The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-02-02
OUR WEEKLY STORY
ESCAPED.
M WILLIAM ). HURTLEY.

seemed to CIugeal in ones bones,
"There's one advantage in steam,'
growlcd a fat old gentleman, in the cornol
seat; wind and weather don't affect it
No flesh and blood horse could stand .
night like th.s, but the iron horse keep,
straight ahead, though the thermometer
is at zero, or @. boiling water heat"
just then The conductor entered.
"Tickets, Gentlemen, it you please"
"lt's a drl, ,1tql night, conductors" said
!, feeling with stifienod fingers for my
ticket.
"Drcadful, sir" fcelingly responded the
conductor. "Why, the brakemen can't
live outside, and so | look the other way
when the poor fellows creep in to get a
breath of warm air at 10 stove"
And the conductor opened the door and
plunged across the coupling into the next
car, crying out:
"uardwick p
1t twas quite considerable city-with a
handsome iron depot, and the usual crowd
around the platform, with their hands iu
their pockets, and their segar ends abloze.
Our car was nearly the last of long
train, and but one passenger eutered-a
slender young girl, wrapped in gray
blanket shawl, and wearing a neat little
travelling hat of gray straw, trimmed with
stone-colorcd velvet flowers. She seemed
to hesitate like one unused to travelling,
aud finally sat down near the door.
"Pardon me, young LADY," said I, "but
yOu had better come nearer the stove"
She started, hesitated au instant, and
then obeyed.
"Docs this train go on to Bayswatcr 2"
she asked, in q voice so deiciously soft
that it seemed to thrill through me.
"Ies. Can | be Ofany service to you ~
"Oh, no--at least not until we reach
BaySwatCr. | would like carriage then"
"We shall not be there yet these three
hours"
"Do we stop again 7"
"On!y at Exmouth."
She drew a deep sigh, seemingly of re-
lief, and then settled back in her corner.
BY the light of the lamp could see her
face plainly. Apparently she was not
more than sixteen, with large blue eyes,
golden hair drawn straight away from her
face, and little rosy mouth like that of
baby"
"Do you expect friends to meet you at
Bayswater, my child 2" | asked.
"No, sir; | am going to school there"
"lt will be rather an awkward hour to
arrive by yOurscif-one in the morning"
"Oh, am not afraid" she said with an
artlcss LITTLE laugh. 81 shall 60 straight
to the seminary"
So the train thundored on, with steady,
coosolcss pulsing at its iron heart, and
constant roar. Suddenly the signal whis-
ties sounded, and the train began to slack
en- its Epeed."
"Surcly we arc not at Exmouth yet ?"
[ thought; sunless | have fallen uucou-
seiously asleep aud allowed the progress
Of time to escape me-"
| glanced at my watch; it was barely
half past eleven, and | knew we were not
due at Exmouth until twelve.
| rubbed the frost from the window
pane aud looked out. We had stopped at
a little way station, in the midst of u
dense pine woods.
SIS this Exmouth :"
1t was the soft voice of the pretty trav-
eler opposite.
"Nc, don't know what place it is, some
way station"
"Does the train stop at way stations ?"
"Neyer, generally they must have been
especially Signallod here. You are cold
child--your voice tremblcs."
"It is coid," she said, family drawing
her shawl around her. ooh, | wish they
would hurry on!"
ave are moving once more," | said
"Condactor"-for the man of tickets was
passing through the cars-"why did we
stop at this backwoods place 2"
"OGt Of WATER" was the reply, as he
hurriedly passed by.
Now knew perfectly we'll that this an.
swer was not the real solution of the mat.
ter. Our delay had not exceeded half a
minute-altogethGr too short a time for
roplenishing the boilers; and where on
earth was the water to come from in that
desOlate stretch of barren pine woods (!
Five minutes after, the conductor entered
the car; | made room for him at my side.
asst down, conductOr-you'yo nothing
to do this minute"
lie cLeyed.
"What did you mean by telling me
such lie, just now!" spoke it under
my breath. He replied in the same time.
"About what :"
D "About the reason We stopped Just
now"
lie smiled.
"To tell you the truth, I stopped to take
on single passengcr-a gcntleman-who
has come down from Bayswatcr"
"l'or the pleasure of travelling once
more over the same route :"
"Exactly-for the pleasure of travelling
it in certain society. Don't be alarmed
for your own sake-it's detective police
man."
l was about to repeat the words in as
tonishmant, Yhon he mOtiOncd me to 81
leneo.
"And who is the offender ?"
81 don't know myselfyet. lie don't
want a scene until thc46omoHt OF arrest
ysrru safe enough. qptil VIC reach Bays
water" -
"Wbersisher
"Tbe detective! lie sits by the door
Yauder, with ragged fur cap pulled over
his eyes. Did you ever SC: more perfect
specimen of the dilapidated countryman ?"
smiled; could not help it.
"What is the case %
ga murder--a man and his wife, and
two ehildreu--tEeir throats cut last nj /,
ana the house set Gre to afterwards" D
'E0reat Heavens! what monster w =,
We had continued the convcrsatnn
II 4 L 1. IA