New-York tribune., 1880-03-07
THE GHOST OF A CHANCE.
A STRANGE STORY.

ticc.
tIoro is q vounc fellow, like scores OF others,
with inst enough property to live on ana 10
dcn,iye him of the spur to exertion. par
r;star o,itc brieheSs dabbling in art litera-
trr. and music and doing nothing with either.
Amongst other tastes he has one foT quaint
;c,velry-not for his own adornment' but he
collects II and possesses many curious speci-
mons ancient and modern. | know him very
well and he has often shown me these treas
urcs. One dey / call on him, after long
vacation. and find him throwing OIL slip after
slip of manuscript
"Excnse me five minutes" he says, " and
shall have finished | have made wonderful
addition to my collection. aud in the oldest
manner. | am writing a story about it, and
,bore-that's the end of the first part" lie
has been scribbing away while speaking, and
now laws down his pen. " YOu shall read ior
vonrseIr." he goes on, gathering up his manu-
sc,ipf. ''how 1t came about, aud You Will un-
derstand whv | am rather excited at recalling
this. the narrow escape and the strangeSt adj
venture ever had in my lte." Then hgh'-
ing cigar, and giving me another, ne settles
me in an easy-chair by the fire. and begins
pacing the room, while read as follows:
Ileft Kings Cross by the night mail on the
18th of last August. | was ont OF health
tired. and wanted to sleep; so, settling my
trans on the seat to my satisfaction, suddenly
remembered that had nothing to read, ana
called the guard to the window that he might
get me a book Returning i'll minute, he put
into nv hands Bulwer's "Strange Story u; and
rs gave him the money, he said, " Now we're
off in one minute, s1 hope you'll like my
choice" Leisurey turning over the leaves oy
the light Of the carriage lamp, l very soon
found that the work my illend had seIecteu
was utterly distastcful to me, and L regretted
having wasted my money upon 1t. 1t was
story. as most people know, treating OF spiritual
influences, a subject on which was thoroughly
scentical | soon got tired of it; but 1t served
its purpose, and sent Ts 10 Sleep and sound
asleep remained till the train stopped at
Peterborough.
Only partly awake, l remember letting down
the window. and that several persons in the
crowd on the platform tried to get into the
corriape: one fellow, Just as we were stariInE'
th,ust his head so far in that thought he was 60
inr 10 make harleQuin's leap for It, Dro"Sily
concentrating myself on having had the door
locked. | was dropping e 20 sleep again when
7 Suddenly discovered was not alone. VINO
was that seated in the opposite corner OF the
carriage A young lady, assuredly. Ihe ann
lioht from the lamp enabled me 70 discern that
she WAS in evening dress, with the hood OF
hnr onera-cloak over her head. She appeared
to be busy fastening her earring INTO neI ici'
ear.
"How odd" l thought, " that should not
have seen her get inf' Here were my legs
still stretched across the seat with my rug
over them, and surely | must have known II
She had passed me aud the door nal GER
tainly never been opened Very angry ana
nzzjed. determined to demonstrate with the
onard at the next station. What an Qua cos
tume FOO. for travelling, | thought couldn't
make il ont The young lady was very quiet
and still, and, as she appeared not 70 notlce
me. | hardly liked to begin any conversation
so 7 sat watching her til sleep again oYertooh
me.
An at once the slackenine Of speed and the
sbrill. horrible, hollow danger whistle Oh the
engine again disturbed ny comfortable nap
.,d lazilv looking out, | found to my sur
nrise we were not stopping at any stauon
and flat outside nothing could he seen.
dorl,ness that might he felt was al that mel
the eve When turned to the open WlhdoW
whilst the fresh damp air announced that We
were in the midst of country, and the sigh
ing of the night breeze told or woods mol la'
off Neither station, lights nor dwellings vert
IN he discerned in the utter glootl' iuIuN'
Glance across the carriage showed the yonh'
lady still quietly sitting there hdgeunS WIKI
ber earring and not the least alaIme" III Ui
;nterruption to our journey. / called to 'h
o,ard as he ran by the moment we stoppe"
and nutting ny head out OF the window III
onlred what was the matter
"No,hins. sir he said cieelily; 40 dan
Ger; only the lines blocked aud we are "ui
ING hll they signal Us to - Oh. expect II
q Goods thai's being shuuted. It]i be ali right
sir. in a few minutes" ] then sud, IN io'
tone. "What po-s sscd YOU to place this youn
lady IN NV carriage, when 1 so especially cu
ioined Won 10 keep it empiyF q" never lei
opvbody in.o protested the man, with surpris'
" voung LADY, do you say Y SprnGng O
tbe stem rs drew my head back he locke
into the carriage, ana eXclaiheu' ""S' '"''o
10 lady there, sir y
| turned, and imagine my coniuSlon-sn
was gone! This passes my understandings
said /. "for though III swear she was thei
before spoke to you, there IS certainly n'
body there now she must have go' out
crossed 10 the further door, and tried 1t
was locked sare enough. let down the gla
and looked out, but in the darkness. OF courS
could see nothing. Why, you've been dream
ing. sir" said the guard, as /, looking some
what small, resumed my seat.
"Don't tell me-" cried l, Indignantly an
discusted at the absurdity OF the position
I'm perfectlv convinced that she was IN Il
carriage Why, here is positive proof"
went on, as l perceived, and Immediate
p,cked up, gold earring from the nOor ID