Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Man with the Watches
Hisappearanceseemstohaveimpresseditselfupontheguard’smemory,forhewasprepared,afterwards,todescribeortoidentifyhim.Hewasamanofthirty-fourorthirty-fiveyearsofage,dressedinsomegreymaterial,sharp-nosed,alert,witharuddy,weather-beatenface,andasmall,closelycropped,blackbeard.Heglancedupasthedoorwasopened.Thetallmanpausedwithhisfootuponthestep.
"Thisisasmokingcompartment.Theladydislikessmoke,"saidhe,lookingroundattheguard.
"Allright!Hereyouare,sir!"saidJohnPalmer.Heslammedthedoorofthesmokingcarriage,openedthatofthenextone,whichwasempty,andthrustthetwotravellersin.Atthesamemomenthesoundedhiswhistleandthewheelsofthetrainbegantomove.Themanwiththecigarwasatthewindowofhiscarriage,andsaidsomethingtotheguardasherolledpasthim,butthewordswerelostinthebustleofthedeparture.Palmersteppedintotheguard’svan,asitcameuptohim,andthoughtnomoreoftheincident.
TwelveminutesafteritsdeparturethetrainreachedWillesdenJunction,whereitstoppedforaveryshortinterval.Anexaminationoftheticketshasmadeitcertainthatnooneeitherjoinedorleftitatthistime,andnopassengerwasseentoalightupontheplatform.At5:14thejourneytoManchesterwasresumed,andRugbywasreachedat6:50,theexpressbeingfiveminuteslate.
AtRugbytheattentionofthestationofficialswasdrawntothefactthatthedoorofoneofthefirst-classcarriageswasopen.Anexaminationofthatcompartment,andofitsneighbour,disclosedaremarkablestateofaffairs.
