Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-10-13
The Outside Passenger

Paul Raymond, q young lawyer
was engaged to jamie Martin, and
bis sleep was troubled by dreams
about his idol. He dreamed they
were in a dark wood of close-group.
ed funeral trees-Janie was strug.
Cling in the ever-tightening folds
of a huge Demonstrators with a
human face, like that of Lindley
Grey, a discarded lover of Janie's ;
while he striving yainly to cry
out, or hasten to her assistance,
seemed paralysed in every limb,
helpless anG mOtionless as a mar
bic statue !
lie awolze, bathed in a cold per
spiration, with painful sense of
the vividness and reality of the
horrible vision which had oppress
ed his dreams.
Surely some harm had happen
ed to jamie, surely some dark per-
il hung threateningly over her
future !
1t was some time before reason
and common sense came to his aid
sufficiently to enable him to laugh
at these unreal chimeras; yet he
hardly felt safe the next day, un-
til he had called at jamie Mar.
tins abode in his way to his Of
fee, learning from the servant
that "Miss Martin was quite well" /"
"I--I think ! will see her for
a minute, if she can receive me" !"
he said.
The servant came back prompt
ly-"Would Mr. Raymond walk
up to Miss Martins sitting-room?"
We should here observe that
jamie was governess in a family
of distinction, the principal mem
bers of which were at the moment
out of town.
jamie was hurriedly packing
things in her trunk, in the midst
of a chaos of feminine belongings.
'Janie ! surely you are not 60
ing away 2"
81 must Paul. l have just re-
ceived a telegram from my step
mother, who is very i'll, and wants
me to come to her at once. ! must
travel night and day, or it may
be too late"
"Let nae see the telegram"
jamie gave him the slip of pa
per and he read:
Your step-mOther is very ill
not expected to live. Come to her
at once. A. MONTAGUE"
"And who is this A. Montague?''
81 do not know; the doctor, /
suppose"
Paul turned the paper over and
over in his hands.
"Janie," he said, "are you not
acting a little rashlyf Wait un-
til you hear more definite tidings !"
"Until my step mother is dead ?
o, Paul, she was SO kind to me,
when poor papa was taken away,
and the little children will need
my care sorely."
"But, jamie"
"There ia no use of wasting
words, Paul must go by the
noon train"
"Where is it ?"
'1n Darnellsdale, twelve miles
from Courtfeld. I go as far as
Courtfeld by train, and there
take the stagecoach
"When will you reach there p
"At midnight, if we meet with
no delays"
"Janie," said Paul Raymond,
determinedly, Il shall go with
you."
"Indeed, you shall moi, Paul, "
said the little damsel resolutely,
and flushing up to the roots of her
hair. 81 will go alone"
81 do tthirkitis safe, jamie.
What nonsense, Paul." she
cried, laughing.
"But listen to me, my dearest;"
and urged by some strong irresis'
table power, Paul told jamie the
story Of his dream. She laughed
more merrily than ever.
"Now, / am determined you
shall not accompany me, Paul,
A man to allow a foolish dream
to influence Misconduct. Never!'
"Janie," he said almost sternly.
"If you do not abandon the
subject once for all, she said, res
olutely, al shall consider il as q
sign and token that yon desire our
engagement to be at an end. =
"But will you let me
She put her hand playfully, yet
imperativeIy, over his lips.
"WhatI / tell you. Cons your
business awaits you, and / am in
a desperate hurry to get all these
things packed up"
81 am to consider myself dis
missed, then?" be said, half laugh,