies the
while. | unbuttoned my coat, showed
them my credentials and the document
with the royal seal on it and demanded
to know, now that they had success
fully interfered with the transaction of
the queens business through their
laundering idiocy, whether they were
prepared to set me at liberty.
THE men were overwhelmed with
the seriousness of the fault of which
they had been guilty, and their con-
sternation was not decreased by the
knowledge that the real criminal was
speeding away at the rate of fifty
miles an hour toward London. The
first thing to do was to telegraph for
the fugitive train to be stopped at
| Staines. but the detective who hurried
off to do this came flying back with the
| intelligence that the wire had been cut
about four miles out of Windsor.
"'Is there another special to be hadT
l inquired Of the station master, who
was by this time worked up into a
frenzy of excitement.
"'No, SIR he said, but there is an
engine at your service If you would not
mind making the journey In that. She
is very fast and will do the journey up
well within thirty minutes.
|
'Fifty-eight minutes he replied.
"'And how much start has she?'
-" Twenty minutes
"'Then we ought to catch up with
her. replied.
"'Just about, sir. You might some
where the other side of Richmond if the
engineer pushes the engine all he cam
"'Then bring her alongside at once l
said And within two minutes we were
off. the detectives also being on board.
Il stepped DIP to the side of the en-
gineer.
Now I'said to him as we got clear
of the station, it is worth ego to you
and f10 to the fireman if we draw up
with that special before Waterloo is
reached
81 will do my best said the driver,
| and, turning to his mate, he directed
him to pile all the fuel possible on the
fire.
1.-THE plates grew redhot with the
6erceness of the. furnace that roared
within, and on we went at speed such
as | never travelled before and hope
never to travel again. That engine tore
over the gals like demon possessed of
demons, and we chung breathlessly to
the iron ledge before us.
"As we approached Staines the detec-
tive drew out notebook and, still cling
ing with the hand with which he held
the book to his support. scrawled with
the other hand rough message. 1t
ran thus:
station Master Staines:
'wire Twickenham to stop special train
| ahead.
"He had hardly finished writing when
we clattered through Staines station.
An official was on the platform, and at
him the detective threw small silver
matchbox containing the message.
"The moon had risen, and we saw
trees and banks and telegraph poles