The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-01-10
BILL SMILEY'S SCARE.

terprising young man, who improved
his leisure b. apprOp-iating other peO-
pies property whenever he cot the
chance. He was iOobing carpenter by
trade, but his chief occupation was that
OF railway theft. The method he
adOpted was 10 travel short distances
on the different suburban lines. with
the object Of picking up stray umbrel-
las. handbags and other portable ar
ii les which were insuiiic.ently guarded
b. their owners. He had an innocent
way Of rushing from railway carriage
Just as the train was moving of, seiz-
ing, IN his hurry and confusion, some
body else's Gat-hJy or umbrella from
the rack On the comparatively rare
occasions when his mistake was dis
covered before it was too late to rcctifY
IL. his profu-e apologies were generally
accepted viii MCre II less Creduiity.
But, as rule. he managed to gat clear
away with h.s spoil. and, so skilltullv
and cautiousiF did he conduct his Opar-
ations, tha. Ae has never yet been con-
victed, though he was painfully con-
scious that ,Ie police had their eve
upon hin.
One evening, feeling inclined for a
little excitement, he took third-class
ticket at the thaTing-C Cross station on
the District Railway. London, and
siro,led doIyu on the platform. Keep
ing sharp ,ookoutaS he lOunged about
waiting for train 10 the West End, his
attention was attracted by the suspi-
cious demeanOr of tall Yankee-loOk-
1
observation, and made his way to the
far end OF the Station. He carried a
carpet-bag, which he carefully placed on
the ground, while he walked ND and
down in front of it. Bill remarked
that, when any one CHANGED to ap-
proach, the man mounted guard over
the carpct-bag in r very reSolute man.
ner. He tried the experiment himself,
and felt convinced that the contents of
the bag must be valuable. As the re-
suit of deliberate observation, he came
to the conclusion that the mysterious
stranger was not easy in his mind about
having the bag in his possession, from
which it was not difficult to surmiSe
that he had not come by it lawfully.
While these reflections were crossing
Bills mind, a train came into the
station, and, in the midst of the cOnfu-
sion which ensued, he saw the stranger
take step forward and accoSt pass
ing guard A few words were ex-
changed between them. during which
Bill yielded to q sudden impulse which
prompted him TO seize hold of the
strangers bag and make off with it.
Before there was a chance of his de-
linquency being dicovered, Bill had
leaped into the train, which was already
beginning TO move. He felt little bit
dismayed at what he had done, for he
was accustomed to act with much more
circumSpectiOn. The chances were that
the stranger would Immediately com
municate his loss to the railway Off
oials, who would at once telegraph
down the line. This uncomfortable
prospect caused Bill to break into a
cold perspiration, for familiarity with
the danger of being apprehended for
robbery had not bred contempt for the
ordeal. But by degrees he began to
breathe more freely as he recollected
the strangers evident reticence. If,
"a Bill suspected, the man had reasons
for desiring to conceal his identity, he
might prefer to put up with his loss
rather than create a disturbance.
But still Bill did not feel at all COM
Portable, and he hastened to stow the
bag under the seat, so that it might not
attract the attention of the guard in
case he was warned to look out for it.
While he was thus occupied the passen-
ger who was seated opposite to him OBJ
served facetiously:
THAT amt dynamite, is it, mate?''
mo" replied BIZ, with a grin,
though he was secretly veXed at his
movements having been noticed Its
the coat I'm agoin' to wear tonight
when have supper with the Prince of
Wales and the rest of the royal fami-
ly."
But, strange to say, the facetiOuS re-
mark of his fellow-passenger made an
uncomfortable impression upon Bill
Smiley by suggesting to his mind a
very diSquiet!ng suspicion. He had
hitherto assumed that the bag con-
tanned valuables of some kind or other;
but on that point. of course, he had no
actual knowledge. Now he came to
think of it, it was possible that the con-
tents of the bag might be very differ
ent from what he had bargained for.
This view of the question assumed an
ominOuS significance when he recolleot-
ed the demeanor of the stranger and
his outlandiSh appearance. Bill was
familiar, like every one else, with the
recent tenian OutTageS. SuppoSing the
stranger belonged to the daStardly gang
who went about causing death and des-
olstion by means of internal machines!
Bill could not help shifting uneasily
In his seat when he thought of the bag
reposing Snugly underneath him. 1t
was very easy to Scotf at the notion of
Its being the instrument of a diabolical
outrage. For some reason or other he
found it impossible TO dismiss the SuS-
picion from his mind. His fellow-pas-
senger's aimleSS remark seemed to have
acted upon him ike revelation, and,
In spite of himself, his suspicious began
to grow into a sort of dreadful forebod-
ing. He now recollected that when he
lifted the bag he heard a strange rat
tie inside it, and the sound was repeated
when he was putting it under the seat.
inning as this circumstance was, it
helped TO increase his uneasineSs.
Whether his adventure had iurried his
nerves. or his state of health rendered
him liable to morbid fears, it is certain
that he soon became firmly convinced
that the prize for which he had risked
his liberty was an internal machine
which might blow him to atoms at any
moment.