In which the steadfast and observant Mr. Jos. Larkin encounters a mysterious and reticent fellow-traveller shrouded in numerous wraps aboard a night train, whose peculiar behaviour and inscrutable gaze both intrigue and perplex him. As the journey proceeds through sleepy stations, a brief opportunity for acquaintance is lost, culminating in a desperate attempt to detain the stranger that fades away with the irretrievable night train.