Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-25


herr 80.
ho window was shut close; he let II
down with n tremendous chatter and
hang remarking that che hoped, az the
evening was fine, the weather warm and
| the carriage close" Qor he declared to
me there was IA peculiar odor hanging
about which struck him from the iirsD
"she would not object TO a little air"
Still no reply. Then he said =" he
feared she was not well. Would she
like him TO pull the bell for the guard
and have the train stopped again" But
nothing he could say or do ELECTED any
sign of life from her.
Jack now became seriously uncom-
Portable and alarmed on her account.
He thought she could not he asleep, but
had tainted Suddenly 10 crossed his
mind that she was dead. Night had
now closed in, but as the last tinge of
twilight faded from the sky the carriage
lamp gained its full power and revealed
every object more plainly than hitherto.
Jack leaned toward the motionless
form. A long black veil, falling from n
close fitting hat-like bonnet, envelopcd
nearly the whole upper part of her
figure; indeed, on close inspection. it
hardly looked like an ordinary veil, but
more like a large thin. black silk hand
kerchicf. Her dress was of common
black stun, much worn and frayed. from
amid the folds of which appeared the
ends of piece Of rope that must have
been fastened round her waist and one
hand, encascd in nm old. ill-fitting black
glove. lay placidly on her lap.
Full ofuncomfortable sensations, Jack
was about to lift the veil, when. for the
first time, the figure moved; its hand
stole slowly from underneath the folds
of the dress. and the veil was gradually.
lifted and thrown up over the head.
Inyoluntarily my friend shiank back
into the corner of his seat, for u face was
revealed to him which no one could have
looked upon without sense fave. 1t
was that of woman somewhat past
middle age. thin, haggard and pale TO
degree which only death could parallel.
The features, finely chiselcd and proper
toned, showed that at one time there
must have been supreme beauty, while,
though the iron gray hair looked a little
dishcvclcd and unkcmpt. the glance of
the eye was steady, calm and determined.
In this glance lay, chiefly, the awe in
spring expression of the face, for, in ad-
dition to the penetrating look, there WAS
persistcncey in it, and at the same time
a fascination, quite terrible. II fixed
itself upon Jack from the first moment
that eye met eye. and for several minutes
not n word was spoken n either side.
Presently, however. he tried tn pull him
self together. and 10 assume his usual
light hearted manner, which had thus
for n minute been 90 strangely and unusu-
ally disturbed. and he said. briskly
be- your pardon; ] was afraid you
were ill.,"
She slightly bent her head. but spoA,
not "A word. nor withdrew her glance
He felt more and more that il was
costing him an effort to be- himself. Her
slow. stcalthy. albeit lady.like demcanor.
added greatly to the effect already pro-
duced, and n curious sensation was grad
ually creeping over him, that--impossi-
BILE rs il might secm-that face was not
strange TO him. Little as he. with his
temperament. was given to speculation
or introspection, he found himself striy-
ing TO look back for some event or cir
Cumstance in his life which might give
him n clcw. Had he over dreamed of
such face. or had he seen IL in child
hood? He was puzzled, affected. quite
put out. And still the deep. penetrating
eyes were fixed on his. piercing as ii
were into his very soul. And the hands,
what were they doing? Taking of the
ktDNN7 ~ Will ~ -fAs AfAlbttAAs pun IffHf
and the long, white, thin, almost claw
like fingers worked strangely and ncr-
vously. slowly closing and opening upon
the palm, rs If preparing to grasp some
thing.
Again he strovc to throw of the un-
pleasant. unusual sensation which had
crept over him.
Il can't stand this" he thought; II
was never so uncomfortable in all my
life! must do something, or say some
thing to put stop to this. To make her
take her eyes of mel"
lie moved abruptly 10 the further
corner Of the carriage, and to the same
side on which the woman sat.
I'm try and dodge her in that way"
he said TO himself: "she shall not sit
and glare at me in this fashion,
But she too Immediately shifted her
place, and. rising TO her full height,
which was very great, went over to the
seat exactly opposite to him, never for
one single second dropping her eyes from
his. He looked out of the window with
n vague notion of getting out OF the car
riage; when suddenly, passing a little
station which he recognized, but at which
the train did not stop. nm Idea struck
him-an idea after his own heart-a
comic idea! lie availed himself Of 1t on
the instant. and assuming an ease which
doubtless sat i'll upon him, and which he
was far from feeling. he pointed with his
thumb bach toward the station they had
just passed. ne he said mysteTiously In n
hollow voice
do you know that placer"
She seemed to answer in the affiTma-
tive by q slight inclination Of the head as
before
"Ahl you do. Good TIongmoor."
he went on; "then I don't mind telling
you secret" He paused. ("Til
frighten her." he thought.) Criminal
lunatics," he said aloud; II am one of
them. have just escaped from there!"
lie leaned forward, asif to impress her
with his words; she also bent forward
until her lips almost touched his ear, as
she hissed into it
so haveIm
With what had already gone before.
this put the finishing touch on Jacks
uneasincss of mind. II was not. as he