The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-03-09

NUMBER 80.
mysterious. We understand that the
fellow possesses singular strength and
agility, but none the less it will be d
standing disgrace TO our police au.
thoritles that u prisoner should thus,
in broad day light and in the midst of
a crowded thoroughfare, effect his es-
cape from the very hands of justice.
A reward OF flOO has been offered for
his reapprehension. Watson is about
s feet 0 inches in height, strongly built.
and when he escaped was dressed in u
gray-fustain suit, q red scarf and soft
hat. He may further be distinguished
Ivy q scar across his chin, and by hav.
ing an arrow tattooed on the back of
his left hand"
This was about the extent of the
information contained in the para
graph, and my readers can agree with
me that the news was sufficiently ex-
citing to occupy my thoughts to the
experience l had just passed through.
AS l lay back in my seat to muse
what l had read, my thoughts began
after a while to wander, and my head
to nod, according to their wont ut
midnight, and before long fell asleep.
How long slept cannot tell-pro-
badly for few minutes only-but in
those few minutes under wentn most
discomforting dream. / dreamed
that Chlppy Watson stood over me,
mallet in hand, and that my travelling
companion was helding his hand to
avert the threatened blow. Shestrug-
Rled in vain, and the nallet fell-y ct
with a strangely light touch-upon
my arm. With a start, l awoke, and
then saw the girl OF my dream bend
ing over me with scrap of paper in
her hand.
But her face. how terribly was it
changed! Instead OF the dainty pink
flush I had last seen, there was a
CHASTITY whiteness in her cheeks, and her
eyes seemed starting from her head
in terror. Holding up one finger, as
if to command silence, she passed me
the paper, on which was written the
following words:
"Some one is underneath my seat
and has just touched mel"
Was 1t the dream which filled me
with the thought that this was an
idle alarm? I cannot tell. but this
much know that in an instant there
flashed across my mind with over.
whelming force the thought OF the es.
capped wife-murderer.
Returning my companions silence
signal by q gesture OF acquiescence, l
wrote upon the paper:
"lt is probably only dog. Shall l
look under the seat2"
Her answer was short and to the
point:
"No, do not look. 1t was q hand"
Here, then, was n sufficient diem-
ma, but by comparison with what
had passed before between my fellow.
passenger and myself, it was diem
ma that | felt almost disposed to well
come. The male sex in my person
was about to assume it's rightful po.
sition OF protector to its weaker, its
would-be independent companion.
Sweet was my revenge, and yet the re.
venge scarcely promised to be wholly
pleasurable.
My first action was to rem owe any
suspicion that there might be in the
mind OF the mysterious third occu-
pant OF our carriage, through the pre-
sumably accidental action OF having
touched lady's dress. Giving vent
to an audible yawn, rs though l had
just awakened from sleep,I remarked,
in n tone of cool impertinence:
"iou really must excuse me for adj
dressing you again, madam, but will
you permit me to smoke, to enliven
this tedious Journey"
As spoke, accompanied my words
by u meaning glance, and was favored
with the reply:
Certainly, if you wish it; l cannot
prevent you"
Thereupon l produced my pipe and
tobacco-pouch and proceeded slowly
to fill the former, us thought out the
plan OF action. On reference to my
watch, l saw that the train would
stop in another ten minutes. Clearly,
the only thing to Go was to wait till
We reach Blackley, and there get as.
sistance to find out who ournnknown
travelling companion might be.
The longer | pondered over the pro-
blem, the more curious for it's solution
did become, and then. needless OF the
warning had received, struck ~
match and Intentionally dropped it.
STOPPING down. with u muttcred
malediction, to pick it up, cast
searching glance underneath the OPP
poste seat, and then my blood ran
cold, us the fuint glcnm OF taper re-
vealed the back OF q man's hand with
the mark OF u tatooed arrow upon it.
Chippy Watson, then, was our COM
panion, a doomed and desperate
man.
BY q mighty effort controlled my
voice sufficiently to say.
"Excuse me reaching across you.
madam; but that was my last
match, and l could not afford to let
it 90 out"
The girl, into whose white checks
the color showed no trace Of return
ing, murmured some uninteligible re-
ply, and for few moments we sat in
silence.
Again looked ut my watch. Thank
Heaven! In five minutes We should
bo at Blackley, and the awful
ride would be Mt nn end. Scarce.
ly had the thought formulated
itself, when the girl opposite me
sprang up trembling like II leaf, and
shrieketl ere could stop her:
"Oh, the hand has touched my foot
again"
The moment the words had left her
lips heard u sudden movement un-
der the seat, and quickerth than thought,
u figure appeared upon the floor. In
moment l flung myself upon the
ruflian and clutched his throat with
the energy OF despair, knowing that
should he once gain his feet it was all
over with me, the lighter and weaker
man. Can ever forget the horror Of
that five minutes ride! The whole
compartment seemed to be falling up
on me. Teeth, nails. feet, all seemed
to he attacking me at oEce, but
through it ali kept my grip upon the
murderer's throat. and though /
strpamed with blood and almost lost
consciousness, still held on, while the
girls screams ran: dimly through my
ears. Suddenly the train stopped; the
struggle ceased, and tainted across
my captive.
When recovered consciousness at
length found myself lying upon a Ia,
BILE in the Blackey station waiting
room, with q sympathetic crowd
around me, and best OF all, saw q
face bending tcnderlv over me. the