Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-06-10
Under the Midnight Lamp.
A STORY FOUNDED ON FACT.

STORY FOUNDED ON FACT.
am doctor, busy professional man,
| whose time is money whenever, there
| fore. can save it, do. Many and many
| a night have passed in the train, count
ing the hours thus gained as miner does
his gold. Upon this point, unfortunately
nv little wife and do not agree; and 1t
is, 1 think. the only point upon which we
do not. Eight hours in comfortless
railway compartment, rolled up III your
plaid like snake III its blanket, instead
of in YOUR comfortable sheets, stretched
over comfortable spring mattress
she cannot be made to see the proprlety
of the exchange, nor will she believe that
l sleep quite as well, if not disturbed, III
the plaid rs i'll the sheets.
The train was Just off rs | spranS III,
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 of, speeding
away as only an English express can
speed, before looked round. l had not
the carriage to myself, as L 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 beng
down, l saw that her eyes, unnaturally
large and intense in their expression, were
fixed upon me. l removed my hat, sub
stituting for it cloth cap, which drew
well down over my ears then folded
nv arms, and composed myself to sleep.
But in vain the eyes of my fellow-pas-
senger haunted me say thom as DIS
tinctly as if my own were open. was
she watching me still? lnvoluntarly
looked up and round, and my look met
hers, full, burning, intense, with lar more
of meaning in it than could at all faith
ON. 1t was gettingly unpleasant, and
was growing decidedly uncomfortable :;
try as might, l could not keep my eyes
closed hers were on me, and meet them
must.
In her attitude, too. rs well rs in her
look. there was something strange and
MYSTERIOUS. Huddled up in the corner,
she seemed to be holding something close
pressed to her, beneath the long. loose
mourning cape, bending low over 1t in
crouching posture. Once or twice, her
ewes still fixed upon mine, saw her shir-
er but for that slight convulsive move
ment she sat perfectly still and notion
less.
| looked at my watch-1l:3O o'clock
our train speeding on at furious rate
no chance Of a stoppage for some time To
come. and the full, widc-opcn gaze "f my
motionless companion not Tor one mo,
ment removed from my face. If changed
NV position, faced the window instead of
her. she must remove her eyes from my
face at last, But there was sort ot las
cination about her and her look, which |
preferred meeting to shirking, knowing 1t
was on me all the time.
There was nothing for 1t, then, but to
give up all hope of sleep, and make the
best of my position and companion, whom
| now observed more closely. That she
was q lady there could be but little
doubt there was that in her dress and
appearance that was unmistakable. That
she was pretty, there could be little
doubt either those great dark, intensely
dark ewes, the thick coils of warm burn
ished hair, the small pale features, seen
dimly beneath the veil ; yes, she was
young, pretty, lady. and IN trouble. 80
far got, but 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
pressed so closely to her, and yet SO care
fully kept out of sight From the size
and uncertain outline, l should have
guessed it to be q child /; but, then, there
was not the faintest motion, nor could
she have held even n sleeping infant long
in that position. l think that something
of curiosity must have been betrayed IN
nv look, for her own darkened and deep
ened into a perfect agony OF doubt AMI
fear.
Ashamed, l withdrew my gaze at once.
and drawing out my notebook, was about
to make memorandum, when, with
sudden forward movement, she fell nt my
feet, arresting my hand by the asonized
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 !!
1t was but n whisper, breathed ont
rather than spoken, yet it shuddered
through me like cry.
81 cannot always hide it | cannot al
ways bear it about with me it breaks
my heart, and-I am 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 vel,
and withdrawing her eyes for the first
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