Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-06-17
UNDER TIE MIDNIGHT LAMP.

l am doctor, busy professional man,
whose time is money; whenever, therefore,
can save it, do. Many and many a night
have passed in the train, counting the hours
thus gained as miser 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 comfortless railway compartment, rolled
up in your plaid like snake in its blanket,
instead of in your comfortable sheets, stretch.
ed over a comfortable spring mattress-no,
she cannot 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 of as / sprang in, and
the shock of the start landed me in my seat.
Being of slow, placid nature was in no
hurry to recover from the shock and we
were fairly OFF, speeding away as only an
English express can speed, before looked
round. / had not the carriage to myself, as
had at first supposed 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. l at all times prefer a carriage to
myself, and If companion l must have, let
it be a gentleman, not lady ; but there was
no help for it the lady was there, and more.
over she was looking at me. 80 she may"
1 said to myself; THAT shall not prevent me
making myself as comfortable as ciRcum-
stances will allow" Slowly and deliberately,
therefore, l removed my hat, substituting for
it cloth cap, which / drew down well over
my ears then l folded my arms and COM
posed myself to sleep. But in vain the
eyes Of my fellow passenger haunted me l
saw them as distinctly as If my own were
open. Was she watching me still? Invol-
UNFAIRLY looked up and round, and my look
met hers, full, burning, intense, with far
more of meaning in il than l could at all
fathom. 1t was getting decidedly uncom-
Portable try as l might could not keep my
eyes closed hers were on me and meet them
/ must
In her attitude, too, as well as in her look,
there was something strange and mysterious
Huddled up in the corner, she seemed TO be
holding something pressed close to her, be-
meath the long loose mourning cape, bending
low over it in q crouching posture. Once or
twice, her eyes still fixed upon mine, saw
her shiver; but for that slight convulsive
movement she sat perfectly still and motion
less.
Was she coldS / offered her my plaid,
glad Of an opportunity to break the ominous
silence II she would but speak, make some
commonplace remark, the spell might be
broken.
II 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 / try next? looked at my
watch-1l:30; our train speeding on at q fu-
rious rate, no chance of a stoppage for some
time to come, and the full, wide-open gaze of
my motionless companion not for one mo-
ment removed from my face. 1t was un-
pleasant, certainly II changed my posi-
ton, faced the window instead of her, she
must remove her eyes from my face at last.
But there was a sort of fascination about her
and her look, which 1 preferred meeting TO
shirking, knowing that II 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 l now OBJ
served more closely. That she was a lady
there could be but little doubt there was
that in her dress and appearance that was un-
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, q lady, and
in trouble So far l got and no farther.
How came she TO be travelling alone at that
time of night, and with that look on her face
What could it be that she was holding press
ed so closely to her, and yet so carefully kept
out of sight2 From the size and uncertain
outline should have guessed il 10 be child
but, then, there was not the faintest motion,
nor could she have held a sleeping infant
even long in that position. 1 think that
something of curiosity must have been be-
trayed in my look, for her own darkened
and deepened into perfect agony of doubt
and fear.
Ashamed, withdrew my gaze at once, and
drawing out my notebook, was about to
make a memorandum, when with a sudden
forward movement she fell at my feet ar
resting my hand by the agonized grasp of
her own, its burning contact sending through
me a painful thrill.
Don't betray me Don't give me up to
him o don't am so frightened !"
II was but whisper, breathed out rather
than spoken, yet 1t shuddered through me
like a cry.
II cannot always hide it cannot always
bear it about with me il breaks my heart
and lam so tired"
and letting the hand which still held
pressed closely TO her, the mysterious burden
that had so raised my curiosity drop heavily
to her side, there lay at her feet and mine .
little dead baby, tiny creature evidently not
many weeks old
Then the woman threw up her veil, and
Withdrawing her eyes for the first time from
mine, clasped her hands before her, her fig
ure thrown slightly back, and looked down
upon it. A pretty picture the poor young