Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-09-01

Weir. IT have ten minutes to spare
before my train goes; if I could be
of any service to you in engaging
room at the hotel, OF in any other
way, / should be most happy
81 think it would be better not to
go to 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, tive could
get some refreshments here, and stay
in the waiting-room till our train
comes. It is II o'clock now, and
the time is not SO very long. We
can take comfortable nap in the
waiting-room.''
Something in Mr.. Weir's manner
betrayed teat he did not quite ap-
prove of our plan, but he was too
polite to say anything against it.
He called 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 disap-
peared in the darkness.
81 wish he hadn't gone. / feel
lonely in this strange pla ce," said
Nab, with little shiver.
"Nonsense, child 1t would have
been obtrusive and indellcate if he
had remained. You forget that we
were only friends of day. Why
should he alter his plans for us !"'
spoke boldly; but /, too, was
very i'll at ease. The little coffee
room was gradually filling with rough
looking men who watched us--the
only women in the place-furtTvely
and curiously, speaking language
which we but little understood. The
hotel was a mile distant, and we
could not take refuge in it at that
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.
l happened to glance out of the
window at that instant, and, to my
horror, saw man with evil black
eyes and grizzled hair staring in
tently at Nab and me with wicked
look about him which / 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.
at is against the rules of the road
to allow the waiting-room to be occu-
pied at night he began, shut if
you will be content without light,
and with both doors locked on the
outside, 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 waitlng-room in total dark
ness. By feeling the man we pre-
vailed upon him to allow us to bolt
the outer door on the inside, so that
we should feel little less like pris-
oners.
''The guard walks up and down
the platform till daylight, so you can
feel quite safe," said the porter, con-
solingly, as he wished US good night
and shut the door of the dark little
den upon us.
| fortunately bethought me of some
wax matches in the valise, arid light
ing one for moment, we took in
the situation-a mean little room,
with door on two sides, hard bench
es round the walls and long table.
Surely not an inviting apart ment for
repose. We made ourselves as COM
Portable as the circumstance would
permit, and tried to forget ur posi-
tion in sleep. But 1 became. prefer
naturally wakeful. Here were we,
two unprotected women, dropped
down at this little wayside station
for all the long night hours. Suspi-
&ous characters were lurking about,
and we might be robbed and mur-
dered without our friends ever know
ing 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 a stealthy step
the inner door of our pris-
on, and the quiet grating of a 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 griz-
zly hair, whom [ had seen through
the window of the coffee-room, crept
in with dim lantern in his hand.
"Listen he said, in hoarse
whisper, fixing me with his wicked
eyes. eff you are quiet I will do
you no harm, but if you scream or
make tie 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 re-
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