Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-29

much fashionableness and some eceentricity. |
For several years her physician had feared |
lung trouble for her, aud had tried to in
duce her to go to the South for the winters,
but she had stubbornly refused to leave the
life of New York in its gayest season.
Finally he had in despair told her that she
would not live until spring unless she hed
from the Northern climate. So now she
set out for Florida. The servant bestowed
her carefully in her exclusive compart-
ment, and then went out to see to some de-
tails of baggage. When she boarded the
train again, at the warning of the steam
whistle. she entered car belonging to the
first Of the halves into which the train had
been divided, and by that mischance was
started away from her charge, who was In
the later section. Mrs Blakely knew moth
| ing OF the accident as yet, aud soon her own
| car was rolling along at full speed. In her
excessive fatigue, the invalid fell asleep,
| and when she awoke at the end Of an hour.
| she supposed that she had only dozed few
| minutes, Therefore the absence Of the SER
| want did not disquiet her at once, but after
| waiting while she became alarmed. The
porter tapped on the door, and entered to
| light the lamp, for darkness had fallen.
| 1'My girl, Nancy-do you know where
| she is?" the woman querulously asked.
/ The man did not know Nancy from any
| other young woman. But he conjecrured
/ that she had been separated from her mis-
/ trsss bv the division of the train. He ex-
| plained that there would be reunion at
Philadelphia within an hour.
Left alone Mrs. Blakelv took the idea to
| count the money which she had exchanged
into bills at the last moment She opened
her travelling bag, and emptied the crisp
new paper into her lap along with some
coins, which had been provided for eonven-
fence of expenditure along the route. All
at once draught Of air struck her face. In
her surprise she looked up. The door had
come open. She frantically seized shawl,
threw it over the money lying on her lap as
man appeared. She was ready to
/ faint in her terror. This man
must surely have seen her in the
act of counting her money, and he had come
to rob her. Painting for breath and with
| face drawn and haggard, he watched her,
preparing, she thought, to leap upon her.
Incapable of opening her lips, but hearing
her heart beat and her ears ring, she sat IN
abiect terror. In a hasty, unconscious move
ment her knees drew nearer together, and
the coins began to roll to the floor like rain
water from a gutter-pipe. The man stared
in surprise at this stream Of silver, and then
bent forward as if to pick it up. In her
fright the woman started up, throwing all
her wealth to the ground, and hastened
toward the door. But the man saw her In
tention, sprang forward, and, grasping her
firmly by the arm, forced her back into her
seat. Then he shut and locked the door.
Listen to me, MADAM" he said. II dom
want to rob you, and TO prove it will pick
up all that money and hand it back to you,
But am a lost man if you do not let ne
stay here. I can tell you nothing more.
Without your aid I shall be lost
Then throwing himself upon his knees h'
picked up the coins upon the floor. search
ing even for those that had rolled to th'
most distant corners and restoring somt
notes that had fallen. When the small
leather bag was again filled. he returned i
to its owner. The amount was s., 900.
: 'I am fugitive from the law, " he said
= tan officer is on the train to capture me. HI
e will not be likely to enter your compart
= ment, If you will let me stay until VI
]. reach Philadelphia my danger will b
q passed. Will you?"
+ Mrs. BlakeIey's silence, which he con
: strued as assent, was due to exhaustion
e She was no more able to utter mo" than
q "yes." There came rap at the door.
"What do you want in there?" the,
e heard the porter say outside. "a rich lad,
e is alone in that section"
Il s'Then my man can't be there" was th
n response OF another man, and he passe'
It along.
e. Mrs. BlakelY lay back in her couch-lik
q chair, silent and motionless. She was still
II weak from terror, but gradually recovere
? her composure. As to the man, he sat Dol
y upright, staring straight ahead with tn