e horse and cart, and take them
straight back. Now, Ralph, we must run for it if we mean to catch the
train. Middleton, you had better go back in the cart." And off they set,
plunging through the snow without further ceremony. I watched the two
dark figures disappearing, aghast with astonishment. They were
positively leaving me behind! In a moment my mind was made up; and,
leaving the gasping young groom to look after the horse and cart, I set
off to run too. It was only a chance, of course; but in this weather the
train might be late. It was all the way downhill. I thought I could do
it, and I did. My feet were balled with snow; I was hotter than I had
been for years; I was completely out of breath; but when I puffed into
the little road-side station, five minutes after the train was due, I
could see that it was not yet in, and that Ralph and Charles were
waiting on the platform.

"My word, Middleton!" said Charles, coming to meet me. "I thought I had
seen the last of you when I left you reclining on George in the drift. I
do believe you have got yourself into this state of fever-heat purely to
be of use to us two; and I treated you very cavalierly, I am sure. Let
by-gones be by-gones, and let us shake hands while you are in this
melting mood."

I could not speak, but we shook hands cordially; and I hurried off to
get my ticket.

"You can only book to Tarborough!" he called after me, "where we change,
and catch the London express."

The station-master gave me my ticket, and then approached Charles, and
touched his cap.

"Might any of you gentlemen be going to London, sir?" he inquired.

"All three of us."

"I don't think you will get on, sir. The news came down this morning
that the evening express from Tarborough last night was thrown off the
rails by a drift, and got knocked about, and I don't expect the line is
clear yet. There will be no trains running till later in the day, I am
afraid."

"The night express?" said Ralph, suddenly.

"Do you mean the 9 train, which you can catch by the 8.2 from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"She was in it!" said Ralph, in a hoarse voice, as the man walked away.

"How late the train is!" said Charles; "quarter of an hour already. I
say, Jervis," calling after him, "any particulars about the accident?
Serious?"

"Oh dear no, sir, not to my knowledge. Never heard of anything but that
the train had been upset, and had stopped the traffic."

"Not many people travelling in such