Project Gutenberg's The Vanished Messenger, by E. Phillips Oppenheim

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: The Vanished Messenger

Author: E. Phillips Oppenheim

Posting Date: November 23, 2008 [EBook #1699]
Release Date: April, 1999

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VANISHED MESSENGER ***

Produced by An Anonymous Project Gutenberg Volunteer

THE VANISHED MESSENGER

By E. Phillips Oppenheim

CHAPTER I

There were very few people upon Platform Number Twenty-one of Liverpool
Street Station at a quarter to nine on the evening of April 2--possibly
because the platform in question is one of the most remote and least
used in the great terminus. The station-master, however, was there
himself, with an inspector in attendance. A dark, thick-set man, wearing
a long travelling ulster and a Homburg hat, and carrying in his hand a
brown leather dressing-case, across which was painted in black letters
the name MR. JOHN P. DUNSTER, was standing a few yards away, smoking
a long cigar, and, to all appearance absorbed in studying the
advertisements which decorated the grimy wall on the other side of
the single track. A couple of porters were seated upon a barrow which
contained one solitary portmanteau. There were no signs of other
passengers, no other luggage. As a matter of fact, according to the
time-table, no train was due to leave the station or to arrive at it, on
this particular platform, for several hours.

Down at the other end of the platform the wooden barrier was thrust
back, and a porter with some luggage upon a barrow made his noisy
approach. He was followed by a tall young man in a grey tweed suit and a
straw hat on which were the colours of a famous cricket club.

The inspector watched them curiously. "Lost his way, I should think," he
observed.

The station-master nodded. "It looks like the young man who missed the
boat train," he remarked. "Perhaps he has come to beg a lift."

The young man in question made steady progress up the platform. His
hands were thrust deep into the pockets of his coat, and his forehead
was contracted in a frown. As he approached more closely, he singled out
Mr. John P. D