Part 18 (1/2)

”Quite,” replied Smith. ”That's about the size and make of the man as described to me. Of course they could not tell what sort of travelling gear he would appear in, but there's no mistaking the bag--old, stout leather, with flat handle-strap.”

”All right,” said Thomson; ”but who's the young fellow with him?”

”Don't know,” replied Smith; ”yet I think I've seen his face before.

Stay, Jenkins, wasn't he in the accident at Langrye station?”

”Perhaps he was; but it's of no consequence to us.”

”It will be of consequence to us if he goes with the old gentleman,”

retorted Smith, ”for he's a stout fellow, and wouldn't be easy to manage.”

”_I'll_ manage him, no fear,” said Thomson, looking at the unconscious Edwin with a dark sinister smile.

”What if they get into a carriage that's already nearly full?” suggested the dubious Smith.

”They won't do that,” replied Jenkins with a laugh. ”It seems to be against the laws of human nature to do that. As long as there are empty carriages in a train, so long will men and women pa.s.s every carriage that has a soul in it, until they find an empty one for themselves. We have nothing to do but follow them, and, when they have pitched on a carriage, get in after them, and fill it up, so we shall have it all to ourselves.”

”Come along, then; it's time to stop talking and to act,” said Thomson, testily, as he moved towards the carriages.

That even the wisest of men (in his own conceit) may make mistakes now and then is a fact which was beautifully ill.u.s.trated on this occasion.

We may here let the reader into the secret of Jenkins, Smith, and Thomson. They were men who lived by their wits. They had ascertained that a partner of a certain house that dealt in jewellery meant to return to London by that particular train, with a quant.i.ty of valuables that were worth running some risk for. On the journey there was one stoppage quite close to London. The run immediately before that was a clear one of seventy-five miles without a halt, at full express speed, which would afford them ample opportunity for their purpose, while the slowing of the train on approaching the stopping place would give them opportunity and time to leap out and make off with their booty. They had been told that their intended victim was a stout resolute man, but that would avail nothing against numbers.

Having obtained all requisite information they had proceeded thus far with their villainous design, apparently with success. But at this point a hitch occurred, though they knew it not. They had not taken sufficiently into account the fact that black leather bags may be both stout and peculiar, and in some degree similar without being identical.

Hence Smith and Jenkins in their self-confidence had settled, as we have seen, that Captain Lee was ”their man,” whereas their man was comfortably seated in another carriage, and by his side the coveted bag, which was similar in some points to that of the captain, but different in size and in several small details.

Following the wrong scent, therefore, with wonted pertinacity, the three men sauntered behind Captain Lee and Edwin, who, true to the ”laws” with which Jenkins had credited human nature, pa.s.sed one carriage after another until they found an empty one.

”Here is one, Gurwood,” said the captain.

He was about to step into it, when he observed Mrs Durby sitting in the next compartment.

”Hallo! nurse,” he exclaimed, getting in and sitting down opposite to her; ”why, surely it wasn't you, was it, that had such a narrow escape?”

”Indeed it was, Capting Lee,” replied Mrs Durby in a half whimper, for albeit a woman of strong character, she was not proof against such rough treatment as she had experienced that day.

”Not hurt, I trust?” asked the Captain sympathetically.

”Oh dear no, sir; only shook a bit.”

”Are you alone?” asked Edwin, seating himself beside his friend.

”Yes, sir; but la, sir, I don't think nothink of travellin' alone. I'm used to it, sir.”

As she said this the guard's voice was heard desiring pa.s.sengers to take their seats, and the three men, who had grouped themselves close round the door, thus diverging one or two pa.s.sengers into the next compartment, entered, and sat down.

At the same moment Mr Sharp's earnest countenance appeared at the window. He made a few remarks to Captain Lee and Edwin Gurwood, and took occasion to regard the three adventurers with much attention. They evidently understood him, for they received his glances with bland smiles.

It was quite touching to note Mr Sharp's anxiety to lay hold of these men. He chanced to know nothing about them, save in connexion with the Langrye accident, but his long experience in business had given him a delicate power of perception in judging of character, which was not often at fault. He, as it were, smelt the presence of fair game, although he could not manage to lay immediate hold of it, just as that celebrated giant did, who, once upon a time, went about his castle giving utterance to well-known words--

”Fee, fo, fa, fum, I smell the smell of an Englishman.”