Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Man with the Watches
Atthatplaceitmightbepossibleforaman,orevenforanexceptionallyactivewoman,tohaveleftthetrainwithoutseriousinjury.Itwastruethatagangofplatelayerswasthere,andthattheyhadseennothing,butitwastheircustomtostandinthemiddlebetweenthemetals,andtheopencarriagedoorwasuponthefarside,sothatitwasconceivablethatsomeonemighthavealightedunseen,asthedarknesswouldbythattimebedrawingin.Asteepembankmentwouldinstantlyscreenanyonewhosprangoutfromtheobservationofthenavvies.
TheguardalsodeposedthattherewasagooddealofmovementupontheplatformatWillesdenJunction,andthatthoughitwascertainthatnoonehadeitherjoinedorleftthetrainthere,itwasstillquitepossiblethatsomeofthepassengersmighthavechangedunseenfromonecompartmenttoanother.Itwasbynomeansuncommonforagentlemantofinishhiscigarinasmokingcarriageandthentochangetoacleareratmosphere.SupposingthatthemanwiththeblackbeardhaddonesoatWillesden(andthehalf-smokedcigaruponthefloorseemedtofavourthesupposition),hewouldnaturallygointothenearestsection,whichwouldbringhimintothecompanyofthetwootheractorsinthisdrama.Thusthefirststageoftheaffairmightbesurmisedwithoutanygreatbreachofprobability.Butwhatthesecondstagehadbeen,orhowthefinalonehadbeenarrivedat,neithertheguardnortheexperienceddetectiveofficerscouldsuggest.
AcarefulexaminationofthelinebetweenWillesdenandRugbyresultedinonediscoverywhichmightormightnothaveabearinguponthetragedy.
