CHAPTER VI.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 25, 5 March 1881, Page 257

CHAPTER VI.

The train stopped, as usual, at Gravesend. Priscilla had heen at "work late in the night — she was tired and thirsty. I left the carriage to get her some soda water. The stupid girl in the refreshment-room failed to pull the cork out of the bottle, and refused to let me help her. She took a corkscrew, and used it crookedly. I lost all patience, and snatched the bottle out of her hand. Just as I drew the cork, the bell rang on the platform. I onlywaited to pour the soda-water into a glass —but the train was moving as I left the refreshmentroom. The porters stopped me when I tried to jump on to the step of the carriage. I was left behind.As soon as I had recovered my temper, I telegraphed to Higham, asking Priscilla either to wait for me, or leave me instructions for followher to the village, when 1 arrived by the next train. We had reached Gravesend at five minutes past one. By good luck, .the next train was due at forty-four minutes past one, and arrived at Hinghom (the next station) ten ■minutes afterwards. If I had attempted to walk the distance between the two places, I should have lost time instead of .saving it. The interval before me was not very long ; I occupied it in looking at the town. * (Speaking with all due respect to the inhabitants, Gravesend (to other people) is a dull place. 1 went up one street and down another —and stopped and looked at a shop which struck me, not from anything in itself, but because it was the only shop in the street with the shutters closed. _ A bill was pasted on the shutters, announcing that the place was to let. The tradesman's inscription, above the shutters, remained. It ran thus : James Wycomb, Cutler, etc. For the first time, it occurred to me that in distributing our photographs of the knife, we had none of us remembered that a certain proportion of cutlers might be placed, by circumstances, out of our reach — either by retiring from business or by becoming bankrupt. I always carried a copy of the photograph about me ; and I thought to myself, "Here is the ghost of a chance of tracing the knife to Mr. Deluc !"