The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-02-28

claims of Federals and Confederates. i
need not tell You that both my com
panions had travelled great deal. |
never met an American who had not
They had gone TO the very extreme OF
the line of rail which was then being
laid down from Moscow to the East.
They had slept with the wOrkmen IN the
open air, and snored away quite calmly
among horde of semi-barbarlans. vi
course one OF them had been 10 Jerusa-
lem TO see how they were getting along
with the excavations there. We got ON
well together. and were on sufficiently
intimate terms mt the end of the day To
agree to sleep III the same carriage.
The windows were double, and only hall
of the double window would open the
seats were thickly cushioned. The sun
had been shining in through the double
glass upon our unfortunate heads, so
that we were only too glad tosolace our
selves with iced beer and execrable
claret at the few houses we saw. For
miles and miles we went on through for
ests, and without seeing single house.
And then the evening came, and after
the sun had set the air seemed almost
as sultry rs before. We dined together,
and adjourned to nm end compartment
of another carriage. A lamp had been
| lighted in it, and there was n curtain
which, when drawn over the lamp, rem
dered it almost dark. Soon after we
| had left the station where we had dined,
sudden glare of light burst upon us,
we felt the train quickening it. speed,
and in moment or two we were over
/ To An
| closed the windows, and found the forest
on each side of lis was in flames. Long
tongues of fire darted out here and there
and scorched the carriages. If | were
an adept at word painting | would at
tempt to describe the scene, but 1t was
far beyond anything could make you
feel or understand A quarter of a mile
or so of this, and we left the fire behind
us, only too thankful to have escaped
so easily.
And now we began to make our prep
arations for going to sleep. My two
| fellow travellers were evidently old hands
at this sort of thing. They took of
their coats and folded them into pillows
their collars and ties were neatly pinned
to the wall of the carriage; slippers re-
placed their boots and after spreading
large handkerchief over their coats by
way of "A pillow case, and getting out
their travelling rugs, were ready for bed.
In the Netting over my head was a small
carpet-bag belonging to the latter man
of the two, whom | will call Douglas.
He and Brokes, his companion, lay
down on the seat opposite to me, thus
leaving me the other seat all to myself.
Brokes with his head toward the win
dow and his face toward me | with my
face turned toward him, SO close that l
could almost have touched him. Doug
las lay on the opposite seat, with his
head next the window, and also facing
me. This proliX statement Is necessary
to make you understand my story. I'm
der my head was an overcoat, III the
pocket of which reposed n six-barreled
revolver, an old travelling companion,
so that by merely putting my hand under
my head | could place my finger on the
trigger However, scarcely a feeling of
suspicion crossed my mind. Douglas
asked me if / objected to have the cur
tain drawn across the lamp. OF
course not. This done, we could just
see one another but very indistinctly.
Then he lay down agnin, and there was
a dead silence.
The train went on and on, not house
to be seen through the thick forests.
Suddenly thought flashed upon me
What would be easier than to rob Il
man and throw him ont of the window 2
He would be in the forest. and soon the
wolves would find him out and disperse
all traces of him, eating his sealskin
waistcoat with as much relish rs his
carcass" / laughed to myself. How
absurd this is, said L. Il have no
leason to suspect these men. True,
they have been whispering together,
and their rings are rather numerous.
But what fool am l. | will gp to
sleep; at any rate | am tired enough. "
| had hardly closed my eyes when, in
the Stiffness heard sharp, quick
sound" click" | held my breath and
listened, every nerve strained to the ut
most. That sounds TO me very like
the sound of pistol being cooked. Alb
surd II" one carries pistols now.
Americans, especially, always carry re-
volvers. Again, click. "This is the
second time, d." | thought Still not a
trace of any movement The rug under
which Douglas was sleeping at the other
end of the carriage, and from which the
sound came, did not move felt noise
lessly for my six-shooter Thank God
it was there. grasped it, and laid my
finger on the trigger; and thinking of
the fayorite plan of shooting a man
through ones pocket, l turned the muz
zle of my trusty friend toward Douglas.
All this without speaking word.
Z" He will have the first shot, at any
rate, " thought but | shall be able to
return it before he has fired a second.
But alone with two men, who are doubt
less armed, | shall have poor chance. y
| cannot tell you the rapidity with which
the thoughts fitted through my mind
thoughts of sin unabsolved, strangely
intermingled with others of calm, UNI
plying hate toward my enemy. But /
remained silent. Once more sharp
click. / nearly fired. Thank God did
not And then, again, click, click,
click, in quick succession. "Ah, my
friend, " thought /, 81 see what you are
about; you are turning your revolver
around to place the caps on the nipples. y
And again, click, click. l could not
help it strung myself up to the task
and asked with cold calmness which