Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1910-09-03 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SEPTEMBER 3, 1910.  sitting with Bob's wife, and she had to be back to get supper for her man." He spoke quickly, as though he were ashamed of the kindraecs.  "I see. You're good pals, you and Bob. Ind you've only been working together two months. Perhaps that's the reason. The more you see of a fellow the less you Like him, very often.' Somewhat of a cynic was the burly sergeant, for all his rou.nd, jolly red face. Jim laughed rather mirthlessly.  "We knew each other before—years before. Bob is a good friend of mine. I happened to save his life once--as he would have saved mine if it had oome about the other way. And he'e never forgotten it. Bad-tempered, they call him about here."  Hard and cold; that's rit, Jim; bard and cold."  "He isn't," Jim s.9,id, earnestly. " He's the beGt fellow in the world underneath that niannea•  of his."  "it's a long way underneath, then," the se', gera,nt cornmented. "I think he'd Lay down his life for me, sergeant. He has never forgotten, and he never will. Arid all because I pulled him out, when he was drowning. Seven years ago, too—time enough for a man to fOrget any obligation, eh?" "Well, well." The sergeant fingered his notebook, snapping the elastic. "Why, Jim, lad, you sent through the 10.12 9" •• Yes."  "Never thinking that the tunnel would take toll of a life from it, I'll lay odds." Was it—was it the 10.12 ?" "Must have been. You relieved Bob at twenty to. If he'd seen anything go,ing throagth  "Bob didn't go throug'h," rupted. "I did it for him. asked him to have a look.  Furneaux interI knew Gaskett  "Out of your way, isn't it ?" "His wife is ill. It didn't mean a quarter of an hour more for me, so I went." "And you saw nothing ?" " Nothing." "What? Speak np, lad." Furn.eaux had been bending over a lever handle.  "Nothing," he repeated, straightening his back.  "Well, Moor must have found the body somewhere about 10.30. So it must have been the 10.12 down. There's no other passenger trains between those times, is there ?" "No."  "Strange, isn't it ?" said the sergeant, sententiously. "Here you are senthing a train through in the course of duty, and as you have done thousands in your time, thinking nothing of it, never dreamin.g that a young woman was to come by her death through it hardly a stone's throw from where you stand." "It is strange," Furneaux acquiesced. "Well, so long, Jim. We may have to can you as a witness at the inquest." "Why ? I can give no evidence. nothing—l heard nothing."  I saw  "Only about goring through the tunnel, and formal evidence as to the trains. The verdict will be easy enough to come to—even for a coroner's jury." The sergeant was embittered against coroner's juries since the appearance of a local enemy as the foreman of one, and some waspish remarks made upon the way in which he the sergeant, had conducted the case. "What'll that be?"  "I don't see how it can be anything else bat suicide."  " Suicide ?"  "Yes. You'll have to get leave if we cart you. I'll speak to Gaskett." "Oh, very well," a.uswered Funaeaux. passed a hand over his forehead. "Tired, lad?" "Yes—mortal couldn't sleep." Mat's the wet weather. " Good-itig'ht." The sergeant clambered down the steps and' weat back by the way he had come, along the line and through the tunnel. The road made a  tired.  had neuralgia a.r:ld  Good-cni,rht."