Tales of Terror and Mystery

The Man with the Watches

           Inspiteoftheinclementeveningitwas,therefore,fairlywellfilledupontheoccasionofwhichIspeak.Theguardofthetrainwasatriedservantofthecompany—amanwhohadworkedfortwenty-twoyearswithoutablemishorcomplaint.HisnamewasJohnPalmer.

           Thestationclockwasuponthestrokeoffive,andtheguardwasabouttogivethecustomarysignaltotheengine-driverwhenheobservedtwobelatedpassengershurryingdowntheplatform.Theonewasanexceptionallytallman,dressedinalongblackovercoatwithastrakhancollarandcuffs.Ihavealreadysaidthattheeveningwasaninclementone,andthetalltravellerhadthehigh,warmcollarturneduptoprotecthisthroatagainstthebitterMarchwind.Heappeared,asfarastheguardcouldjudgebysohurriedaninspection,tobeamanbetweenfiftyandsixtyyearsofage,whohadretainedagooddealofthevigourandactivityofhisyouth.InonehandhecarriedabrownleatherGladstonebag.Hiscompanionwasalady,tallanderect,walkingwithavigorousstepwhichoutpacedthegentlemanbesideher.Sheworealong,fawn-coloureddust-cloak,ablack,close-fittingtoque,andadarkveilwhichconcealedthegreaterpartofherface.Thetwomightverywellhavepassedasfatheranddaughter.Theywalkedswiftlydownthelineofcarriages,glancinginatthewindows,untiltheguard,JohnPalmer,overtookthem.

           "Nowthen,sir,looksharp,thetrainisgoing,"saidhe.

           "First-class,"themananswered.

           Theguardturnedthehandleofthenearestdoor.Inthecarriagewhichhehadopened,theresatasmallmanwithacigarinhismouth.

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Roboto Lora
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