"That I couldn't definitely say, sir. Very few short-distance trains pass the junction, but some of those may. A guide would show us in a minute but I haven't got one." "Never mind. You said at the inquest that it was no uncommon thing for you to be pulled up at the 'stop' signal east of Knight's Cross Station. How often would that happen--only with the seven-eleven, mind." "Perhaps three times a week; perhaps twice." "The accident was on a Thursday. Have you noticed that you were pulled up oftener on a Thursday than on any other day?" A smile crossed the driver's face at the question. "You don't happen to live at Swanstead yourself, sir?" he asked in reply. "No," admitted Carrados. "Why?" "Well, sir, we were _always_ pulled up on Thursday; practically always, you may say. It got to be quite a saying among those who used the train regular; they used to look out for it." Carrados's sightless eyes had the one quality of concealing emotion supremely. "Oh," he commented softly, "always; and it was quite a saying, was it? And _why_ was it always so on Thursday?" "It had to do with the early closing, I'm told. The suburban traffic was a bit different. By rights we ought to have been set back two minutes for that day, but I suppose it wasn't thought worth while to alter us in the time-table, so we most always had to wait outside Three Deep tunnel for a west-bound electric to make good." "You were prepared for it then?" "Yes, sir, I was," said Hutchins, reddening at some recollection, "and very down about it was one of the jury over that. But, mayhap once in three months, I did get through even on a Thursday, and it's not for me to question whether things are right or wrong just because they are not what I may expect. The signals are my orders, sir--stop! go on! and it's for me to obey, as you would a general on the field of battle. What would happen otherwise! It was nonsense what they said about going cautious; and the man who started it was a barber who didn't know the difference between a 'distance' and a 'stop' signal down to the minute they gave their verdict. My orders, sir, given me by that signal, was 'Go right ahead and keep to your running time!'" Carrados nodded a soothing assent. "That is all, I think," he remarked. "All!" exclaimed Hutchins in surprise. "Why, sir, you can't have got much idea of it yet." "Quite enough. And I know it isn't pleasant for you to be taken along the same ground over and over again." The man moved awkwardly in his chair and pulled nervously at his grizzled beard.