harp lookout for the arrival of the train.
When I came out some time later, wondering if it were ever going to
arrive at all, I found Charles and the man in black walking up and down
together, evidently in earnest conversation. When I joined them they
ceased talking (I never can imagine why people generally do when I come
up), and the latter said that he would make inquiry at the
booking-office, and left us.

"Who is that man?" I asked.

"How should I know?" said Charles, absently. "He says he has been a
London detective till just lately, but he is an inspector of police now.
Well?" as the man returned.

"Booking-clerk can't remember, sir; but the clerk at the telegraph
office remembers a young lady leaving a telegram last night, to be sent
on first thing this morning."

"Has it been sent yet?"

"Yes, sir; some time."

"Where was it sent to?"

"That is against rules, sir. The clerk has no right to give information.
Anyhow, it is as good as certain, from what you say, that the party was
in the train, and at all events you will not be kept in doubt much
longer;" and he pointed to the long-expected puff of white smoke in the
direction in which all eyes had been so anxiously turned. The train came
slowly round a broad curve and crawled into the station. Ralph had come
up, and his eyes were fixed intently upon it. The hand he laid on
Charles's arm shook a little as he whispered, in a hoarse voice, "I must
speak to her alone before anything is said."

"You shall," replied Charles; and he moved forward a little, and waited
for the passengers to alight. I felt that any chance of escape which lay
in eluding those keen light eyes would be small indeed.

Then ensued a scene of confusion, a Babel of tongues, as the passengers
poured out upon the platform. "What was the meaning of it all?" hotly
demanded an infuriated little man before he was well out of the
carriage. "Why had a train been allowed to start if it was to be
overturned by a snow-drift? What had the company been about not to make
itself aware of the state of the line? What did the railway officials
mean by--" etc. But he was not going to put up with such scandalous
treatment. He should cause an inquiry to be made; he should write to the
_Times_, he should--in short, he behaved like a true Englishman in
adverse circumstances, and poured forth abuse like water. Others
followed--some angry, some silent, all cold and miserable. A stout woman
in black, who had be