Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
"YoumayimaginethatIcouldnotdoallthismyself.WhatcouldIknowoftheEnglishrailwaylines?Butmoneycanprocurewillingagentsalltheworldover,andIsoonhadoneoftheacutestbrainsinEnglandtoassistme.Iwillmentionnonames,butitwouldbeunjusttoclaimallthecreditformyself.MyEnglishallywasworthyofsuchanalliance.HeknewtheLondonandWestCoastlinethoroughly,andhehadthecommandofabandofworkerswhoweretrustworthyandintelligent.Theideawashis,andmyownjudgementwasonlyrequiredinthedetails.Weboughtoverseveralofficials,amongstwhomthemostimportantwasJamesMcPherson,whomwehadascertainedtobetheguardmostlikelytobeemployeduponaspecialtrain.Smith,thestoker,wasalsoinouremploy.JohnSlater,theengine-driver,hadbeenapproached,buthadbeenfoundtobeobstinateanddangerous,sowedesisted.WehadnocertaintythatMonsieurCaratalwouldtakeaspecial,butwethoughtitveryprobable,foritwasoftheutmostimportancetohimthatheshouldreachPariswithoutdelay.Itwasforthiscontingency,therefore,thatwemadespecialpreparations—preparationswhichwerecompletedowntothelastdetaillongbeforehissteamerhadsightedtheshoresofEngland.Youwillbeamusedtolearnthattherewasoneofmyagentsinthepilot-boatwhichbroughtthatsteamertoitsmoorings.
"ThemomentthatCaratalarrivedinLiverpoolweknewthathesuspecteddangerandwasonhisguard.Hehadbroughtwithhimasanescortadangerousfellow,namedGomez,amanwhocarriedweapons,andwaspreparedtousethem.
