San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-19
THE IRON BRACELET.

Hinton took the tickets as the train was
running into the station; in hastily snatching
up the change a half sovereign slipped from
his fingers. 1t took us a couple of minutes to
find it, and then the train was lost
"Three-quarterS of an hour to wait in this
hole" Hinton groaned. Better walk over
the hills to Chorley The train is due there
at Gals; we can do it easily"
We did it little too easily; the train was
in sight before we reached Chorley. We
ieaped over the ratings and ran along the
line; the train passed us at the signal box,
and We overlook it as it came to a stop.
The last carriage was third class; young
lady, leaning through the open window of the
end apartment, looked toward US anxiously
viii you be good enough to open the doori'
she asked as we drew near. We both stopped.
Hinton brushed past me to render the SER
vice; he was younger than l, his gallantry
was boundless, and the present appeal to it
was made by one of singularly progressing
appearance. 1t was not common face that
smiled down on us, showing long row of
dazzling teeth, white, sensitive nose, an in
telligent forehead from which the hair was
drawn back assertively, and a pair of dark
gray eyes, capable of anything; not a COM
mon figure that stood revealed when the door
was opened-tall, graceful, simply elegant,
and dressed with faultlesS taste, and the first
question that mystHied me was how such
lady came to be travelling alone in a third
class carriage and at this early hour.
She stood at the open door in embarraSS-
ment that added a charm 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 boot
ed foot and drew it back hastily: all the time
she kept her hands close in her muff, which
made the descent still more impracticable
With faint tnge of color in her pale cheek,
and her fine eyes twinking with vexation
she said:
May ask you to help me? have hurt
my hands: they are useless"
In a moment we were on the footboard,
one on each side, helping her TO descend AS
glanced along her arm l caught the glimpse
of blush black metal inside her sealskin
muf. She wore an iron bracelet. Was it
an eccentricity of fashion. or a surgical APP
pliance, | wondered
1t was to Hinton she smiled her sweetest
acknowledgment, and when in parting she
bowed to us both. her eyes rested last AID
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, are you going on" called
the guard with his whistle raised
At that moment the young lady turned
round, and, seeing US still standing by the
door, smiled bewitchingly, made short step
forward, turned again and stopped, fixing
her eyes on Hinton, who was scarlet to the
roots of his hair. 1t was an invitation that
my fiery young friend was not slow to ac-
cept.
Il shall come on by the next train, Jack"
said he, and started at once to rejoin the fas-
cinating lady.
The guard blew his whistle and stepped
up mechanically into the carriage, closing
the door, and never losing sight of my friend
and the lady with the iron bracelet. He had
his hat off, and was speaking to her as the
train whisked me by. They were both so
pleasantly occupied with each other that
they took no notice of me. | continued to
watch them until the train was out of the
station, and then | sat down and glanced
round to see if there were any other occu-
pant of the compartment
Good Godl What was this at the other
end, half on the ground, half on the seat?
started to my feet and drew near the dark
mass with growing terror as | perceived
that it was police officer who lay huddled
together, with one shoulder on the seat and
his head dropped down upon his breast. His
helmet had dropped off When raised his
face found it perfectly colorless, only the
white of his eyes was visible through the
half closed lids There was no sign of any
wound, no blood upon his hands or face A
white handkerchief lay upon the seat. 1t
seemed to me that the man had suddenly
tainted. | tried to raise him from his supine
position, but the dead weight the was large
mani was more than | could manage
The carriage was open from end to end
the compartments divided simply by backs
There was only one other traveller in the car.
riage-a NAVY in the next but one compart-
ment, with his back to me, and his head was
out Of the window, that the short, black pipe
he was smoking might not be objected to,
called hun twice before he heard me. and