Tales of Terror and Mystery

The Lost Special

           Thefirstcompartment,whichwasnearesttotheengine,wastheoneallottedtothetravellers.Theotherthreewereempty.TheguardofthespecialtrainwasJamesMcPherson,whohadbeensomeyearsintheserviceofthecompany.Thestoker,WilliamSmith,wasanewhand.

           MonsieurCaratal,uponleavingthesuperintendent’soffice,rejoinedhiscompanion,andbothofthemmanifestedextremeimpatiencetobeoff.Havingpaidthemoneyasked,whichamountedtofiftypoundsfiveshillings,attheusualspecialrateoffiveshillingsamile,theydemandedtobeshownthecarriage,andatoncetooktheirseatsinit,althoughtheywereassuredthatthebetterpartofanhourmustelapsebeforethelinecouldbecleared.InthemeantimeasingularcoincidencehadoccurredintheofficewhichMonsieurCaratalhadjustquitted.

           Arequestforaspecialisnotaveryuncommoncircumstanceinarichcommercialcentre,butthattwoshouldberequireduponthesameafternoonwasmostunusual.Itsohappened,however,thatMr.Blandhadhardlydismissedthefirsttravellerbeforeasecondenteredwithasimilarrequest.ThiswasaMr.HoraceMoore,agentlemanlymanofmilitaryappearance,whoallegedthatthesuddenseriousillnessofhiswifeinLondonmadeitabsolutelyimperativethatheshouldnotloseaninstantinstartinguponthejourney.HisdistressandanxietyweresoevidentthatMr.Blanddidallthatwaspossibletomeethiswishes.Asecondspecialwasoutofthequestion,astheordinarylocalservicewasalreadysomewhatderangedbythefirst.Therewasthealternative,however,thatMr.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 126 з 263