The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-13
A FAMILY AFFAIR
BY HUGH CONW AY,
Author of"Colled Back" and "Dork Days
CHAPTER |.
A LITTLE DERELlCT.

damp fog which filled the aTcheu oAPai'o u o y,
end TO end The broad platform teeined WIZ
the motion and hustle attendant upon the de-
parture of train. The newspaper boys alone
were having comparatively dun time OF H.
as the first act of every passenger, upon TAX.
ing his seat, was to pull up the window ana
shut out as much fog as possible declining 10
let the sash down for any one, except other
travellers, who, having paid their fares, ciailhed
their right to seats III the train-a proceeding
which, TO the first installed passenger, always
gems supremely selfish. The new conner, OF
corners. might choose some other conlpart'
Inent than his
The moving rack which bears the lamps
reached the extreme end of the train. Inc
strong-armed official below hurled the last
crystal Globe to the nimble official who runs
along the top of the carriages, ana leaps SO
recklesslv from one to another. Deft rs an
Indian juggler he caught the cleaning mis-
sile. stamped it into the last socket, ana sprang
jncontinently from the already moving tram
The guard shut the last door which some
body's careessuess had left open, jumped INTO
his van rs it swept by him, and, punctual 10
the minute. the five o'clock train left London
and began its race to Penzance.
Ii one of the first-class compartments were
three passengers, although the railroad COM
many would only benefit TO the extent OF TWO
fares one of these passengers being child
still Young enough to be passed off aS child
in arms by all save, perhaps those tender
minded persons who send conscience money
To the chancellor of the exchcquer. The two
travellers who augmented the company rev.
enue were man and a woman.
That they were strangers was evident, and
n was also evident that the man was an OLD
traveller. As soon as the train was in motion,
and he felt insured for some time TO come
against disturbance, he arranged his wraps III
t6e most approved fashion donned a soft cap,
lit a lamp and buried himself in book. de
was Young man but rs he appears in this
tale only to disappear, detailed description
would be superfluous. 1t is enough to know
he was a gentleman, well dressed, well-to-do
in appearance, and looked quite III his place
in d iirst-class carriage.
II was a different matter with the woman.
There was no obvious reason why she should
not he able and willing to pay threepence-
halfpenny instead of penny mile Tor tho
privilege of being whisked to her destination;
vet one could imagine crusty old director,
who travels free himself, and Is therefore
anxious to prevent the company from being
deI,uudcd, calling to guard and suggesting
that tie woman's ticket should be examined.
Or, from purely benevolent reasons, per-
son who knows what mistakes women make
in such matters might with propriety havo
remarked: Glow comfortable these trSt-
class carriages are" For my part, should
most certainly have done so-not from be-
neyolence, but to save myself, who had paid
Just fare from feeling swindled if, at the
journeys end, a good-natured ticket collector
let off the victim of such comfortable mis-
take
Yet there was nothing remarkable in tho
womans appearance, except the utter absence
of individuality it displayed. For any guild
ance her looks gave, she might have been
rich or poor, young or old, beautiful or ugly,
noble or simple. Had her travelling COM
pauion been as curious as he was Mt present
Indifferent about the matter, no might have
sat opposite to her from London to the Lands
End, yet not have known how to classify her.
She was dressed in plain black and black, like
charity and night, cOvereth and hidcth much.
No scrap of bright ribbon, no vestige of
color, broke the sombre monotony of her
attire, and thick black veil hid the upper
part of her face She sat like one in
thoughtful frame Of mind, Her head was
bent forward, and so threw her mouth and
chin into the shade. Her hands being gloved,
it was impossible TO know whether she wore
avoiding ring or not.