The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-24

mas gone with the gentleman VINO Or
dered it.
at is a liev said. Il ordered the
train and ordered it in person. Surely
you ought to remember me?"
It 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 4 do not
know that l should recollect the gen
tleman who ordered the train 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 Il likeness
1.-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 a rider on horse
| back came gathering up. Immediately
he saw me he refined in and dismount-
ed. Saluting respectfully. he said:
| "'IIer majesty has dispatched me
after yon. 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 l did not take the
document from him. looked down and
saw the handouts.
"'NVhat 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
1T was the work Of but Il 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 Mt 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
| = 70 fol- nh
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 had!
} inquired of the station master, who
was by this time worked up into q
: frenzy Of excitement.
! ".No, sir he said, but there is al
engine at your service if you would no
mind making the journey in that Sh'
is very fast and will do the journey NJ
we'll within thirty minutes.
"What time will the special take!
"'Fifty eight minutes he replied.
"'And how much start has she!
! "'Twenty five minutes
, ""Then we ought to catch up will
J. her. l replied.
"'JuSt about. sir. You might some
where the other side of Richmond if tn
,. engineer pushes the engine all he can.
" "'Thcn bring her alongside ut once,
- said And within two minutes we wer
! off, the detectives also being on board.
= II stepped up to the side of the e1
:. gneer.
" Now said to him as we got clea
Of the station, it is worth EDO to 20
and 40 to the fireman if we draw
with that special before Waterloo
reached
81 will do my best said the drive
and, turning to his mate, he directe
him to pile all the fuel possible on tt
fire.
1.-THE plates grew redhot with IL
fiercencss of the furnace that roart
Within and on we went at speed sue
as | never Travelled before and hoy
never to travel again. That engine to-
over the rails like Il demon possessed
demons. and we chung breathlessly
the iron ledge before us.
AS we approached Staincs the dete
4 tive drew out notebook and still elm
q ing with the hand with which he he
VI the book to his support. scrawled wi
Fl the other hand rough message.
= ran thus:
"Station Master. Staines:
-i WIRE Twickenham to stop special ira
~ ahead
-4 He had hardly finished writing VIII
we clattcrcd through Staincs static
An official was on the platform. and
WI him the detective threw n small silly
III matchbox containing the message.
~ 1.-The moon had risen, and we S;
n trees and banks and telegraph po
MIN flashing past us like continuous strea
l49 "Through Asford and Feltham