Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-10-02
CHAPTER XXXII.

For hours and hours Mrs Miller remained
blissfully ignorant of the fact that the
wheels which were bearing her to her desti-
nation bore also sorrow and ruin in the Der
son of Maurics Hervey. The fellow-travel-
ers did not confront each other until the
next morning, and when the through train
was well out of Paris. Sarah, indeed, had
been all but invisible since she boarded the
Dover and Calais boat The crossing had
been a rough one, and sea-sickness claims
precedence with the mind the most preoccu-
pied. Sarah had suffered much and as soon
as she found herself in the smooth going
train had sought forgetfulness of her woes
in sleep. Hervey, who had no wish to pre-
cipitate matters by an untimely revelation
OF his presence, had also efaced himself
from general observation.
But some time after the train had left the
Paris and Lyons station Sarah opened the
door of her comfortable compartment and
In the narrow gangway of the train came
full upon Maurice Hervey. He was smok-
ing and watching the flying landscape
through the glass windows at the side of the
narrow passage. He turned, looked at
Sarah, and laughed in cruel merriment as
be saw her gaze of Mortified surprise.
"Youp sh gasped. ''You have followed
me.''
"Every step since you left my humble
abode. my dear Sarah"
She turned away and re-entersd the COM
partment she had left. Hervey followed
her, and with a laugh threw himself down
on the seat nearest to the door. The train
was not full, and the compartments were
small ones, so it happened that the two
people were alone
1t was typical of the mans cruel nature
that he looked forward with feelings of keen
enjoyment to the torture which he meant to
lnfllct upon the woman during those hours
OF travel, by forcing upon her the presence
which he knew so unwelcome.
ooh, yes, Sarah" he said jeeringly; 81
followed you, and I shall never leave your
side until you lead me to my beloved wife.
It's no good thinking you can give me the
slip. To save trouble Imay tell you I know
you are going to Munich. What a clever
woman you are, Sarah. I am so much
obliged to you"
She wrung her hands convulsively, then
covered her face and moaned. She had
acted, as she thought, for the best, but this
mans craft had overcome her. Her mistress
was to be made to suffer, and through her
Through the one who would willingly sacri-
flee body and soul to save her from pain!
"Don't be sulky, Sarah" said Eervey.
in Here, make yourself useful and fill my
pipe. can't use this COMPOUNDED right arm
of mine
She took no notice of his request, bus
presently she raised her head and looked at
him.
''Be warned" she said in low tones.
"Once more say, be warned in time. Leave
this train at the next station. Fly while
you can"
He laughed scornfully. 'Now, is it like
ly?' he said.
She made no further appeal She sank
back into stony silence, and from that time
no remark, no question, no taunt of the
mans could draw word from her thin lips.
Hour after hour went by and Sarah Miller
sat in her corner motionless and silent as a
statue.
But her thoughts Her thoughts were
busy enough, They thronged and invaded
her brain. They changed and shifted from
incoherence to systematic arrangement and
back again to incoherence. Through all the
tinctly. She was taking this man to her
mistress.
No food had passed her lips since she left
London. All desire to eat had left her when
she first caught sight Of Herveys hateful
form. Her hands We're hot; her veins
seemed full of fever, and now and again a
mist seemed to close round her, from which
she emerged only to see once more the cruel
| face of her tormentor. So the hours went
| by.
Hervey had food sent into the carriage
| He also consoled himself at short intervals
| with brandy and water. He bought cigars,
| smoked them, and grumbled at their bad-
ness Sometimes he rose, walked out into
| the gangway and stretched his legs, but he
| kept keen watch ON the woman. Not
second time would he fail from lack of Wig
lance For amusement he now and again
tainted his companion, and his jeers, ap-
parently unnoticed, drove her to the verge
of desperation. Her hands grew hotter, her
! pulses beat with fiercer rapidity.
The sun sank; the twilight died away; the
lamps were lit. Every hour, every moment
| brought grief nearer and nearer to Beatrice.
Long before another sun rose the t. ain would
be at Munich. The thought madlened the
white-faced woman.