Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-20
NO. 224.

should make misstep and enter her berth.
Toward morning she fell asleep, and did
not wake until the steamer was at her
wharf in Portland.
At six O'Clock Hannah was on deck
again, waiting for her cousin Stephen, at
whose house she was to breakfast, before
gong to Boston in the morning train. He
took her luggage from the sharp-eyed
ofhcers, put her shawl strap and trav-
elling-bag into hack, and landed her
In front OF his own door before she fairly
knew where she was An hours rest be-
fore breakfast refreshed the little woman,
and she was in her bravest and most defiant
mood when she bade goodbye to Stephens
wife and children, and went with him to
the station.-She was the soul of punctu-
ality, and was comfortably seated on the
shady side Of a car, with all her travelling
equipments around her, at least fifteen
minutes before the last bell rang. The
car was almost full; Stephen was putting
his hand through the open window for a
final shake, and the last bell began to ring,
when Hannah saw her dreaded steamer
companion rushing into the car.
els this seat engaged, madam ?" said he
in the same words which he had used on
the boat, just as the train was gliding out
earlier Hannah would have gone home
with Stephen on any pretence, but it was
too late for retreat. The seat by her side
was the only unoccupied one in the car,
and she could say nothing but stiff ''No."
She sat there for another hour or more,
when, not liking to lose the sea-breeze and
sunshine, she locked her door carefully,
and after going the whole length of the
saloon, went back to try the handle and
assure herself that she had really turned
the key. The sun was far down in the
west. fresh breeze had sprung up, Grand
Menan was out Of sight, and the steamer
was going out to sea. The bugbear had
left his seat, and Hannah curled herself
up and watched the water until tea-time.
Now, the New Brunswick" is winter
boat, and its dining-room, instead of being
on deck, as in the summer steamers, is
down in the depths of the hold. Hannah
had a dozen minds about venturing into
the uncanny spot, but hunger finally drove
her down below. When she seated her.
self at the table she timidly vaised her eyes
and saw, staring straight at her, the dread
full man from whom she had fled in the
afternoon.
He was not at all rude or uncivil, and
did not even try to talk to her. but her fear
of him made her swallow cup of tea and
slice OF toast as quickly as possible, and
60 back to her place on deck. Just before
she had gone below she had seen sight
for which she had hardly dared hope
some purple peaks rest ne out Of the water,
and unfolding themselves against the sun
set until they stood, sharply-cut, in a long
line against the west. Hannah began to
live over again happy summer which
she and Nora had spent there, when no.
body but artists and sea-lovers took the
trouble to find out the place, when Nora
was just beginning to paint, and Hannah
used to sit on the rocks, and watch the
western light spreading, as now, from Dog
Mountain to the ''three silent pinnacles'
which ''stood, sunset-flushed" towering
from rosy gold to purple, the red refec-
melted into the sky, the stars came out,
and the air grew chilly was just
going to the stateroom when she heard
voices at her side.
THAT was good thing for your firm,
wasn't it P" said one.
YES" answered the same voice which
had spoken to Hannah on deck. "We
shall make more by it in month than we
did in six last year"
"What has become of your friend who
went down with yo'} last week ?'' said the
first voice.
"Oh, Brown? don. just know where
he is. left him at Digby,-and, lower
ing his voice in what seemed to Hannah
mysterious way, Il have some money of
his that am going to dispose Of in Bos-
TOM
Then may | sit here ?" went on the
monster, quietly putting Hannah's travel
ling-bag into the rack above the seat. She
trembled at the thought Of a grand crash,
and streams of tooth-wash, Jamaica-gin-
ger, cough-medicihe, onge-blacking,
Vegetable Sicilian hair renewer, and
Cologne-water, descending upon her de-
voted head, but her bugbear was careful
and deft-fingered, and placed the bag
right side up. me man but a thief could
have done that so nicely!' she thought
to herself, and looked steadily out of the
window.
The morning wore on. Hannah tried
to look like Gorgon, and succeeded so
we'll that her travelling companion did not
try to talk to her after the first half hour.
but read his morning paper, advertise
ments and all, until he had finished it,
then, when newspaper boy went through
the car, he bought Harpers Weekly and
Bazaar, offering the latter with poiite
bow, to Hannah, who declined it. saying,
with her most icy manner, THANK you;
l never read in the cars. At last the
train drew near the old and respectable
town of Salem. Now, at Salem, as every
body knows who has been there is long,
dark tunnel. Hannah thought of the tun-
mel with a shudder Who knew but that
dreadful man might try to pick her pock-
ct there, under cover of darkness, ard
rush out of the cars at the Salem station
just beyond it AS to the thought of the
man aforesaid stealing kiss in the tunnel
she was too old and too free from feminine
vanity to let it enter head. She determ-
ined to clutch her pocket book with the
grasp of despair. and put her hand into
the pocket for the purpose, when--oh,
horror! she found the wretch's hand
there
She behaved like heroine. She neith-
er tainted nor screamed, but held the big,
strong hand with all the force Of her little
l,r 81; ;<.Ls L