The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-08-18

That night, Some twenty minutes past
eight of the clock, my hanson, turning
the Bruton street corner at a sharp trot,
was nearly cut over by another hanson
charging turiously 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.
was bound to Charing Cross, en- route
to Dover, Paris and Lin6enbad, in the
track of Lady Oswestry and Helen Wy
brOwe; and, in consequence OF this delay,
only saved the SO mail by about two
seconds. Another man, however, ran it
closer still. A man in 3 fur lined travel
ing robe, and peaked cap pulled over
his eyes, took through ticket to Linden
bad after me, and followed me on to the
platform. half a dozen yards behind.
l 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.
l had dropped into one corner my
companion rolled himself in the opposite
one. / lit a cigar; so did he; and We
cleared London, and had run dozen
miles down the line before l looked at
him again. was thinking what Helen's
sudden departure BODIED me; whether
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 impenetrable shsdow, would have
puzzled me, even if had bad 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 hi;
cap and flung aside his wrapper that
knew that Alvarez Smith and | were
alsne together in that carriage of the
Dover mall train and that he was glaring
at me with all the furious hate he felt for
me in his evil eyes.
Hooked at him TRANQUILITY enough, ]
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 Hsnwell.
However, am not easily put off head
and as [ say, returned his glare with 9
tranquil stare, AMI 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, 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 a useful little revolver dc pOche steady
there.
There seemed likely to be necessity
disagreable but imperative, for shooting
this man before we got to Dover. And il
so happened that l felt in no humor t
run any risk by the exercise of an unwist
forbearance toward a mad brute like this
if it came to fight.
1t appeared, though, that he had some
thing to say before he began, for he seate(
himself exactly opposite to me, and NUT
tered hoarsely:
use we are alone at last; you and l."
$50 it seems" returned. l saw that
it he meant to have row, he didn't fee
Qlite up to the mark yet, and wanted t
talk himself into the necessary fury 81
thought night venture to light anothe
cigar, which did, loosing my grip on tn,
pistol but for a moment, but keeping my
eye on my man the while.
He actually CRASHED his yellow teetl
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, shiverin,
with wrath. "You laugh now; let hin
laugh that wins! Caram6a, you have no
won yet"
Nor" / inquired, insdently.
No! curse you you never shall"
Bah who says SO, my good man !?
I'll l have sworn it ~
"You" | sneered, rather enjoying hi
| fury, and with no mind to spare him an,
stab l could give him. "Youl You ar,
madder than thought you we're"
You shall never have her! Mddre d
DiosI never"
"You're wrong. l shall"
He smiled in a ghastly fashion with hi
white, dry lips.
"No," he said, and if his tone wa
calmer, it was twice as dangerous an,
threatening now. mol / shall keep M
oath-be sure of that Listen" he wen
on, after a pause, and with that sam
forced calmnesS; " from the day l 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 an,
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 taun
Of mine hit home.
10 cou.ro1 bio 20 m NTH h;a Ic -,
uttered a faint dull moan, as though he ha
In very deed got his death hurt
The Crisis was evidently approaching
the mailman could hardly contain him
self much longer. In another minute b
might.be at my throat; and then, disagree
able as 1t would be, / should inevitably
have to shoot him. Alvarez Smith wa
| by no means the sort of person to stan,
on much ceremony with when the in
stincts he inherited from the Spanisl
creole of mother of his were In th
ascendant; and it was his life or mine.
began to think. | drew the revolve
quietly out of my pocket, and covered hin
IRON my knee in anticipation of his rush
Now" he hissed, twill you promis
me never to marry this womans"
| III see you in Gehenna first"
| You will not 2"
Confound you, MOI But I'll promis
you this" | added, as 1 saw him crouch
ing like a jaguar for spring at m,
throat, "that, mailman or no mailman,
you lay finger on me, will shoot yoI
III your tracks without further warning.
Raising my right hand quickly, / GOV
cred him fairly now. My smiable com
panion dropped back into his seat with
hideous Spanish blasphemy, most unex
pectedly baffled and beaten.
"That's right" 1 said, considerably re
lieved TO find he was not so mad as 1
have lost all fear for himself, and put m
under the painful necessity Of wingin
him; "of course you didn't expect me Z
be so well able to take care of myself; an
| suppose you've only knife. l don
much think you'll kill me tonight, afte
all, though we are alone, etc, as you wer