The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-11-24
ESCAPED FROM JUSTICE.


1t was bitter cold night in january
night when homeless wanderers on the moors
might have sunk down and frozen to death,
and the very marrow seemed TO CONCEAL in
ones bones.
There's one advantage in steam,' growl-
ed fat old gentleman in the corner seat +;
wind and weather don't affect l.. No flesh
and blood horse could stand hight like this.
but the iron horse keeps straight ahead,
whether the thermometer is at zero or at
boiling water heat.
Just then the conductor entered
"Tickets, gentlemen, if you please"
les a dreadful night, Conductor" said,
feeling with stifened fingers for my ticket, in
the breast pocket of my coat.
Dreadful, sir,n feelingly responded the
conductor. why, the brakemen can't live
outside, and SO l look the other way when
they creep in, poor fellows, to get breath
of warm air at the stove. We have not had
such night since year ago the second Of
February when Tom Blakeslee, the baggage
master troze both his feet, and woman who
was coming on from Chicago, got off at
Blinn's Four Corners with her baby in her
arms a cOrpso!
''Frozen to death ?"
"Aye, frozen to death, and she never
lIts tOoi OHlll3, DuL IL w ao IolCCp' AA
baby's cold,' says she, but we'll soon warm
it when we get home 1t was just such a
night as this"
And the conductor opened the door, and
plunged across the coupling into the next car
crying out: ''Hardwick ~
1t was quite a considerable city. with a
handsome iron depot, flaring gas laAps, and
the usual crowd around the platform, with
hands in its pockets and its cigar ends fam
ing through the night
Our car was nearly the last of the long
train, and but one passenger entered it a
slender young girl, wrapped in a gray
blanket shawl, and wearing q neat little
travelling hat of gray straw, trimmed with
stone colored velvet flowers. She seemed to
hesitate like one unused to travelling, and
finally sat down near the door.
Pardon me, young lady" | said, "but
YOU had better come nearer the stove"
She started, hesitated an instant and then
obeyed.
''Does this train go to Bayswater ?" she
asked in voice so deliciously soft and sweet
that it seemed to thrill through me.
''Yes; can | be Of any service to you?"
..Oh, no-at least not until we reach Bays
water. | would like a carriage then"
I'VE shall not be there yet these three
hours"
"Do we stop again?N
'Only at Exmouth"
She drew a deep sigh, seemingly of relief,
and settled back in q corner BY the light of
the lamp that hung on its brass fixture oppo-
site, | could see her face, that of a lovely
child. Apparently she was no more than
sixteen, with large blue eyes, golden hair
brushed smoothly back from her face, and a
little rosy mouth like that of a baby.
DO you expect friends to meet you at
Rayswater, my child ?" / asked incidentally.
mo sir; | am going to school there"
sit will be an awkward hour for you to ar
rive atone in the morning"
''O l am not afraid" she said with an art
less laugh; Il shall go straight to the SEM
mary"
SO the express train thundered on, with
steady ceaseless pulsng at its iron heart, and
constant roar
Suddenly the signal whistle sounded, the
train began to slacken its speed
"Surely we're not at Exmouth yet,"
thought, unless | have fallen unconsciously
asleep and allowed the progress of time to
escape me.
I glanced at my watch it was barely half
past eleven, and | knew we were not due at
Exmouth until after twelve o'clock. rub
bed the frost from the pane and looked out.
We had stopped at lonely little way
station in the midst Of a dense pine woods.
SIS this ExmOuth ?" 1t was the soft voice
of the pretty traveller opposite.
sNo-I don't know what place it is some
way station"
docs this train stop at way stations ?"
Not generally; they must have been
specially signalled here. You are cold, my
child-your voice trembles.'
1T is cold,n she said, in scarcely audible
voice, drawing her shawl around her. 'Oh,
wish they would hurry on. %
1--WE are moving once more,n said.
Conductor, for the man of tickets was
passing through the car-''why did we stop
at that backwoods place ?'
''Out of water was the reply, as he hur-
liedly passed by.
Now | knew perfectly we'll that this an
swer was not the true solution OF the matter
Our delay did not exceed half Il minute, al
together too short time for repleniShing the
boilers and where on earth was the water
to come from in that desolate stretch of bar
rem pine woods.
Five minutes after the conductor ro-enter-
ed the ear; ! made room for him at my
side
''Sit down, Conductor; you've nothing to
do this minute He obeyed.
What did you mean by telling me such a
lie just now ?''
J l spoke under my breath; he replied in
the same tone; "About what ?"
"About the reason you stopped just now"
lie smiled. "To tell you the truth, | stop
ped to take on a single passenger-a gentle
man who has come down from BaysWatern y
'sFor the pleasure OF travelling once more
over the same route p''
Exactly so--for the purpose of travelling
it in certain society. Don't be alarmed for
your own safety-it's detective policeman. !"
was about to repeat the words in aston
ishment, when he motioned me to silence
where is hep
The detective? He sits by the door yon-
der, with ragged fur cap pulled over his
eyes Did you ever see a more perfect spec
linen of the dlapidated countryman ?"
| smiled | could hardly help it.
''What is the case?"
"A murder-a man and his wife and two
little children-their throats cut, last night
and the house set on fire afterwards"
"Great Heavens what q monster ~
We had continued the conversation
throughout in a whisper, scarcely above our
breath, and now the conductor rose and LETT
me to study the faces of my fellow passen-
gers, with curious dread and horror.
Somehow, often as l revolved the matter
in my mind, my fancy would settle on a