Smyrna times., 1881-10-26
Under the Midnight Lamp.
FOUNDED ON FACT.

whose time Is money; whenever, there
fore, can save it, 1 do. Many and many
a night have passed i'll the train, count
ing the hours thus gained as miner does
his gold. Upon this point, unfortunately,
my little wife and do not agree; and it
is, think, the only point upon which we
do not. Eight hours in Il comfortless rail
way compartment, rolled up in your plaid
like snake in its blanket, instead of in
your comfortable sheets, stretched over a
comfortable spring -mattress-no, she can
not be made to see the propriety of the
exchange, nor will she believe that sleep
quite as well, if not disturbed in the plaid
as in the sheets.
The train was just Off as ] sprang in,
and the shock of the start landed me in
my seat. Being of a slow, placid nature,
| was in no hurry to recover from the
| shock and we were fairly off, speeding
before | looked round had not the car
riage to myself, as had at first supposed I:
a lady occupied the further end; and at
the first glance, spite of the dim light and
the fact of her veil being down, saw that
her eyes, unnatUrally large and intense in
their expression, were fixed upon me.
at all times prefer q carriage to myself,
and if Il companion must have, let it be
a gentleman, not a lady but there was no
help for it the lady was there, aud more
over, she was looking at me. SO she
may | said to myself; that shall not
prevent my making myself as comfortable
as circumstances will allow Slowly and
deliberately, therefore removed my hat
substituting for it Il cloth cap, which /
drew well down over my ears; then |
folded my arms, and composed myself to
sleep. But in vain: the eyes ofmy fellow
| passenger haunted me; I saw them as
distinctly as if my own were open. Was
she Watching me still? InVoluntarily |
looked up and round and my look met
hers, full, burning, intense, with far more
of meaning in it than ! could at all
fathOm. 1t was getting decidedly un-
| pleasant, and was growing decidedly un-
comfortable; try as l might. could not
keep my eyes closed: hers were on me,
and meet them must.
In her peculiar attitude, too, as well as in
her look, there was something strange
and mysterious. Huddled mp in the
corner, she seemed to be holding some
thing close pressed to her. beneath the
long loose mourning cape, bending low
over it in crouching posture. Once or
twice, her eyes still fixed upon mine. !
saw her shiver; but for that slight convul-
sivc movement she sat perfectly still and
mOtiOnlcss.
Was she cold? offered her my plaid.
glad of an opportunity to break the
ominous silence. If she would but speak,
make some commonplace remark, the
spell might be broken.
am not cold
| A commonplace remark enough: but
the spell was not broken. The mystery
that lay in her eyes lay also in her voice.
What should I try next? looked at
my watch-l1:30; our train speeding OIL at
a furious rate, no chance of a stOppage fol
some time to come, and the full wide-opcn
gaze of my mOtiOnless companion not fol-
one moment removed from my face. II
was unpleasant certainly. If changed
my position, faced the window instead OF
her, she must remove her eyes from my
face at last. But there was a sort of fasci,
nation about her and her look, which !
preferred meeting to shirking, knowing il
was on me all the time.
There was nothing for it, then, but to
give up all hope of sleep, and make the
best of my position and companion, whom
1 now observed more closely. That she
was lady there could be little doubt
there was that in her dress and appear.
ance that was unmistakable. That she
was pretty, there could be little doubt
either; those great dark, intensely dark
eyes, the thick coils of warm FURNISHED
hair, the small pale features, seen dimly
beneath the veil; yes, she was young
pretty, lady, and in trouble. So far
got, but no further. How came she to bC
travelling alone at that time of night. an(
with that look on her face? What coulc
it be that she was holding pressed SC
to her, and yet so carefully kept out O
sight? From the size and uncertain out
line, / should have guessed it to be {
child; but, then, there was not the faint
est motion, nor could she have held ever
sleeping infant long in that position.
think that something of curiosity mus
have been betrayed in my look, for he
own darkened and deepened into per
feet agony of doubt and fear.
Ashamed, withdrew my gaze at once
and drawing out my notebook, was abou
to make q memorandum, when, with
sudden forward movement she fell at m,
feet, arresting my hand by the agonize,
grasp of her own, its burning contac
sending through me painful thrill.
Don't betray me Don't give me u
to himI o don'tl I am so frightened |"
1t was but whisper, breathed ou
rather than spoken, yet 1t shuddere
through me like a cry.
:" cannot always hide it! canno
always bear it about with me; it break
my heart, and--I IAN 50 tiFed.H 'f +
And letting the hand which still helC
pressed closely to her, the mysteriou
burden that had so raised my curiosit