The Great Train Robbery

On the evening of May 21, Pierce is having a meal at home with Miriam when Agar comes in with Burgess, the guard. Burgess tells them that the railway company has initiated new procedures to prevent theft after a case of rare wine was found empty. Now, no one will be able to ride in the luggage car aside from Burgess, and the luggage car will be locked from the outside with a deadbolt while in transit. Burgess tells the team that there are two ventilation flaps on the luggage car. Pierce now plans to climb over the top of the railcars and drop in from the ventilation flap. Agar thinks this is a ridiculous plan, but Pierce reassures him that he was taught the technique by famous mountaineer Coolidge. Pierce also has a plan for getting Agar into the luggage car, but Agar needs to find some dead animals and a nice suit to pull it off. Then, Pierce tells Barlow to get some rope and other objects and instructs Miriam to wear a cheap black dress “to show [her] respect for the dead” (200).