Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-01

be- glad (, get ont of it. The man who
conli free you from it would deserve
your thanks would h. npt?" There
vas light in the speakers eyes which
| dill not like, and there was move
ment at the corners of his mouth the
opposite Of pleasant. While Eot feel,
isy the least dread of HIM Was yet not
without strong desire to reach Spa
road. As bad luck would have it. while
vet We had not made half the short
u,ney, the train again came to sud
den OPP.
"Y, y, he would be public benefac
tor who could d. liver the people CT Lon
don from fog" said.
" He would. would he ro.?" whis
perei my companion eagerly. "Then
am the man."
AS be spoke he crouched down and
looked up at me with glare that made
ME start. He buttoned his coat and
pulled up his sleeves, as he whispered
again, 1" l am the man. l can free you
from these fogs-I can free myself"
For the first time the thought now
fl .shed into my mind that 1 was alone
with mailman. recognized now that
Wild light in his eyes, that strange
twitching at the corners of the mouth.
do not suppose that am constitution
ally more timid than most Of my neigh
bors; yet at this moment felt cold
sweat break all over me. and l know
that l looked eagerly ost in the dark
ness, hoping that as now the train was
slowly moving We were near the station.
l saw only the thick fog and the feeble
light of here and there lamp.
Yes, the man was mad, raving mad.
There could be no doubt about it.
Only a maniac could laugh the mirth
less laugh which now came from his
throat, as he drew two steps nearer me
aud Kissed at me, 1--WE shall travel to.
gether to the moon. Adieu to the fogs;
say with me, aaieu to the fogs."
WAS now erect watching my COM
panion intently, nerviDg myself for
struggle, which it was easy to tell was
very near. 1 could easily see I was no
match for such an antagonist. My
hope was that 1 would mold my own for
the few minutes necessary to reach Spa
road, where plenty of assistance would
be available.
"Your balloon would scarcely travel
on such night" I said. with affected
Indifference. 1.-THE atmosphere is too
thickl"
TOO thick! Do you think so?" be
said.
~ do. Consider the density OF the
log. How could we possibly get
through it?"
"Well, there's something in that"
be said, sitting down. "Yet the effort
Is worth o trial"
He sprang anew to his feet. and ap-
preached me. He threw out his strong
hands and made clutch ct my throat.
"This is how we begin, this is how l
get the gas for the trip. kill you frs.
% give you start. Then start myself
md follow you" Oae shout 1 gave
or help, but it was lost in the report of
! fog signal; then we were swaying
backwards and forwards in the carriage
n struggle which was literally for
ife or death. The madmans breath
,ame hot on my face, his strong arms
leld me in a fierce embrace. There
was fierce Joy in his eyes.
The foam worked out of his mouth,
and his teeth CRASHED angrily with each
other.
Life is dear, and felt no inclination
10 yield mine without a desperate strug-
gle. tore my antagonists hands from
my throat, and for a moment forced him
10 act on the defensive. I shouted
again and again for help. and how
longed for Spa road no words can de-
scribe. The train was now running at
. good rate and knew the station could
not be far off. If only 1 could hold
my own for one half-minute all would
be safe.
Pausing in his exertions for mo.
ment the mailman su idenly quilted me.
Just then to my horror the train rushed
through my station without even slack
ening speed. / was in the wrong train
and there was no hope of assistance till
we reached New Cross. 1t was evident
that my fellow-passengers had not heard
my shouts for assistance.
Without word of warming my COM
panion again threw himself upon me,
this time with fury SO resistless tina.
I was borne to the floor.
1--WE shall go to the moon," he
shrieked. 81 have kaife-we can cut
our way through the fog"
1 felt myself helpless. My previous
exertiops had exhausted my strength,
while that OF the maniac seemed to in
crease with the struggle. Strive as l
might l was utterly and entirely in his
power now.
How slowly the train seemed to move.
1 believe now that it was going at
good speed. but to me it appeared to
progress at snail's pace. And how
curiously vivid were my thoughts. l
saw the home where l was expected, the
kind faces Wal ing to greet me. won
dered what lloyd say when they heard
OF my death. l caught myself thinking
how ugly We're the Daadman's eyes, and
even noticed the color of his nechtie
blue, with white spots. L no longer
felt any inclination to shout for help.
To all l looked upon myself as dead
l even began to think of myself as q
third person, and to lament, in philo-
sophical fashion, the ill fortune which
cut fl at the beginning of his career
promising young man. Then remem
bered that l owed shoemaker for q
pair of boots, and | pitied the urfor.
tunate tradesman for the bad deb. he
had made. While these and a hun 'r.G
other thoughts were passing 'hrouGu