The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-04-23


Il am the man. can free you from
these fogs-I can free myself.
For the first time the thought now
flashed into my mind that [ was alone
with mailman. | recognized now that
Wild light in his eyes, that strange
tw1tchlng at the corners of his 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, ana [ know
that L looked eagerly on, 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 mirthless
laugh which now came from his throat
as he drew two steps nearer and hissed
at me:
We shall travel together to the moon
Adleu to the fogs; say with me adieu tc
the fogs!"
was now erect, watching my com.
panion intently, nerving myself for 6
struggle, which was easy to tell was very
near. / could easily see / was no match
for such an antagonist. My hope was
that [ might hold my own for the few
minutes necessary to reach the Spa road
where plenty of assistance would be
available.
"Your balloon would scarcely travel
on such a night, / said, with affected
indifference. 1.-The atmosphere is toe
thick
g Too thick Do you think so 90 he
said
81 do. Consider the density of the
fog. How could we possibly get through
it ?"
"Well, there's something in that" he
said, sitting down. "Yet the effort is
worth a trial. Yes, it is worth trial. y
He sprang anew to his feet, and APP
preached me. He threw out his strong
hands and made clutch at ny throat.
"This is how we begin, this is how /
get the gas for the trip. | kill you first
to give you start. Then l start my
self and follow you.
One shout | gave for help, but it was
lost IN the report of fog signal then
we were swaying backward and forward
in the carriage in a struggle which was
literally for life or death. The mad
mans breath came hot Oh my face, his
strong arms held me in a fierce embrace.
There was a fierce JOY in his eyes.
The foam worked out of his mouth,
and his teeth CRASHED angrily against
each other
Life is dear, and / felt no inclination
to yield mine without desperate strug-
gle. | tore my antagonists hands from
my throat, and for a moment forced him
to act on the defensive. / shouted again
and again for help, and how l longed for
Spa road no words can describe. The
train WAS now going at good rate, and
| knew the station could not be far off.
If only [ could hold my own for one
half minute all would be safe.
Pausing in his exertion for a moment
the mailman suddenly quilted me. Just
then, to my horror, the train rushed
through my station, without even slack
ing speed. | was IN the wrong train,
and there vas no hope of assistance till
we reached New Cross.
1t was evident that my fellOw-passen-
gers had not herd my shouts for assist
ance.
Without word of warming my com
panion again threw himself upon me,
this time with fury so resistless that |
was borne to the floor
"We shall go to the moon, he shrieked.
81 haze a knife-we can cut our way
through the fog"
l felt myself helpless. My previous
exertiOns had exhausted my strength,
while that OF the maniac seemed to in
crease with the struggle. Strive as I
might ] was utterly and entirely in his
power now.
How slowly the train seemed to move.
| believe now that it was going at good
speed, but to me it appeared 10 progress
at snail's pace. And how curiously
vivid were my thoughts. Isaw the home
where L was expected, the kind faces
awaiting to greet me. [ wondered what
they'd say when they beard of my death.
[ caught myself thinking how ugly were
the madman's eyes, and | even noticed
the color of his necktie-blue, with white
spots. | no longer felt an inclination to
shout for help. To all intents, looked
upon myself as dead. / even began to
think Of myse If as a third person, and to
lament, in a philosophical fashion, the
Ill fortune which cut off at the beginning
OF his career, promising young man.
Then | remembered that / owed a
shoemaker for pair of boots, and pit
led the unfortunate tradesman for the
bad debt he had made. While these and
Il hundred other thoughts were passing
through my brain, it seemed to me that
an age had TRANSFERRED. In reality it could
not have been at the outside more than
a minute since my unlucky fall. Sud
denly as in a dream, / heard the mad
man, who now was seated astride my
chest, hiss:
"We'H cut our way to the moon-my
knife is sharp. Let's try it on your
throat.
With curious deliberation he drew a
strong pocket knife, and opened it.
"Au right, friend, eh ?" he cried,
laughing. CHOW mind, do not leave
the carriage till have come up to you. :"
81 am swift, said I, and l declare
did not recognize my own voice. eff /
go first, you shall certainly not overtake
me; you start and I'll follow.
'Me start ?"
eyes, you're drawer, stronger. and
you have a knife; you must go first to
clear the way"
"Of course, l forgot that" he cried.
almost to my horror, SO utterly was I
surprised. "Of course, / forgot that, -
he cried again. 60 must clear the way. "
Still sitting on me hedeliberateIy drew
the bright blade across his throat. In
another moment i was deluged with
blood. Al the same time the knife fell
from his nerveless grasp. To spring to
my feet, to seize the open wound and
press the edges together was the work
of an instant-though the sudden escape
made me stagger. At the same moment
we reached New Cross station and a nor