Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-07-02

was a town further along the Gimino
line: so we should soon be obliged to
separate I was secretly pleased; but
to Mr.. Weir and Nab the time was slip
ping away altogether too quickly. Ar
rived at Gimino we made the very un-
pleasant discovery that the San Vito
train had gone on without us and that
there would be no other till o'clock in
the morning.
"What Will you do?" asked Mr.. Weir.
81 have ten minutes to spare before my
train goes if could be of any service
to you in engaging room at the hotel,
or in any other way, should be most
happy"
"I think Il would be better not to go
q the hotel" said Nab; "we should
never wake up for the early train and
we have not the time to wait for the
next one"
EYES," I answered, "we could get
some refreshment here and stay in the
waiting room till our train comes. 1t
is eleven o'clock now, and the time is
not very long. We can take COM
Portable nap in the waiting-room."
! Something in Mr.. Weir's manner be-
trayed that he did not quite approve
of our plan, but he was too polite to
say anything against it. He called a
waiter to attend to our wants, and In
answer to the second sharp. call from
the locomotive, took his leave, lingering
long over the hand-shake with Nab
and disappeared in the darkness.
81 wish he hadn't gone. I feel lone
ly in this strange place. said Nab,
with little shiver.
Nonsense. child! It. would have
been obtrusive and indelicate if he had
remained. You forget that we are only
friends of day. Why should he alter
his plans for us.
I spoke boldly, but I, too, was very
i'll at ease. The little coffee-room was
gradually filing with rough looking
men, who watched us-the only women
in the place furtively and curiously,
speaking language we but little I'M
dersto ID. The hotel was mile dis
tant, and we could not take refuge in
it at that late hour of the night, even
If we had known the way.
"Mab, how foolish of you to wear
your diamond ring on a journey of this
kind, it attracts attention." said in an
undertone, as the light caught the
brilliant on her finger when she raised
her coffee cup.
happened to glance out of the win
dow at that instant, and to my horror,
saw man with evil black eyes and
grizzled hair staring intently at Nab
and me with wicked look about him
which I could not forget. As l caught
his eye he skunk away in the darkness,
and presently the railway porter came
to escort us to the waiting room.
"It is against the rules of the road to
allow the waiting room to be occupied
at night" he began, "but if you will be
content without light, and with both
doors locked on the outside, I have no
objection to your waiting there for your
train"
This was appalling. to be locked up
for five hours in a shabby little Italian
waiting room in total darkness. By
feeling the man we prevailed upon him
to allow us to bolt the outer door on
the inside, SO that we should feel a lit
tie less like prisoners.
''The guard walks up and down the
platform till daylight, SO you can feel
quite SAFE" said the porter, consolingly,
as he wished us good night and shut
the door of the dark little den upon us.
I fortunately bethought me of some
wax matches in the valise, and lighting
one for moment, we took In the stu
ation-a mean little room, with door
on two sides, hard benches round the
walls, and long table. Surely not an
inviting apartment for repose. We
made ourselves as comfortable as the
/ circumstances would permit and tried
to forget our position in sleep. But I
became preternaturally wakeful. Here
were we, two unprotected women,
dropped down at this little wayside
station for all the long night hours.
Suspicious characters were lurking
about, and we might be robbed and
murdered without our friends ever
knowing of our fate. In the midst of
my cheerful reflections it cOnsoled me
a little to see the guard pass by slowly
outside at intervals, with his lantern
cleaning on the red band of his cap.
Suddenly, my ears sharpened by the
silence, [ heard stealthy step ap-
proach the inner door of our prison,
and the quiet grating of key in the
lock was distinctly audible. My heart
seemed to stop beating with fright, and
then, to my unspeakable horror, the
door softly opened and the evil looking
man, with the grizzled hair, whom I
had seen through the window of the
coffee room, crept in with dim Ian
tern in his hand. ...5
Listen" he said in hoarse whisper,
fixing me with his wicked eyes. "If
you are quiet I will do you no harm,
but If you scream or make the least
disturbance know how to silence you.
I want the ring your friends pretty
finger wears, and whatever money and
other valuables you have about you.
Make no resistance, as you value your
life!"
I suppose grew very white, for Ma
bel said, in surprisingly firm voice:
"Dont faint, Efie, but give the man
the valise to search; our lives are worth
more than the trumpery it contains"
The robber set his lantern on the ia
BILE and began undoing the straps of
our valise, placing it on the floor be-