Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-08
CHAPTER XIX.
The Midnight Train.

CHAPTER XIX.
The Midnight Train.
The enormity Of suspecting Philip
Crawford was so great, tony mind. that
1 went at once to the district attorneys
ONCE for consultation with him.
Mr.. Goodrich listened to what had to
say, and then, when I waited for COM
ment. said, quietly:
do you know. Mr.. Burroughs. I have
thought all along that Philip Crawford
was concealing something. but I didn't
think. and don't think now. that he has
any guilty secret Of his own. rather
fancied he might know something that II
told, would be detrimental to Miss Lloyd 8
cause
''It may be co." returned. but I can't
see how that would make him conceai
the fact Of his having been on that late
train Tuesday night Why, / discussed
with him the possibility Of Halls coming
out on It. and it would have been only
natural to say he was on it and dion I
see Hail.
''Unless he did see him." remarked the
district attorney.
Yes: there's that possibility. He may
be shielding Hall for Miss Lloyd's sake
Lets 80 to see him." suggested Mr..
Goodrich. II believe in the immediate
following up Of any idea we may have
It was about in the afternoon. an
hour when We were likely to find MI
once. and on reaching his house we were
told that Mr.. Randolph was with him in
the library. but that he would see us. so
to the library we went and found Mr..
Crawford ana his lawyer hard at work
on the papers Of the Joseph Crawford es-
Perhaps 1t was imagination. but I
thought detected q look Of apprehension
on Philip Crawford's face as we entered.
but he greeted US in his pleasant, simple
way, and asked US to be seated.
ITO come right to the point. Mr.. Craw-
ford" saad the district attorney, Mr..
Burroughs and I are still searching Tor
new light on the tragedy OF your broth
er's death. And now Mr.: Burroughs
which may help him in his quest"
Philip Crawford looked straight at me
with his piercing eyes. and 1t seemed to
me that he Strengthened himself, as Tor
an expected blow.
Yves, Mr.. Burroughs" he said. cour-
teously. What is 1t you want to ask?
So plain and Straightforward was his
manner that I decided to be equally d.
rect
train from New York last Tuesday
II did" he replied. in even tones.
while on the train did you sit behind
a lady who left e gold bag in the seat
when h a.; she e got out7''
Did you pick up that bag and take II
a% y d, %ish your
Then. Mr.. Crawford. as that is the
er's ONCE. I think you owe q more de-
tailed exclamation
To say that the lawyer and the district
attorney. who heard these questions and
answers. were astounded, ,is putting It
too mildly. They were almost paralyzed
with surprise and dismay.
To hear these condemning assertions
straight from the lips Of the man they
incriminated was startling indeed.
You are right" said Philip Crawford:
Il do owe an explanation. and shall
give 1t here and now"
Although what he was going to say
was doubtless q confession. Mr.. Craw-
ford's face showed an unmistakable ex-
who had borne q terrible secret around
with him for the past week and was now
glad that he was about to impart 1t to
some one else.
He spoke very gravely. but with no fall
tering or hesitation.
This is q solemn confession he said.
turning to his lawyer. land is made to the
district attorney. with yourself and Mr..
Burroughs as witnesses"
Mr.. Randolph bowed his head in &C.
knowledgment Of this formal statement.
II am q criminal in the eyes Of the
law" said Mr.. Crawford, in an imper-
sonal tone, which I knew he adopted to
hide any emotion he might feel. Il have
committed a dastardly crime. But am
not the murderer Of my brother Joseph. :"
We all felt our hearts lightened Of a
great load. for 1t was impossible to dis
believe that calm statement and the clear
gaze Of those truthful, unafraid eyes.
If / might have BEEN m my brothers sV Slayer,
and this is why I assert the contrary at
the outset
Pausing here. Mr.. Crawford unlocked
the drawer Of desk and took out small
pistol, which he laid on the table.
"That." he said. lis my revolver, and
it Is the weapon with which my brother
was killed.
felt a choking sensation. Philip Craw-
ford's manner was SO far removed from
a sensational or melodramatic effect that
1t was doubly impressive. I believed his
statement that he did not kill his brother.
but what could these further revelations
mean? Hall? Florence? Young Philip?
Whom would Philip Crawford thus shield
to do so, expose?
you are making strange declarations
Mr.. Crawford" said Lawyer Randolph,
who was already white-faced and trem-
bling.
II know it." went on Philip Crawford,
land trust you three men will hear my
story through and then take such meas
ures as you see At.
This pistol. as said. Is my property
Perhaps about q month ago I took it
over to my brother Joseph. He has al
ways been careless Of danger, and as he
was in the habit Of sitting in his office
until very late, with the long windows
open on a dark veranda, / often told him
he ought to keep a weapon in his desk by
way Of general protection. Then, after
there had been q number Of burglaries in
West Sedgwick, took this pistol to- him,
and begged him % favor to me to let it
stay in his desk drawer as q precaution-
ary measure. He laughed at my solicit
tude. but put It away in a drawer, the up
per right-hand one among his business
papers. So much for the pistol
Last Tuesday night I came out from
New York on that midnight train that
reaches West Sedgwick station at I
o'clock. In the train I did not notice
especially who sat near me, but when
the car I noticed a gold bag in the seat
ahead. picked 1t up, and, with q half
formed intention of handing 1t to the con-
ductor, left the train. But as I stepped
of I did not see the conductor. and,
though I looked about for him, he did
not appear and the train moved on.
looked in the station. but the ticket agent
was not visible, and as the hour was SO
late I slipped the bag into my pocket. in
tending to hand 1t over to the railroad