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.
