se at the time, was thrown into deep shadow, and the screen
before it turned it into a small niche, where a slight little person like
Miss Clifton was very well concealed from curious eyes. Before the train
came within the light from the lamps on the platform, she ensconced
herself in this shelter. No one but I could see her laughing face, as
she stood there leaning cautiously forward with her finger pressed upon
her rosy lips, peeping at the messenger who delivered into my own hands
the Premier's despatch-box, while Tom Morville received the letter-bag of
the great house.

"See," I said, when we were again in motion, and she had emerged from her
concealment, "this is the Premier's despatch-box, going back to the
Secretary of State. There are some state secrets for you, and ladies are
fond of secrets."

"Oh! I know nothing about politics," she answered, indifferently, "and we
have had that box through our office a time or two."

"Did you ever notice this mark upon it," I asked--"a heart with a dagger
through it?" and bending down my face to hers, I added a certain spooney
remark, which I do not care to repeat. Miss Clifton tossed her little
head, and pouted her lips; but she took the box out of my hands, and
carried it to the lamp nearest the further end of the van, after which
she put it down upon the counter close beside the screen, and I thought
no more about it. The midnight ride was entertaining in the extreme, for
the girl was full of young life and sauciness and merry humour. I can
safely aver that I have never been to an evening's so-called
entertainment which, to me, was half so enjoyable. It added also to the
zest and keen edge of the enjoyment to see her hasten to hide herself
whenever I told her we were going to stop to take up the mails.

"We had passed Watford, the last station at which we stopped, before I
became alive to the recollection that our work was terribly behindhand.
Miss Clifton also became grave, and sat at the end of the counter very
quiet and subdued, as if her frolic were over, and it was possible she
might find something to repent of in it. I had told her we should stop
no more until we reached Euston-square station, but to my surprise I felt
our speed decreasing, and our train coming to a standstill. I looked out
and called to the guard in the van behind, who told me he supposed there
was something on the line before us, and that we should go on in a minute
or two. I turned m