News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-08-08
THE LADY IN IRONS.
By FRANK BARTLETT.

Hinton took the tickets as the trnin
was running into the station; in hastily
snatchInS up the change half sovereign
slipped from his tingeIs. 1t took us a
couple of minutes to find it, aud then
the train was lost.
Three quarters of an hour to wait in
this hole" Hinton groaned. Better
walk oNcr the hill to Chorley. The
train is due there at 9.15; we can do it
easily"
''We did it little too easily; the
train was i'll sight before we reached
Chorley. We lcaped over the railinrs
and ran along the line; the train passed
us at the signal box, and we overlook it
MS 1t came to n stop.
The last carriage was third-class n
young lady, leaning through the open
window of the end apartment, looked at
us anxiously.
"Will you be good enough to open
the door p she asked, rs we drew near.
We both stopped
Hinton brushed past me to render the
service; he was younger than l, his gal
lantry was boundless. and the present
appeal to 1T WIS made by one of singlI-
larry prepoSScSsing appearance 1t was
not common face that smiled down on
us, showing long row of dazzling teeth,
whlte, sensitive nose, and an intelli-
gent forehead, from which the hair was
drawn back assertively, and q pair of
dark grey eyes, capable of anything; not
a common figure that stood revealed
when the door was opened-tall, grace
1ll, SIMPLY elegant, and dressed with
faultless taste, and the first onestion
that mystiiied me was how such lady
N A frs1yr Il 1
class carriage, and at this early hour.
She stood at the open door in embar-
rassment that added cham to her
face. The platform did not extend to
the carriage. The depth to the ground
was considerable, the step awkward.
She put out one neatly booted foot, and
drew 1t back hastily; all the time she
kept her hands close in her muf1, which
made the descent still more impractic
able. With faint tinge of color in her
pale cheek, and her fine eyes tWinkling
with vexation, she said:
Me- l ask You to help met | have
hurt my hands; they are useless"
In moment we were ON the footboard
one on each side, helping her to descend.
AS L glanced along her arm / caught
the glimpse of a blueish black metal in.
side her sealskin mulT. She wore an iron
bracelet. Was it an eccentricity of fash
ion or surgical application, wondered.
1t was to Hinton she smiled hor
sweetest acknowledgment, and when in
parting she bowed to us both. her ewes
rested last and longest upon him.
We stood by the open door watching
her as she walked up to the platform
with an elastic, graceful step.
"Now, then, sir, arc you going on?"
called the guard, with his whistle
raised.
At thatmoment the young lady turned
round, and, seeing us still standing by
the door, smiled bewitch ngIy, made a
short step forward, turned again and
stopped, fixing her eyes on Hinton, who ]
was scarlet to the roots OF his hair. IL /;
was an invitation that my fiery young
friend was not slow to accept.
shall come on by the next train, !
Jack, said ho and started at once TO !
reloln tie fascinating lady.
The guard blew his whistle. and I
stepped up mechanically into The car
riage, closing the door, and never los
ing sight of my friend and the lady with
the iron bracelet He had his hat off
and was speaking to her rs the train
whIsked me by. They were both so
pleasantly occupied with each other that
they took no notice of me. | continued
70 watch them until the train was out of
the station, and then | sat down and
glanced round to sec If thcro was anv
others occupant of the compartment
Good Heavcnsl What was this nj the
Othef end, hail on the ground half on
the seat L started TO my feet and drew
near the dark mass. with growing terror
as perceived that it was n police officer
who lay huddled together, with ono
shoulder on the seat and his bood
dropped down upon his breast. His hoI-
met had dropped of. When I raised |
ms face found it perfectly coIorless. !
only the white of his eyes was visible
through the half-closed lids. There was !
no sign OF any wound, no blood upou
his hands or face. A white handker
chief lay upon the seat. II seemed To
me that the man had suddenly faintod. |
l tried to raise him from his sIpine pos
Ition, but the dead weight tlIe was n !
large NAM was more than ! could man /
age.
The carriage was open from end To /
end-the compartments divided simply /
by backs. There was only ono other .
traveller in the carriage "A NAVY in the |
NEXT but one compartmer B, with his I
back to me, and his head was ont of the |
window, that the short black pipo no WAS |
smoking might not be objected TO.
i called him twice before he heard !
me, and then, taking his pipe out and |
',olding it in the hollow of his hand he !,
7jooked Mt me in vacant surprise.
s"COme Ovor and help me-" | called. |
''Therc's policeman lying here
dead.''
He spat out OF the window, roso, and !
leaning over the back OF the compart !
ment, said:
'sBeg your pardon, mister, there's !
Bich row..
repeated what L had said. !
"A dead policeman lie exclaimed,
his Titles eyes rounding with wonder. !
eyes; come over and help me lit him
up"
''Nought me-" nc said, his face set
ting with an expression of dogged OBJ
lection. II amt goin' TO have no trnck
WI no dead policemans, no fear. I'm
por man, | am, and they'd have me
OIL to The station us sOOns Ihok ut me u
l get mcssin myself up in that job, no
lear, aud with that he turned bis back
on me and sat down with an attitude OF
determined neutrality.
-. L made what effort could to restore
me 10 the dead MANI to call tho atten
.lon OF the guard, to rouse up the navy
70 sense Of humanity, but all TO nu
purpose. The train was express 10
iLondon, and alone with my CHASTITY fel
low passenger had b. await the end Of
the journey.
..i1 as .he ialn ran into the terminus
ttanea ta loudly to a porter on the plat
I'm u took the fellow couple Of
rTrlliiuees 70 overcome his astonishment.
Then be did as bade him and ran off