The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-01-13

"Exactlv-for the pleasure of travelling it
in certain society. Don't be alarmed for
your own safety-it's detective policeman"
a"
was about to repeat the words in aston
ishment, when he motiOned me to silence.
'sAnd who is the offender %
II don't know myself yet. He don't want
/ a scene until the moment of arrest; we are
safe enough until we reach BaYswater."
'Where is he %
s'The detective He sits by the door
yonder, with ragged fur cap pulled over
his eyes. Did you ever see a more perfect
specimen of dilapidated countryman p
smiled I could not help it.
"What Is the case ?''
ga murder-a man and his wife and two
little children-their thrOats cut last night
and the house set on fire too afterwards"
"Great heavens what a monster 70
We had continued the conversation thrO'
out in a whisper, scarcely above our breath,
and now tie conductor arose and left me to
study the faces of my fellow passengers with
curious dread and horror.
Somehow, often as I revolved the matter
in my mind, my fancy would settle on
course, brutal looking man opposite, with
bushy beard and coat of shaggy wool, with
the collar turned up around his ears.
I felt convinced that this man with the
the brutal eyes, and the heavy hanging jaws
was the Cainl And as l looked furtively
across, 1 caught the wide open orbs of the
fair little girl.
Obeying the instantaneous impulse of my
heart, arose and went over to her.
''You heard what we were saying my
child ?''
eyes, a murder-oh, how horrible -
''Do not be frightened; no one viii. hurt
you
/ She smiled up in my face with sweet con-
I fding innocence.
I Our stav at Exmouth was but brief but
during the delay l could see that the watch
fuI detective had changed his seat to one
neare the british man lin the shaggy over
coat
'See p faltered the young girl, '.they-
locked the car doors at Exmouth, they are
unlocking them now"
She was right.
'Probably they were fearful lest the Grim
inaI should escape, - remarked i'm an under
tone,
( q glass of water? p
1 rose and made my way toward the ice
cooler by the door, but with difficulty, for
the train was again under rapid motion. To
my disappointment the tin goblet was chain
ed to the shelf
mo matter" she said, with a winning
smile; ''i will come myself"
( drew the water, and hello up the cup, but
instead of taking it as she approached, she
brushed suddenly past me, opened the door,
and rushed out upon the platform.
''Stop her stop her shouted the detec-
tive, springing to his feet ''She will be
killed Conductor-Orakeman- mp 20
There was rush-a tumult-a hustle. I
was first upon the platform but It was emp
ty and deserted, save by a half frozen look
ing brakeman, who seemed horror stricken.
''She went past me like a shadow and
jumped off as we crossed Cairn turnpike
road" he stammered.
dumped off the express train Well"
said the conductor, Struggling his shoulders,
''she must have been killed instantly. What
mad folly ="
'Tts five hundred dollars out of my poe
( ket, ]" said the detective, ruefullv. 81 didn't
but was a confounded fool. A woman cor
nered will do anything, believe P'
+ what - I calculated, ''you surely 90 not
mean that child"
/ "'I mean" said the dete ctfve calmly, "that
that child. as YOU call her, is Attila Burton,
a married woman, twenty-six years old, who
/ last night murdered four persons in cold
blood, and was trying to escape to Canada. "
The train was stopped and party of US
went back to seach for any trace Of the poor
creature whose apparent innocence had ap-
pealed to my sympathies so earnestly. We
/ found her at length, quite dead, by the side
of track, rightly mangled by the force of
the fall, and mutilated almost beyond reeog-
milton.
"Well, she's escaped justice in this world
if not in the next said the detective gloom
flv, as he stood looking down upon her re-
mains.
"Do you suppose she expected to be able
to spring from the train without much in
Jury ." I asked.
''Without much injury? Yes women are
unreasoning creatures Butl never dream
ed Of such insane folly, or should have ta-
ken measures to prevent it.
They lifted up the fair dead thing and
carried it to the nearest place Of refuge, a
lonely farm house among the hills and we
returned to the train, reaching Bayswater
only few minutes behind time. And when,
in the morning papers, I read the account of
the murder, and the tragic end of the mur
deress, 1 thought of the slender creatures
blue eyes and rosebud mouth, with strange.
plying thrill at my heart