The citizen., 1910-01-28

.h.re of odd experiences, and we
.row ease-hardened in time. But
thore was one occasion when / un-
consciously played a queer part in a
n;g affair. and whenever l travel on
this line the circumstances come
v;vidlv before my minds eye, and I
ernerience a strange feeling of ner-
xousness which, try as I will, can
not overcome.
It happened one night in Decem-
ber. a good many years ago, when l
p&as young on the road. 1 was travel
ing by the evening train from Euston
.n catch the midnight boat at Liver
pool for Belfast.
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
sigh of relief, settled myself down in
a corner and prepared to enjoy cigar
AuQ Iu0 ldLCoL SkCAlAS popCl.
Before starting to read l took
look at my fellow passengers, for l
have always been fond of a chat, and
can generally spot likely talker at
once. However, there was little pros
pect of anything of the kind, for
both were middle-aged men of re-
served appearance, who would hardly
deign to notice a youngster like my
self. The one opposite to me,
clean-shaven man with professional
air, was buried in his paper; while
the other was lying back in the far
corner with his cap over his eyes,
smoking a big cigar, and apparently
half asleep.
We had got as far as Rugby with
lout word being spoken, when / sud-
denly felt my foot logged in Pc
culiar way, and, looking up, met the
keen glance of my professional-look-
ing neighbor.
Excuse me, sir" said he, with an
odd smile. would you mind ex-
changing papers? 1 see you have ex-
hausted yours"
Certainly" said I, slightly sur
prised, and we swapped accordingly,
while he gave my toe another warn
ing kick.
Imagine my astonishment when
saw penciled on the margin of his
paper these words:
Keep calm. I'm Scotland Yard
wn0n Our fo11our fTova1ar ic purp
Bide-you know who. Warrant fo;-
his arrest waits me at Liverpool; BIZ,
may have to secure him before we
reach there. Rely on your assistance
ii necessary. Speak to me in refresh
ment room, Stafford.
Of course ] knew who Burnside
was-everybody did then. You may
remember he was Lord IS secre-
tary, who absconded with her lady
chips diamonds, and made big stir
at the time, though the affair was
hushed up afterwards.
was pretty cool in those days, and
I read the words over again before
j permitted myself to take peep at
the redoubtable Burnside himself. He
was still smoking lazily, and was evil
IDENTIFY unconscious of the proximity
of danger. For a week he had eluded
capture, and the last item of news
was that the police were still working
on clue some days old. The very
paper l held contained a paragraph
to that effect carefully marked in
pencil by my detective friend.
You may guess l was terribly eX-
gifted by the time we reached Stafford,
! where five minutes stop was made;
and no sooner had the train pulled
up than | pocketed the paper contain
ing the strange message, and hurried
on to the refreshment room
A minute later the detective joined
me, lounging up in a careless style.
Don't look round he said; hes
over there at the coffee counter. If
he suspects anything he'll bolt. He's
expecting some one at Crewe, fancy,
for he sent wire from the telegraph
office at Euston to a party there, and
overheard the clerk asking him
about some figures in the telegram
1854. they were
Why, that's the number of our
compartment" / said.
Exactly. It's sure to be a message
telling some one to meet him, and, if
SO, the pair of them may give me
trouble at Liverpool.
What do you mean to do, them"
Collar him as soon as we start
from here, strap him up, shove him
under the seat, and when his precious
accomplice arrives at Crewe I'll pitch
yarn to him about his friend being
in another part of the train. Then
he'll board the train, and at Liver
pool the police can formally arrest
my prisoner, while follow the other
chap to see what the game is. You
see, don't know which of them has
the booty, and that's the main thing
we're after
But supposing some other pasen-
gers have already entered our COM
partment?"
They can't. I've made it all right
with the guard. Times nearly up;
better get back. / must buy couple
OF straps. You'll help, if necessary"
of course" said l, for the affair
was greatly to my liking.
We were just about to start when
Burnside, who had settled down in
mis- corner, suddenly rose and thrust