Dyke Darrel the Railroad Detective; Or, The Crime of the Midnight Express

The narrative follows detective Dyke Darrel after an audacious express robbery and the murder of messenger Arnold Nicholson; he leaves home to trace thirty thousand dollars in stolen goods and confront a network of clues and violent encounters. His sister Nell appears in a domestic subplot that includes an unwelcome marriage proposal and later peril. The investigation brings together eccentric personae such as Professor Darlington Ruggles and Harper Elliston, scenes of attempted scalping, a plunge to death, traps, revelations uncovered in a satchel and an odd wart, and concludes with a tense pursuit, rescue, and retribution as the crime's secrets are revealed.