Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-12-03
I stiff heard the same wild irish air Groom
ed ont. which repeated itself again and

again without variation. i endeavored TO
concentrate my thoughts, to call them
home, and fix them definitely on that
point to which my life seemed so rapidly
tending; but never had so many wild end
vagrant fsncies fitted through my brain
in so short time before. 40
And yet. through all these irreverent
vagaries of the mind. a strong sense of the
horror and hopelessness Of my situation
never left me for an instant. If for one
moment thought OF resistance crossed my
mind, it was dismissed as the idles. OF all
idle fancies. Personally am but small of
stature and weak of sinew, while my COM
panion hail the limbs and thews OF giant
My cigarette was three parts consumed.
and still no signs Of the station. Sudden
ly the engine gave long loud shrek. and
we dashed into the mouth of q tunnel
The light in the lamp hared up at the
same instant, and the next sank into dark
ness. The red glow Of my cigarette was
al that was now visible in the intense
blackness; but l felt intuitively that my
companions one eve was fixed expectant-
ly on me. waiting for the moment when
the last spark should disappear. Not ma
nv moments longer could possibly keep
it aIight. Already it was SO hot to my
lips that was obliged to hold it with my
teeth alone; and soon even that would be
an impossibility. A few hundred yards
on the other side Of the tunnel was the
station at which we were to stop. and IL
was Just possible that we might reach il
III L
fatal purpose into execution. The terrible
anxiety OF those few minutes can never be
forgotten by me.
| could scarcely believe that it was so,
but surely the train was slackening speed.
and again the engine sent forth its shrill
warning cry.-loud enough and shrll e.
nough. it seemed, to bring down the roof
ofthe tunnel on our heads. Slower and
slowerl Gradually we came within the
circle Of a red glare flight which filled the
carriage; AMI, without being aware that my
gaze moved for an instant from the oppo-
site corner where my mad companion was
sitting, l saw, or seemed to see, a large
fire fiaming in a recess of the tunnel, and
grouped round it a, number Of men with
implements in their hands, looking. by
that light, more ike a troop Of ipnds in
some demoniac scene of an opera, than
aught so human and commonplace as q
gang of plate layers repairing the line
The red 81 IRE from the fire in the recess
faded out Of the carriage, and We passed
on. into the thick darkness Of the tunnel
The train began to gather speed again.
had reached the very last point Of my ciga-
rette;I could holt. it no longer. not even
between my teeth. 1t dropped from my
mouth to the floor. and the next moment |
heard my companions labored breathing.
and felt his hot breath against my cheek.
he bent towards and while 1 in
stinctively held up my arm to ward of the
expected blow. and was drawing myself up
for . spring at his throat, he shrieked
hoarsely in my ear.
Ibid you not see him."
"S.e whom?" The words came dry and
husky from my psrched throat
"Cyprian Wick!"
No"
81 saw himi He was there--surround-
ed by fend,. warming his hands over the
flames. Ha, Ina! shall hare him yet
But tell me--tell me, and he grasped
my arm like vice,--do not three aud
three make Skip
"They do
Then i, was he! Oh, devil! you shall
not escape me this time. AT last we meet
again."
Another wild burst OF fendish laughter;
and then l heard nothing save the ceaseless
roar OF the train. which. reaching the
mouth of the tunnel few moments later.
shot into the milder darkness of the au-
tumn night. and again slackening speed.
came fnallyto asstand amid the hustle
and lights of the station which | had never
expected 10 reach alive The train was
still in motion, when, as we passed a sig
nal-man's box. the rays of his lamp falling
direct into he carriage showed me that the
seat opposite mine was empty. My COM
panion was no longer therel Coming
next moment into the fuller light Of the
station lamps, l was enabled to ascertain
that was in reality the sole inmate Of the
carriage. Sinkinsou had disappeared; but
how and when l could not imagine
Bot the. how and the when were, Just at
that time. the secondary questions; it was
enough for me that he was gone. Ny
overwrougbt nerves gave way; the lapse
from the state of-horror and dread la
which had passed the last half hour. to
the blissful assurance of life ard safety,
was more than 1 could bear. sank back
in my seat in a sta;e.of partial upconcious-
ness oblivious Of al Surrounding objects.
knowing and feeling only that l was safe.
When again awoke to full conscious
moss of my position. a fresh iamp had been
placed IN the carriage; we had quilted the
station, and he train was once more speed
ing rapidly on its way. Yes; it was a
blissful reality. my late companion had
certainly vanished But what was tina:
strange looking little object on the floor?
IIstooped and picked it up. 1t was Sink
inson's glass eye--the very eye he had
shown me while telling his story! If any
doubts as to the reasonableness of my late
fears. --if any thought that what had sui.
tered was nothing more than a fearful
dream--had ever crossed my mind, they
were at once and forever dissipated by the
finding Of The tiny object now held be-
tween my fingers.
Again the question, put itself,-to me-
How had my companion goa away?AT The