The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-23
R.scapc from Justice.


a fat old gentleman in the corner seat; "Wind
and weather don't affect il. No fesh-and-
blood horse could stand q night like this.
but the iron horse keeps straight ahead,
whether the thermometer is at zero or boil
ing-hcat."
Just then the conductor entered.
Tickets, gentlemen, if you please
ITS dreadful night, conductor" ] said,
feeling with stitfencd fingers for my ticket in
the breast pocket of my coat.
dreadful, sir" feelingly responded the
conductor "why, the brakenien can't live
outside. and so look the other way when
they creep in, poor fellows, TO get breath
Of warm air at the stove. We have not Ead
such :, lad night since year ago, the "a OF
February, when Tom Blakeslee, the baggage
mn >ter, iroze both his feet, and woman who
was coming from Chicago got oil at Buns
Four-C orncrs with her baby in her arms a
corTsc!"
"Froze TO DEATH"
cave, frozen to death, and she never
thought, poor thing, but it was asleep. My
lnbys cold,' says she, but we'll soon warm
il when we get homc.' 1t was just such q
mig It rs this
And the conductor opened the door and
p ungcd across the opening into the next car,
c.TinS out
l.ardwick."
il was quite considerable city, with q
handsome iron depot, tlaring @as-lampS, and
the usual crowd around the platform with
hands in their pockets, and cigar-ends flaming
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 Wc,rin. neat little travelling hat Of
gray straw trimmed with stonC-colored velvet
flowers. She seemed to hesitate like one
uni!scd to travelling, and finally sat down
near tho door.
pardon me, youn. lady," said /, "Dut
You had better come nearer the stove"
she started, hesitated an instant, and then
ohcycd.
Does this train 20 to Bayswater?" she
asked il Il voice so dcIiciouSly soft and sweet
that it seemed to thrill through me-"
"Ies can be Of any service to you?"
III, i---> 49,. --.:l rnncI, Pays
water. would like to hayca carriage then"
ave shall not be there yet these three
hours
"Do we stop a%ain:'
"Ony III EXmouth."
She drew deep sigh, seemingly of relief,
and settled back in Il corner. BY the light OF
the lamp that hung in its brass fixture oppo-
Site I could see her face, that Of lovely
child. Apparently she was no more than
sixteen. with large blue eyes, golden hair
brushed smoothly back from her face, and
little rosy mouth, like that Of a baby.
"Do YOU expect friends to meet you at
Bayswatcr, my child!' ! asked, incidentally.
$40. sir; | am going TO school there"
ct will he an awkward hour for you to
arrive at in the morning."
"Oh, | am not afraid" she said, with an
arilcss little laugh; 81 shall go straight to
tie seminary"
80 the express train Numbered on, with
ccasclcss pulsing at lis iron heart, and con-
slant roar. Suddenly the signal-whistlc
sounded and the train began to slacken its
speed.
"Sl,rcly, we are not at Exmouth yet" I
thought, "unleSs | have fallen unconsciously
Asleep and allowed the progress of time to
escape me-"
glanced at my watch. It was barely half
past II, and l knew we were not due ut EX-
mouth until after II. I rubbed the frost
from the pane and looked out. We had
stopped at lonely little way-station i'll the
midst of 4 dense pine wood.
ais this EXmoutll?"
1t was the soft voice of the pretty traveller
opposite.
mo, don't know what place it is: som,
Way-sIaton."
Does this train stop ut way-stations?"
"Not generally; they must have been spe
cially signalled here. You are cold, my child
j notice your voice trembles."
1T is cold" she said, in scarcely audible
voice, drawing her shawl around her. "Oh,
wish they would hurry on"
1--WE are moving once more" l said
"Conductor"-ior the man of tickets was
passing through the car" why did we stop
at that hackwoods place."
"Out Of water" was the reply, as the man
hurliedly passed on.
Now, knew very well that this answer
was not the true solution of the matter. Our
delay did not exceed half minute-alto-
Eclher too short for replenishiug the boilers
ahu Where on earth was the water to come
from in that desolate stretch Of barren pine
woods?
Five minutes after, the conductor recn
tered the ear. / made room for him at IN,
side.
"Sit down, conductor, you've nothing tc
do now"
lie obeyed.
;. "Htat did you mean by telling me such 8
lie just now"
lspoke under my breath he replied in the
same tone
ABOUT Wu1Cs"
About the reason YOU stopped to take ON
single paSsenger-a gentleman who has
come down from Bayswater Tor the pleasure
OF travelling once more over the sumo route :"
EXACTLY so-for the purpose Of travelling,
1t IN certain society--it's detective police
nrin."
| was about to repeat the words in aston
lshinent, when he motioned me to caution.
Where is hc:"
"Ihe detective? He sits by the door yor-
DER, with ragged fur cap pulled over his
eyes. DID you ever see more perfect speci-
men OF the dilapidated countryinan ?"
smiled; could hardly help it.
"What il the case?o
"a murder--a man and wife and two liz
TIE children-their threats cut last night. and
the house set on fire afterwards,
"Great heavens what monster!n
Wehad continued the conversation through
out i'll whisper, scarcely above our breath.
and now the conductor rose and left me to
study the faces of my fellow-passengers with
curious dread and horror.
Somehow, as often as resolved the matter
III my mind my fancy would settle ON a coarse,
grosseiooslng man opposite, with bushy beard
ana shaggy coat with the collar turned I'D
around his ears. felt that this man. with
his heavy hanging jaw, was Cain. And as /
looked furtiyeiy across caught the wide