Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
Comewhatmight,yousee,Iwasalwaysready.
"Themomentthatthetrainwasfairlyonthesideline,Smith,thestoker,slowed-downtheengine,andthen,havingturneditontothefullestspeedagain,heandMcPherson,withmyEnglishlieutenant,sprangoffbeforeitwastoolate.Itmaybethatitwasthisslowing-downwhichfirstattractedtheattentionofthetravellers,butthetrainwasrunningatfullspeedagainbeforetheirheadsappearedattheopenwindow.Itmakesmesmiletothinkhowbewilderedtheymusthavebeen.Picturetoyourselfyourownfeelingsif,onlookingoutofyourluxuriouscarriage,yousuddenlyperceivedthatthelinesuponwhichyouranwererustedandcorroded,redandyellowwithdisuseanddecay!WhatacatchmusthavecomeintheirbreathasinaseconditflasheduponthemthatitwasnotManchesterbutDeathwhichwaswaitingforthemattheendofthatsinisterline.Butthetrainwasrunningwithfranticspeed,rollingandrockingovertherottenline,whilethewheelsmadeafrightfulscreamingsoundupontherustedsurface.Iwasclosetothem,andcouldseetheirfaces.Caratalwaspraying,Ithink—therewassomethinglikearosarydanglingoutofhishand.Theotherroaredlikeabullwhosmellsthebloodoftheslaughter-house.Hesawusstandingonthebank,andhebeckonedtouslikeamadman.Thenhetoreathiswristandthrewhisdispatch-boxoutofthewindowinourdirection.Ofcourse,hismeaningwasobvious.Herewastheevidence,andtheywouldpromisetobesilentiftheirliveswerespared.
