Little Classics, Volume 8 (of 18)

ny's money, yet told me that he carried that sum upon his person. Were ever facts so strangely incongruous, so difficult to reconcile? How should he have ventured

rgast had not even a suggestion to offer. Jonathan Jelf, who seized the first opportunity of drawing me aside and learning all that I had to tell, was more amazed and bewildered than either

whether you can have mistaken

I should mistake some

he should have alluded to the fire in the blue room is pro

nsiderably older, pal

anxious, anyhow," said my friend,

I addressed him, and no uneasiness when the guard came round. His conversation was open to

cent on such subjects. He actually told you that he

di

an idea about it, an

t id

that he did actually take the money; and that he has been concealing himself these three months in some wild part of the country,-s

hat he has

he company's mercy; made restitution of the money; and, being forgiven, is p

a generous and delicate-minded woman, but not in the least like a b

hood. However, we can run over to Clayborough to-morrow, and see if anything is

, and her

mp, and said at once that it was beyond doubt Mr. Dwerrihous

e added. "A big J transfixing a capital D.

vents, a proof that

and dreaming now. I am ashamed to ha

to go with you to Clayborough, or Blackwater, or Lon

nd, and it may be that I shall put yo

of the same subject. Mrs. Jelf had evidently been crying; Jelf was impatient to be off; and both Captain Prendergast and myself felt ourselves to be in the painful position of outsiders, who ar

orough. All the officials know that he is my wife's relation, and the subject just now is hardly a pleasant one. If you don't much mind, we will t

s, and, arriving at Blackwater about a quarter befor

who at once averred that he knew Mr. John Dwerrihouse perfectly well, and that

out three months ago," said he, "when the new line was

d, signi

ushed s

t that. The point now to be ascertained is wheth

edge," replied t

een down the line any time

-master sho

't a porter, who doesn't know Mr. Dwerrihouse by sight as well as he knows his own face in the looking-glass; or who wouldn't telegraph for the police as soon as

London to Clayborough by the afternoon express testifies that he saw Mr. Dwer

ir," replied the sta

impos

t a risk. It would be just running his head into the lion's mouth. He would have been mad to come ni

took the Blackwater t

was the guard,-B

e can I f

l one o'clock. He will be coming through with the up expres

rts of the town, from which the station was distant nearly a couple of miles. By one o'clock we were back again upon the platform, and wai

about Mr. Dwerrihouse, Somers," said th

lance from my face to Jelf

the late director?" s

friend. "Should you k

here,

s in the 4.15 express

s not,

u answer so

t in it. This gentleman was," he added, turning sharply upon me. "I don't know that I ever saw him before in my life, but I r

so remember the face of the gentleman who travelle

ou travelled down alone," said Som

it was in trying to restore him the cigar-case which he had dro

ing about a cigar-case, certai

cket just before we

id,

He sat in the corner next th

ed. I saw

the guard was in the ex-director's

have asked for his ticket," added Somers

plained that by saying-" I hesitated. I feared I m

r exchanged glances. The former

on in four minutes

's fellow-traveller had been Mr. John Dwerrihouse, and he had been sitting in the corner n

uld have been q

ertain you did

was quite alone in the carriage the whole way from London to Clayborough. Why, sir," he added, dropping his voice so as to be inaudible to the station-master, who had been called away

errihouse had a

ne in that compartment but yourse

e. In another minute the heavy panting of the engine bega

r some moments in silence.

knows more than he ch

do you t

ve come to the door without

ng not impossible

is t

allen asleep, and dr

dream of a hundred and one business details that had no kind of i

broad. It might have made no impression upon you at the time, and might have come back

ey of the blue room,-should I hav

there is a difficul

about the

, it's a mysterious affair, and it will need a better detective than