Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
"Thisisuniqueinmythirtyyearsofexperience,"saidMr.Bland.
"Absolutelyunprecedentedandinexplicable,sir.ThespecialhasgonewrongbetweenKenyonJunctionandBartonMoss."
"Andyetthereisnosiding,sofarasmymemoryservesme,betweenthetwostations.Thespecialmusthaverunoffthemetals."
"Buthowcouldthefour-fiftyparliamentarypassoverthesamelinewithoutobservingit?"
"There’snoalternative,Mr.Hood.Itmustbeso.Possiblythelocaltrainmayhaveobservedsomethingwhichmaythrowsomelightuponthematter.WewillwiretoManchesterformoreinformation,andtoKenyonJunctionwithinstructionsthatthelinebeexaminedinstantlyasfarasBartonMoss."TheanswerfromManchestercamewithinafewminutes.
"Nonewsofmissingspecial.DriverandguardofslowtrainpositivenoaccidentbetweenKenyonJunctionandBartonMoss.Linequiteclear,andnosignofanythingunusual.—Manchester."
"Thatdriverandguardwillhavetogo,"saidMr.Bland,grimly."Therehasbeenawreckandtheyhavemissedit.Thespecialhasobviouslyrunoffthemetalswithoutdisturbingtheline—howitcouldhavedonesopassesmycomprehension—butsoitmustbe,andweshallhaveawirefromKenyonorBartonMosspresentlytosaythattheyhavefoundheratthebottomofanembankment."
ButMr.Bland’sprophecywasnotdestinedtobefulfilled.Halfanhourpassed,andthentherearrivedthefollowingmessagefromthestation-masterofKenyonJunction—
"Therearenotracesofthemissingspecial.Itisquitecertainthatshepassedhere,andthatshedidnotarriveatBartonMoss.
