Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
Myagentthenleftthestation,returnedbyanotherentrance,enteredtheguard’svanonthesidefarthestfromtheplatform,andtravelleddownwithMcPhersontheguard.
"Inthemeantimeyouwillbeinterestedtoknowwhatmymovementswere.Everythinghadbeenpreparedfordaysbefore,andonlythefinishingtoucheswereneeded.Thesidelinewhichwehadchosenhadoncejoinedthemainline,butithadbeendisconnected.Wehadonlytoreplaceafewrailstoconnectitoncemore.Theserailshadbeenlaiddownasfarascouldbedonewithoutdangerofattractingattention,andnowitwasmerelyacaseofcompletingajuncturewiththeline,andarrangingthepointsastheyhadbeenbefore.Thesleepershadneverbeenremoved,andtherails,fish-platesandrivetswereallready,forwehadtakenthemfromasidingontheabandonedportionoftheline.Withmysmallbutcompetentbandofworkers,wehadeverythingreadylongbeforethespecialarrived.Whenitdidarrive,itranoffuponthesmallsidelinesoeasilythatthejoltingofthepointsappearstohavebeenentirelyunnoticedbythetwotravellers.
"OurplanhadbeenthatSmith,thestoker,shouldchloroformJohnSlater,thedriver,sothatheshouldvanishwiththeothers.Inthisrespect,andinthisrespectonly,ourplansmiscarried—IexceptthecriminalfollyofMcPhersoninwritinghometohiswife.
