Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
Wehavedetachedenginefromgoodstrain,andIhavemyselfriddendowntheline,butallisclear,andthereisnosignofanyaccident."
Mr.Blandtorehishairinhisperplexity.
"Thisisranklunacy,Hood!"hecried."DoesatrainvanishintothinairinEnglandinbroaddaylight?Thethingispreposterous.Anengine,atender,twocarriages,avan,fivehumanbeings—andalllostonastraightlineofrailway!UnlesswegetsomethingpositivewithinthenexthourI’lltakeInspectorCollins,andgodownmyself."
Andthenatlastsomethingpositivedidoccur.IttooktheshapeofanothertelegramfromKenyonJunction.
"RegrettoreportthatthedeadbodyofJohnSlater,driverofthespecialtrain,hasjustbeenfoundamongthegorsebushesatapointtwoandaquartermilesfromtheJunction.Hadfallenfromhisengine,pitcheddowntheembankment,androlledamongthebushes.Injuriestohishead,fromthefall,appeartobecauseofdeath.Groundhasnowbeencarefullyexamined,andthereisnotraceofthemissingtrain."
Thecountrywas,ashasalreadybeenstated,inthethroesofapoliticalcrisis,andtheattentionofthepublicwasfurtherdistractedbytheimportantandsensationaldevelopmentsinParis,whereahugescandalthreatenedtodestroytheGovernmentandtowreckthereputationsofmanyoftheleadingmeninFrance.Thepaperswerefulloftheseevents,andthesingulardisappearanceofthespecialtrainattractedlessattentionthanwouldhavebeenthecaseinmorepeacefultimes.
