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.
