The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-10-05

y,
must have thought I was softv e., e.
she twisted my ticket clean out of m,
hand before l knew what she wa
after, ''0 w"
"Mosslands. Very good. That's tb
next station. I'll see him safe ont
Sammy, dear"
Sammy gFowied an inarticulate re
sponse from under his rugs.
The timid passenger had neitbe,
spoken or stirred. She sat on the sam,
side as the other two, covered with :
big plaid rug and bite woolen vel
tied over her head. 1 could max,
nothing out except that she seemed tC
be asleep in a very uncomfortable atti
tude.
sat in the middle, opposite the OLD
woman, 1t was SO disagfeeabie find.
ing her sharp eyes on me while he1
needle clicked on just the samel that ]
thought l might as well pretend to &c
to sleep too. So 1 curled myself ur
and gave one or two mods, and then
dropped my face on my arm so that
she couldn't see it.
Presently heard the needles going
slower and slower. peeped, and saw
the big bonnet and sausage curls Civ
ing lurch forward and then back
ward, once, twice; then big snore:
and then she was off too,
didn't stir for a minute, for saw
that Sammy" was up to something.
lie leant forward and peered at her as
II to make sure she was quite asleep:
then cautiously groped in the seat be-
side her and hauled up little black
bag. He opened it softly, drew out a
silver-topped flask, and closed it lust
as jerk of the train reused the old
lady. Sammy dived back in his cor
ner; and she sat bolt upright, rubbed
her eyes hard, felt suspiciously around
till she found the bag, slowed it away
behind her and resumed her knitting,
only for few moments, though: with
weary groan she let stockings, needles
and all go down with run, and
dropped back sounder asleep than be-
fore.
Then from Sammy's corner came
gurgle-soft and low-many times re-
peated-then all was quiet.
Now was my time. / began to look
about and think what | should do
first. Whether dared get up on the
seat and see how the communication
with the guard worked and what
would happen if pulled it. If tie
train stopped 1 could make off or say
it was Sammy. He was half t;psv
now and people wouldn't believe him.
First OF all L went to the window to
look out little. 1t was pitch dark
outside, and all l could see was the re-
Election of the carriage and of the lady
in the blue woolen veil. She was sit
ting up now and looking intently at
me. What an uncomfortable set they
were, to be sure!
l look round at her directly. She
was very young-younger than Lefty.
and she's just seventeen and pretty
but so thin and frightened-looking that
L felt very unhappy about her.
She fixed her big, bright eyes on me.
and put up her finger. Don't speak,"
she said, in clear whisper. keep
looking out of the window. Can you
utdT WudG am saying
l nodded, and she went on, looking
at me, and now and then at the old
woman.
eff they get me to London I am a
dead woman. You are my last chance.
Will you help me?"
1 nodded very hard indeed, and
looked at the communication with the
guard. She shook her head.
"No, that's no good. | must get
away at the next station. He is safe.
Can you stop her from following me 2"
didn't believe l could. | might
nave thrown a rug over Sammy and
sat on him for minute or two, but
that old woman was too much for me-
felt that directly she woke she'd see
what l was thinking of, and strangle
ne before l could stir. The precious
minutes were hying-the miles were
lurrylng past us in the outside gloom
the girls big woful eyes were fixed !
IN me in desperate appeal.
81 have friends who will save me if |
can but get to them," she painted.
Just one minutes chance-only
me"
All at once had an idea. A splen-
lid one "Look at this" whispered.
md held up my railway key. eff l
pen this door, dare you get out You
an hold on outside until the train
tops. Run straight across the down
inc. There is only a bank and hedge
n the top. Lot of gaps in it nearer
he station. There you are on the
.uckboro' road. Do you hear?"
| was quite hot and out of breath
nth whispering all this as plain as 1
ould. She caught every word as fast
S | could think it, almost.
What with the feeling of my own
leverness, hatred of that nasty old
7oman and delight in spiting her,
nd pity for the poor girl, 1 felt as
rave as any fellow, however big,
ould be, and full of ideas as well.
"Give me that" l said, pointing to
er blue veil. "They won't see you're
one if 1 sit here with it tied over nv
cad"
"Oh, no, no They'll kill you"
"Not theml They can't interfere
18th me-" Il declare, l felt as if
could fight Sammy and dozen
Id ladies just then.) "Quick, now
r never" / tied the veil over
~ head and lowered the window as
0ftly as possible. There was no time
lose, for the train was slackening
peed even then. unlocked the door.
he gave me one look that made me
eel Drawer than ever, and inclined to
~, both at once; and in a second she