The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-03-27


and when he escaped was dressed in a
gray fustian suit, with red scarf and
soft hat. He may further be distin-
guished by scar across his chin, and by
having an arrow tattooed on the back OF
his left hand
This was about the extent of the in
formation contained in the paragraph,
and my readers will agree with me that
the news was sufficiently exciting to oc-
cupy my thoughts to the complete en-
clusion of the unpleasant experience
had just passed through. AS l lay back
in my seat to muse upon what !
had read, my thoughts began after a
while to wander and my head to nod,
according to their wont at midnight, ,and
before long 1 fell asleep. How long l
slept I cannot tell--probably for 4 few
minutes only-but in those few minutes
underwent most discomforting dream.
I dreamt that Chippy Watson stood over
me, mallet in hand, and that my travel
ing companion was holding his arm to
avert the threatened blow. She struggled
in vain, and the mallet fell, yet with a
strangely light touch upon my arm.
With start I awoke, and then saw the
girl of my dream bending toward me
with a 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 ghastly whiteness
in her cheeks, and her eyes seemed
startling from her head with terror.
Holding up one finger as if to command
silence, size passed me the paper, on
which wer, written the following words ::
'sSome one is underneath the seat and
has just touched me-
Was it the dream which filled me with
the thought that this was no idle alarm?
I cannot tell; but this much know, that
in an instant there flashed across my
mind with overwhelming force the
thought of this escaped wife-murderer.
Returning my companions silence
signal with a gesture of acquiescence, !
wrote upon the paper: "It is probably
only dog. Shall 1 look under the seat2"
Her answer was short and to the point
"No; do not look. 1t was hand"
Here, then, was a sufficient dilemma
but by comparison with what had passed
before between my fellow passenger and
myself, it was dill emma that I felt al
most disposed to welcome. The male sex
in my person was about to resume its
rightful position of protector to its weaker,
if would-be independent companion.
Sweet was my revenge; and yet the re-
venge scarcely promised to be wholly
pleasurable.
My first action was to remove any sus-
picion that there might4be in the mind of
the mysterious third occupant of our car
riage, through the presumably accidental
action of having touched the-ady's dress.
Giving vent to an audible yawn, although
I had just awakened from sleep, I re-
marked, in tone of cool impertinence
'You really must excuse ME for address
ing you again, madam; but will you per-
nit me to smoke to enliven this tedious
Journey" AS I spoke accompanied my
words with meaning glance, and was
favored with the reply: Certainly, if
you wish it; cannot prevent you"
Thereupon, I produced my pipe and
tobacco pouch and proceeded slowly to
fill the former, as I thought out the plan
of action. On reference to my watch
saw that the train would stop in another
Mminutes. Clearly, the only thing to
~. was to wait till we reached Blackeley
and there get assistance to find out who
our unknown travelling companion might
be.
The longer I pondercd over the prob,
lem the more curious for its solution did
l become, and then, needless of the
warning 1 had received, I struck a
match and Intentionally dropped it.
STOPPING down with muttered male
diction to pick it up, cast searching
glance underneath the opposite seat, and
then my blood ran cold as the faint
gleam of the taper revealed the back oi
the mans hand with the mark of the
tattooed arrow upon it. Chippy Watson,
then, was our cempanion-a doomed and
desperate man!
By mighty effort controlled my voice
sufficient to say: "Excuse me reaching
across you. madam, but that was my las
match. and I could not afford to let it pc
out"
The girl, into whose white cheeks tue
color showed no trace of returning, mur
INJURED some unintelligible reply, and fo
few moments we sat in silence. Agar
l looked, at my watch. Thank heaven
in five minutes we should be in Blackele,
and the awful ride would be at an end
Scarcely had the thought formulated it.
self whcn the girl opposite me sprang up
trembling like leaf, and shrieked ere
could stop her: "Oh, that hand ha
touched my foot again"
The moment the words left her lips
heard u sudden movement under tn,
seat, aud quicker than thought figur
appeared upon the floor. In that mo
mcnt flung myself upon the rufiian ant
clutched his throat with the energy o
despair, knowing that should he onc
gain his feet it was all over with me, th
lighter and weaker man. Can ever for
get the horror of that five minutes ride
The whole compartment seemed to b
falling upon me. Teeth, nails, feet, al
were attacking me at once; but through
all l kept my grip upon the murderer
throat, and though l streamed witt
blood and almost lost consciousness still
held OF, while the girls screams ran,
dimly through my ears. Suddenly tn