events, and the singular disappearance of the special
train attracted less attention than would have been the case in more
peaceful times. The grotesque nature of the event helped to detract
from its importance, for the papers were disinclined to believe the
facts as reported to them. More than one of the London journals treated
the matter as an ingenious hoax, until the coroner's inquest upon the
unfortunate driver (an inquest which elicited nothing of importance)
convinced them of the tragedy of the incident.

Mr. Bland, accompanied by Inspector Collins, the senior detective
officer in the service of the company, went down to Kenyon Junction the
same evening, and their research lasted throughout the following day,
but was attended with purely negative results. Not only was no trace
found of the missing train, but no conjecture could be put forward
which could possibly explain the facts. At the same time, Inspector
Collins's official report (which lies before me as I write) served to
show that the possibilities were more numerous than might have been
expected.

"In the stretch of railway between these two points," said he, "the
country is dotted with ironworks and collieries. Of these, some are
being worked and some have been abandoned. There are no fewer than
twelve which have small-gauge lines which run trolly-cars down to the
main line. These can, of course, be disregarded. Besides these,
however, there are seven which have, or have had, proper lines running
down and connecting with points to the main line, so as to convey their
produce from the mouth of the mine to the great centres of
distribution. In every case these lines are only a few miles in
length. Out of the seven, four belong to collieries which are worked
out, or at least to shafts which are no longer used. These are the
Redgauntlet, Hero, Slough of Despond, and Heartsease mines, the latter
having ten years ago been one of the principal mines in Lancashire.
These four side lines may be eliminated from our inquiry, for, to
prevent possible accidents, the rails nearest to the main line have
been taken up, and there is no longer any connection. There remain
three other side lines leading--

(a) To the Carnstock Iron Works;
(b) To the Big Ben Colliery;
(c) To the Perseverance Colliery.

"Of these the Big Ben line is not more than a quarter of a mile long,
and ends at a dead wall of coal waiting removal from the mouth of the
mine. No