The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-13


got out TO take q snack, but /. iiayinp
made big dinner Just before leaving, did
not think Il worth while eating again
so soon, and just strolled up and down Inc
platform, Till, noticing that the muffled
man did not get out went 10 see what
he was doing.
"All the time we had been talking this
man never said q word, but sat In The
corner like wax figure; and when
looked In and saw him still sitting there
motionless, with his bundle behind him,
It reminded me somehow OF q picture /
saw long ago, where o murderer was sit.
ting watching beside tho body Of his vic.
tim. '.'s'. y
"What r. l exclaimed, Erred Alllact
turning imaginative! Wonders will never
cease" g gl
"Ah, it's all very well for you to chat"
retorted Fred, rather acrimoniously, "you
think that because fellow knows how TO
take care Of himself, he has not no more
imagination than a Goldfish, but I've got
as much as you, anyhow"
any dear fellow replied !, an con.
cede you the imagination Of Shakespeare
you like, only go on with your story, for
I'm rather anxious TO hear the denoue.
ment."
"Perhaps you won't like It so much
when you do hear it," said Fred, gloomi.
ly; "but 10 continue. The man looked
up In a quick, suspicious way as got In,
exposing part Of his face for the first
time, He was so coarsely dressed that |
wondered how he came to travel first
class at all but In that moment caught
glimpse Of face which never belonged
to one of the bourgeois since the world be,
gan"
Miracle upon miracle r. exclaimed |.
"Can this be Fred Alltact, whose favor.
ite maxim used TO be that one man Is as
good as another"
"Ah, you may laugh" responded my
friend, "but waits til ! get to the end Of
my story, and then laugh If you can.
Well, presently the officer and lady got
In again, and we resumed our converse.
ton. ! don't know how 1t was, but some.
how onr-tal turned upon murders, and
one horrible story succeeded another, till
at last / got quite sick Of II, and said,
rather eXCitedly, There is one thing 10
comfort one all over these hOrrors-that
the villains who cause them ale certain 10
be found out and published
II had scarcely uttered the words when
a low. chuckling laugh came from under
the wrappings of the unknown, which
made mo start as II had been stung.
There was something in the sound SO
positively internal that really ielt as II Il
had been the devil himself. But before l
could speak the stranger Joined in the
conversation for the first time"
"Alonsieur Is Of the opinion, then" said
he, in the most perfect French, "that 1t is
almost impossible to commit murder
without being detected"
aust So" replied l, rather CURLY, for
there was latent sarcasm in his tone
which made me think he was laughing at
me, though l could not tell how or why.
'Then fear must take the liberty Of
differing from Monster on that point" re.
turned lie, in smooth, slippery voice,
that gave me the same feeling one has in
looking ut snake. at proved lruitless,
and where the murderer is probably at
large still"
"Where these cases Of which you speak
in Russia?" asked
"ln Russia and elsewhere" hereioined,
"But it strikes me that even in England
murderers are not always brought 10 Jus.
tice. have some Remembrance OF a
story called the Waterloo Bridge Muir
der which seemed TO end in nothing.
Messicurs de In Police are very clever,
but they are not omniscient."
They're cleverer than people think
them, perhaps" said l rather sharply, for
already felt an unaccountable aversion
to the man, although l had hardly spoken
with him for two minutes.
perhaps" he returned, with slight
sneer, "but for all that would not mind
laying wager that you might sit oppo.
site 10 murderer and talk with him
aye, just after the deed was committed
without finding him outr'
lie pronounced the last words in q tone
almost of triumph, which made me Jingle
from head to loot. Had l followed nv
impulse at that moment, l should have
collared him and cried out, "Seize this
man he's murderer"
"And you would have been right, l
suppose" interrupted I, beginning 10 feel
interested.
you'll find out about that later on"
returned Fred, who never likes to be hur-
ried in story. II saw that my two
companions had their suspicious Of him
likewise, and no wonder; for he was a
man dressed like a porter, talking pure
French, and expressing himself as this
fellow had done was enough to set any
man thinking. Whether they had an
idea OF anything wrong, or merely took
him for some young swell out on frolic,
can't say; but Just as l was going to
hint my suspicious TO them, the train
stopped at Volkhoff and my two friends
got out to eat as before. Directly thew
were gone, the strangergot out too, saying
to me, very politely:
"Will you kindly see that no one takes
my place while / get some dinner?"
OF course agreed, and away he went,
You'd hardly believe that even I, unin.
aginative as you call mt, felt sort of
horror at being left alone there, Just as II
some evil presence were with me in the
carriage, though excepting our baggage
and the strangers bundle) there was
nothing there but myself. And the feel.
ing so gained upon me that ut last | got
out and stood by the door.
My two companions were soon back
again, but when the train started the
stranger was still missing. noticed this
to the officer, who replied that he had
probably got into another carriage by
mistake, and that we should see him at
the next station. However, he didn't ap.