Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-08-19

| ~. r- W ~- ..
That night, some twenty minutes past
eight of tho clock, my hanson, turning
| the Bruton street corner at sharp trot,
was nearly cut over by another hanson
charging furiously down Bond street.
The two drivers exchanged broadside
of double shotted blasphemies, fogged
their horses clear of each other, and
started again, the offending Jehu leading.
l was bound to Charing Gross, en- route
| to Dover, Paris and Lindenbad, in the
track of Lady Oswestry and Helen Wy
browe; and, in consequence of this delay,
only saved the 81 mail by about two
| seconds. Another man, however, ran it
closer still. A man in fur lined travel
| ing robe, and q peaked cap pulled over
his eyes, took a through ticket to Linden
bad after me, and followed me on to the
platform, half dozen yards behind.
| heard him hurrying after me just as
| the guard had opened the door of the
empty carriage he caught me up and got
in too. The door was slammed, the
whistle shrieked, and the Dover mail
started.
had dropped into one corner my
companion rolled himself in the opposite
one. I lit a cigar so did he; and we
cleared London, and had run a dozen
miles down the line before l looked at
him again. l was thinking what Helen's
sudden departure BODIED me; whether l
was so sure Of winning her, after all and,
deep in speculations of this sort, had no
eyes or thought for anything else.
| Besides, that shapeless travelling robe,
and that peaked cap that kept his face in
an impeHetrable shadow, would have
puzzled me, even If had had suspicion
as to who the man in the opposite corner
VAS. And in the preparations for my
sudden departure had forgotten all about
him.
So that it was not till he tore off his
cap and flung aside his wrapper that
knew that Alvarez Smith and l were
alone together in that carriage of the
Dover mail train and that he was glaring
at me with all the furious hate he felt for
me In his evil eyes.
looked at him TRANQUILITY enough, 1
think, but couldn't help feeling that the
rencontre was by no means an agreeable
one; that the express stopped nowhere
between London and Dover, and that
Alvarez Smith was probably as mad as
any inmate of Hanwell.
However, am not easily put off head,
and as [ say, returned his glare with a
tranquil stare, and went on smoking.
Whether he had expected this melodra-
ma to produce more effect, and was dis
appointed; whether my calmness irri.
tated him afresh, l don't know. Certain
it is that he rose and came toward me
with an oath.
1t struck me forcibly that he was dan
gerous, and gradually slipped my hand
into the inner breast pocket of my travel
ing jacket, and unfastened the loop which
kept useful little revolver de pochs steady
| there.
There seemed likely to be a necessity,
disagresble but imperative, for shooting
this man before we got to Dover. And it
so happened that felt in no humor to
run any risk by the exercise of an uuwise
fOrbearance toward mad brute like this,
if 1t came to fight.
1t appeared, though, that he had some.
thing to say before he began, for he seated
himself exactly opposite to me, and NUT
tered hoarsely:
"Se we are alone at last; you and L"
$50 it seems" returned. l saw that,
if he meant 10 have a row, he didn't feel
quite up to the mark yet, and wanted to
talk himself into the necessary fury; 60
thought Imi hit venture to light another
cigar, which did, loosing my grip on the
pistol but for moment, but keeping my
eye on my man the while.
at me. he looked so unutterably hideous
and at the same time so intensely ludi-
crous while he was doing it, that
laughed.
"Take care !" he screamed, shivering
with wrath, "You laugh now; let him
laugh that wins! Caranida, you have moi
won yet"
"No ?" inquired, insolently.
mol curse you you never shall"
Bah who says 30, my good man p
al have sworn 1t |"
"YouY" 1 sneered, rather enjoying hi.
fury, and with no mind TO spare him any
stab could give him. "Youl You are
madder than / thought you were"
You shall never have herl Mddre d.
Di0sl never"
"You're wrong. l shall"
He smiled in Ia CHASTITY fashion with hii
white, dry lips.
"No," he said, and if his tone wa.
calmer, it was twice as Dangerous" anC
threatening now. "Noi shall keep my
oeth-be sure of that. Listen!" he wen
on, after a pause, and with that same
forced calnness; from the day saw
her first, and each day more and more
have loved her-this woman, who--'
Who, from that same day, and eacl
day more and more, has loathed anC
hated you" l struck in. "Well?"
By the light of the lamp above us
could see his yellow face TURN the asher
hue of dead mans, as that cruel taunt
OF mine bit home.
He covered his face with his hands anC
uttered a faint dull moan, as though he haC
in very deed got his death hurt.
The crisis was evidently approaching
the madman could hardly contain him
| off Tn, l.
might, be at my throat and then, disagree
able as it would be, l should inevitably
have to shoot him. Alvarez Smith wal
by no means the sort of person to stanC
on much ceremony with when the in
stincts he inherited from the Spanish
creole of mother of his were in thu
ascendant; and it was his life or mine.
began to think. l drew the revolver
quietly out of my pocket, and covered hin
from my knee in anticipation OF hisrush
snow" nc hissed, awills you promise
me never to marry this wornanf"I g
"Pll see you in Gehenna Grstp
"You will not" grrrrg
"Confound you, not But pll promis,
you this" 1 added, as 1 saw him crouch
. ing like jaguar for spring at my
throat, that, madman or no mailman, i
you ley finger on me, will shoot yoy
| Ii yOuh nlLhOu1 WhA
, Raising my right hand quickly, l GOV
cred him fairly now. My smiable com
, panion dropped back into his seat with {
hideous Hpauish blasphemy, most unex
pectedly baflled and beaten.
: "That's right" said, considerably re
|. lieyedto ind he, was not SO mad as L
have lost al fear for himself, and put mi
under the psinful necessity of winginl
him; "of course YOU didn't expect me u
be 30 well able TO take care of myself; ant
l suppose you've only a knife. l dom
, much think you'll kill me tonight, aftel
all, though we are alone, etc, as you were
good enough to remind me Just now"
"Oh r. he anarled, g shall kill yol
, yeti"
"Idiffer with you there. My own i'm
: preston is that you'll be in Hanwell O
,, Oharenton before long. Meanwhile, le
, me advise you not to try this again.