The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-08-01

IN any OtueI way. sncllu DC most
II think II would BE- better not 10 60
to the hotel said Nab: I'VE should
never wake up Tor the early train. and
We have not the time 10 wait for the
next one"
Yes" I ans Eered. I'VE could get
some refreshments here and stay in the
waiting room TIL our train comes. II is
i o clock ". anu the time is not so
very long We can take a comfortable
nap ia the waiting ROOM"
Sometime in AIR. WeIr's manner be-
trayed that be did not quite approve OF
our vi n. but he WAS too polite TO say
anything against il He called waiter
to attend 70 our wants. and, in answer
to the second sharp call from the loco
motive, & kAis leave. lingering long over
The hand shake with Nab, and disap-
peared ia tie darkness.
Il wish he hadn't gone. / feel lonely
in this strange place. said Nab, with a
little shiver.
"Nonsense. chiidl It would have
been obtrusive ard indicate If he had
remain Ell. You forget that We are only
friends Of 4 oay. Why should he alter
his plans for us7"
1 spoke boldly bit / too was very i'll
at eAse. The little coffee room was
gradually filling with rOuehlooking
IN, n, VINO watched us-the only women
in the plare-furtiveiy nd cuuously.
spsns king language which we but little
Understood. The hotel was n mile dis
iant. and We could not take refuge in IL
st that hour Of the night, even If We
had known the way.
"Msb, how foolish OF you TO wear
your diamond rim on journey Of this
kind lit attracts at;ention" / said in
an UNDERGONE, as tie lighs caught on
h-r finger when she raised her coffee
cup.
happened TO glance out OF the win
dow at that instant. and to my horror
saw a man with evil black eyes and
srizz Ell hair glazing inIentiy at Nab
and me with q wicked look AbOu him
which could not forget. AS caught
his eye he sunk away in the darkness.
and presently the railway porter came
TO escort US TO the waiting room.
1t j. against the rules OF the road to
allow the walting-rOOm to be occupied
Al night, =" he bega,.. "but. If you will De
content without a 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 mp
for i've hours IN a shabby little Italian
waiting room. in total darkness. By
feeins the man We prevailed upon him
tU allow us tn bolt the outer door on
The inside. 30 that we should feel little
lees hike prisoners.
Zine guard walks up and down the
platform till daylight, so you exn feel
quite Hfe. sHiO The porter con solingly,
as he wished us gOOd-night. and shut
the dor of the dark little den upon us
4 n. Il
wax ma ches in the vallse. and lighting
one Tor a moment. We took in the situa-
tiOn-a mean little room. with door on
two sides. hard benches round the walls
and long table. Surely not an invit-
ing place for repOSe. We made our
selves as comfortable as the circum-
stances would permit. aud tried to- for
get our position in sleep; but | became
prettrnAtursllv wakeful. Here were
We two unprotected women, dropped
down at this little wayside station for
all the long n ght hours: suspicious
characters were lurking about. and We
miph' be robbed and murdered without
our friends ever knowing of our fate.
In the midst of NV cheerful reflections
it consoled me u little TO see the guard
pass by slowly outside at intervals. with
his lantern cleaning on the red band of
his can.
Suddenl :. my ears sharpened by the
silence, heard a stealthy step approach
the inner door of our prison, end the
quiet grating of q kew in the lock was
distinctly audible. My heart seemed to
stop beating with fright: and then. to
my unspeakable horror. the door open
ed, and the eyil-lOoking man with the
griZzled hair. whom had seen through
the window of the cOfft Groom. crept in
"a \ =. -
''Listenl' he said. in a hoarse whisper.
fixing me with his wicked ewes. "If
you are quiet. L will do you no harm
but. if You scream or make the least
disturbance, know how TO silence you.
l want the ring YOUR friends pretty
finger wears. and whatever money and
other valuabl YOU have about you.
Make no resistance, as you value your
iife."
1 suppose 1 grew very white and
trembled, for Mabel said, in a urpris-
ingiy firm voice:
Don't faint, Effie, but give the man
the yalise to search our lives are worth !
more than the irumpery l. contains"
The robber set his lantern on the table
and began undOing the straps of our
yalise. placing il on the floor before the
door at which he had entered. Where
was the guard outside that mis- light did
not shine again through our window? |
he might have reached Us, but he did
not come. N
"Efie." said Nab, in whisper TO me
she need not have whispered, for the
robber could not understand our Ian
guage-"I am not going to give up my
ring without q struggle. This man eyl-
IDENTIFY thinks the other door locked on
the outside and safe against our open
ing it; otherwise he would nn let us
stand so close to il. / have MY hand
on the bolt now; there-I hsve slipped
II. L am going 10 dash the robbers
lantern from the table with this bundle
OF shawls; in the darkness we can rush
out upon the platform and call the
guard. Don't lose your head or try to
detain me. for / sn1-quite resolved. Be
al ready TO hy when give the signal"
Before l could recover from my
astonishment at this bold plan. there |
wss a crash of glass upon the floor, |
darkness, a volley of Italian oaths, and
my sister and were tearing madlv |
down the deserted platform.
Guard, guard ]" We shrieked, with all
the energy Of despair; but from some |
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