The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1876-11-30


ghosts walk at midnight. Hark /"
The speaker, vibrating from dreary
monotone to sudden, electrified at
tention, hurls himself to the other ond
of the carriage, and presses his fore
head against the glass, if his life dc
pended on discerning somo passing
object.
Mr.. Jeremiah Swan feels creep
ing chill descend his spine us lie
watches his crratic companion ap-
prchensively. Who is he? Who're
did he come from ? What will ho
do next? This last question is
answered almost before framed. The
tall thin man throws back his head,
with loud laugh ofinIinite dorision,
kneels. and gazcs under each scat
successiyely, until he reaches MIR.
Swan, to whom he makes alucid OK
PLANTATION of the singular manmuvro ::
81 thought he WAS here"
"Who 9 Questions Mr.. Swan, with
ill-concealed anxiety.
"Ncvcr mind. Wcll, if YOU must
know, tho Tower executioner. He
promised to come" The stranger
then seats himself opposite his fel-
low-pssscnSer, and placing hands on
knees, brings his face on u level with
that of Mr.. Swan, asking, briskly,
Sir, are you the Shah of Persia 2"
mo, l am not" responds MFR.
Swan, obviously, and unable to per,
ceivc any humor in the question.
All the instructions Respecting
the treatment of tho insane he has
ever heard crowd into his mind and
bewilder him. The tall thin man is
evidently mad ! In vain Mr.. Swan
tries to fix and quell his rolling eye
in vain endoavors to follow the
others movements. Tho situation
is certainly grave one
''It is false J. shouts the strange
creature, in tones that cause MIR.
Swan to jump nervously. II knew
you from the first, Shah-in-Shah, and
you are doomed, for I can not al
ways be deceived. Aha yon turn
pale, miscroant! I tell you that 1
recognize you under all disguisns
and i'll any garb. When the train
stops we shall be quits"
My goodman, you arc mistaken, 4"
qu;'vcrs Alr. Swan, feeling furtivoly
for the door handle.
Not SO, wretchcd tyrant Do you
know me now? an the avcnger
Was not my beloved seized on the
Persian frontier and sawn asundor
because sho called you n rattlepatc,
II monkey ? And you ask me for
mercy-me !" The speakers voice
rises to such II climax of fury with
each word, rs he towers above Mr.
Swan, arms gcsticulating, features
convuised with rage, th.t the other
parties an anticipated blow. But
the avenger does not strike. lie
Withdrew to the othor end of the
carriage with cunning smile,
mouthlng and gibbcring, and takes
from an embroidered sheath IN
Oriental knife of dazziing steel. At
iirst he contents himself with snatch
cs OF wild song, defamation, pocti-
cll rccitations. Mr.. Swan is con-
graduating himself on being forgot
ten when, with tho same cunning
smile, the tall thin man feels the
keen edge of his knife. and moves
stcalthily toward his companion.
"What do you want 2 dcmunls
Mr.. Swan, incohercntly, scarcely
able to believe the evidence of his
senses.
"Blood !" muttcrs the nvcngcr, in
Il frightful voice, still moving for
ward with that suppressed, stcalthy
aspect.
All that man has will he give for
his life. Mr.. Swan, at last thorough
ly aroused to his danger, with one
bound breaks the glass Of the little
mirror i'll the wall, pulls the bell
desperately, and thusts his arm out
of the right-hand window. The train
stops, heads pop out Of other car
rlnges, guards hasten to the rescue
What have we here? The tall thin
man, cool and composed, sits reading
a newspaper, his fcz restored on his
head, and Mr.. Swan, opposite, eager
", oxcitedly tells his story in broken
French. His life has been threat
ened with knife. Tho tall thin
man is a raving lmatic. He, B1r.
Swan, just reached tho bell in time
to escape being murdered. All this,
and much more, tho guards hear
scowlingly. Other passengers
cluster about tho door. The
tall thin man glanccs with quiet
compassion ut Mir. Swan then ro-
marks: "Monsicur seems to have
suffered from fright in his slecp-hc
may not be used TO travel-and
snatchcd at the bell before / could
prevent him. Surely he can not say
that [ have touched him 2" Oh, the
cunning Of maniacs
"How dare you!" begins Mr..
Swan, turns pale, and pauscs in
utter confusion. During his most
eXtravngant rawlings and threatening
gesticulations the till thin man has
not once touched him. Is there
method in such madness?
All eyes riyct on Mr.. Swan ns bo