Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
ThisfellowcarriedCaratal’sconfidentialpapersforhim,andwasreadytoprotecteitherthemorhismaster.TheprobabilitywasthatCaratalhadtakenhimintohiscounsel,andthattoremoveCaratalwithoutremovingGomezwouldbeamerewasteofenergy.Itwasnecessarythattheyshouldbeinvolvedinacommonfate,andourplanstothatendweremuchfacilitatedbytheirrequestforaspecialtrain.Onthatspecialtrainyouwillunderstandthattwooutofthethreeservantsofthecompanywerereallyinouremploy,atapricewhichwouldmakethemindependentforalifetime.IdonotgosofarastosaythattheEnglisharemorehonestthananyothernation,butIhavefoundthemmoreexpensivetobuy.
"IhavealreadyspokenofmyEnglishagent—whoisamanwithaconsiderablefuturebeforehim,unlesssomecomplaintofthethroatcarrieshimoffbeforehistime.HehadchargeofallarrangementsatLiverpool,whilstIwasstationedattheinnatKenyon,whereIawaitedaciphersignaltoact.Whenthespecialwasarrangedfor,myagentinstantlytelegraphedtomeandwarnedmehowsoonIshouldhaveeverythingready.HehimselfunderthenameofHoraceMooreappliedimmediatelyforaspecialalso,inthehopethathewouldbesentdownwithMonsieurCaratal,whichmightundercertaincircumstanceshavebeenhelpfultous.If,forexample,ourgreatcouphadfailed,itwouldthenhavebecomethedutyofmyagenttohaveshotthembothanddestroyedtheirpapers.Caratalwasonhisguard,however,andrefusedtoadmitanyothertraveller.
