"Might any of you gentlemen be going to London, sir?" he inquired.
"All three of us."
"I don't think you will get on, sir. The news came down this morning that the evening express from Tarborough last night was thrown off the rails by a drift, and got knocked about, and I don't expect the line is clear yet. There will be no trains running till later in the day, I am afraid."
"The night express?" said Ralph, suddenly.
"Do you mean the 9 train, which you can catch by the 8.2 from here?"
"Yes, sir."
"She was in it!" said Ralph, in a hoarse voice, as the man walked away.
"How late the train is!" said Charles; "quarter of an hour already. I say, Jervis," calling after him, "any particulars about the accident? Serious?"
"Oh dear no, sir, not to my knowledge. Never heard of anything but that the train had been upset, and had stopped the traffic."
"Not many people travelling in such weather, at any rate. I dare say there was not a creature who went from here by the last train last night?"