The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-01-09


nights rest. But before o'clock Billy
had discovered something that made
him more uneasy than ever. There
were three men ON the train of whom
he could not help having suspicious.
The first OF these was the minister
Billy. in passing him his cake-basket.
noticed by the light OF the lamp that his
hands were large and coarse. and that they
were not clean. And once again, rs Billy
was passing him. the man leaned forward
and his coat opened little and showed the
handle Of "A pistol.
"Ho. ho.- said Billy TO himself. " If
there's wolf In sleeps clothing, il must
be- you're the WOLF
Another suspicious character sat in the
last car but one. lie was little man,
wrapped up in Il large cloak. and he wore
"A very full beard and seemed 10 want TO
remain unnoticed. Billy, in passing "A
glass of water To lady. glanced mt this
l little man. and saw, 10 his establishment,
that his beard had slipped OIL and was lying
upon his cloak in front OF him. The lady
handed back the glass, and when Billy
gave second glance. 10 and behold. the
man's beard was on as natural as could be
Hollo"' thought Billy, - false whsk-
ers are not worn by honest men, that's GER
| tain"
Half an hour after this last discovery.
Billy was i'm the third ear from the rear. and
noticed drunken fellow who was telling
story and making stupid sport for two
or three other men. Billy listened a me-
mcnt. and then with a feeling OF disgust.
passed on into the last ear with his water
can. 10 offer water to any lady passengers
still awake. Returning soon, he came
again into the car where the drunken man
was, and a he opened the door rather sud-
denly, he saw the man sitting upright in
his seat. wiping his face with his handker-
chief. and looking as intelligent and self
controlled as anybody. All the other men
had gone away. As soon a the quondam
drankard saw Billy. he began to look
stupid and silly again. but he was a little
too late.
Now see here" quoth Billy TO himself,
as he passed along. seemingly without
noticing the man. "what does this all
mean. What are these three men about:
They are up 10 something, that's clear
enough, but I'd give my little finger 10
know what il i"
lie did not feel quite like speaking to the
conductor. however. lie was not yet GER
tain that his suspicion. were well founded.
and he did not wish 10 bring ridicule on
himself by raising an alarm which might,
after all. prove false one.
The train rushed ON into the night. Ii
was clear and cold without. Nearly every
passenger was now apparently sleeping.
The country they were passing through
was covered with woods. and there were
no settlements or houses for several miles.
BY eleven O'Clock the train would reach a
long down-graie of dozen miles or
more. and beyond that Was an ascending
grade OF few more miles, and then the
track lay dead level all the way.
Just before they got to the down-grade.
Billy. who had found il impossible TO sleep,
went back through the ears. He saw
passengers living in all sorts Of positions.
some with their legs curled up. some with
their heads on their breasts. and some
asleep and stretched out at full length. In
the second ear from the engine nobody
moved when Billy closed the door but the
minister Billy noticed that. In the
next ear he looked sharply at the man
with the beard as he passed. and he saw
him raise his head little and look sharply
nj him. In the last car but one, none
moved save the man who pretended 10 be-
Intoxicated. and he also glared sharply al
Billy. The watchtul boy was now more
than ever impressed with the idea that
these three men meant mischief.
He went into the last ear. Nearly all
the passengers here were ladies. They
were All apparently asleep. Billy went 10
the rear part. and sat down 10 think over
the situation.
Ii was now n minute or two after eleven.
The train began to pass down the descend
ing grade. and the cars crowded together.
A. Billy sat in the corner. he saw the door
at the further end Of the car open, ana the
tall minister" quietly entered and sat
down in a vacant seat near the middle. In
moment more the man with the beard
also came quietly in and sat near the end Of
the ear. Very soon the door again opened.
and the drunken" fellow came in, and
walked up and seated himself (only two
seats distant from the anxious watch-boy). !
and began To look around. All three OF
the suspected men were now in the last
ear.
Billy now felt certain they knew each |
other and intended mischief He thought |
over all the stories he had ever heard of
railroad outrages and rascalities. and raked |
his brain To conjecture what would happen |
next. But in his distress lac could only |
make ont a vague threatening Of some
thing dreadful. He glanced out of the |
window.
"Ah." said he. ''we .rc going pretty |
fast, It's all down hill now. suppose. |
We won't 20 20 fast when we get TO that |
upgrade"
suddenly an idea rushed into his mind |
like fash OF light. He started, trembling |
with excitement. II see it," thought he. |
+" | understand what all this means"
He waited a little to collect himself: |
then. mastering all his resolution. he got |
up aud strolled slowly and lisuSely |
through the car. though he knew that |
three pairs of sharp eyes Were upon him.
lie gained the door, and. pulling his cap |
down over his head passed quickly out.
A. soon rs he had shut the door he |
knelt down ON the platform, and. with the |
terrible roar Of the wheels sounding IN his |
ears aud half stunning him. he felt about |
on tho iron Shacllinp of the cars The min |