The Wahpeton times., 1890-01-16

door opened and ayoung lady came
hesitatingly forward. You know
what helpless creatures women are on
their feet In a bouncing, swaying
railway car. and this young beauty
was no exception. She tottered and
would have fallen, but I put out my
arm and caught her, at the same time
Offering her the unoccupied seat at my
side.
She biushed rosily, thanked me in
the sweetest voice I had ever heard,
and sank down on the cushions, cover.
ing my knees with pillows of rufling
and fringing, making me feel-well,
not many removes from the gates of
paradise.
A lovelier face I had never seen.
The skin was clear and fair; the mouth
sweet, sensitive, and little sad; the
eyes dark and melting, and the beauti-
ful dark brown hair, which hung ov er
her shoulders in the prevailing style,
was soft as floss silk and rippled like
the bosom Of a meadow brook when it
flows over a bed of pebbles.
But so lost was in contemplating
the charms of this fair creature that
suddenly remembered was not look
ing sharp" as Cathcart had ordered
me, and turned to regard my unsus-
pecting Jorlette.
Ii criminal he was o very self-pos-
sessed one. He had finished his pie
and was picking his teeth with quill
and furtively . regarding his boots,
which, by a peculiar tightness and
stiffness of look, I judged were new
ones. Occasionally he felt of them, as
If perhaps his corns were pinched. and
once was sure he muttered something
like an oath as he rubbed his long.
white fingers over the locality OF his
great toe.
There was nothing to be done with
him until we reached Liverpool, un-
less he attempted to leave the train, so
1 might as we'll cultivate the acquaint-
ance of my pretty little seat-mate.
She was somewhat shy, but after
awhile I managed to overcome my re-
serve, and we chatted pleasantly like
old friends.
She had not been much from home,
and was a little timid about travelling
alone. She started nervously every
time the car gave a lurch, and deem
ed 1t my duty to put my arm around
the back of the seat to calm her fears.
She had such horror of railway
accidents, she said, after her Aunt
Jane had predicted, before she left,
that something dreadful was going to
happen to her; and then she lifted her
large. melting eyes to my face, and I
drew the arm down from the seat and
let it rest on her shoulder. Men are
the natural protectors of women, you
know.
We talked on various subjects. My
sweet companion was very we'll inform
ed and her language was simple and
we'll chosen. Before I was hardly
aware of it l had told her that was a
detective, and that was making this
journey expressly to help capture Jor-
lette-that notorious Jorlette.
She shuddcred and drew little near
er to me.
'Dear mer' she said nervously, sit
must be dangerous business. This
Jorlette, have heard, is desperate
character. Pray, oh, do pray be care
full"
And she dropped her voice so near
to whisper and threw so much ex-
preston into her beautiful eyes that
could not resist tenderly pressing the
white hand SO nea r my own and whis-
pered, am afraid, som ething that
would look absurd on paper.
That was very delightful trip to
me and think it must have been not
unpleasant to the young lady, for her
cheeks were red and her eyes bright as
we approached the terminus. She was
going to her sister, who lived two or
three miles inland from Liverpool, so
she had to leave me before my journey
was ended.
The train only halted for moment,
but l managed to press q warm kiss
on her lips and to beg her to give me
her address that might call on her.
She smiled archly up into my face.
II will drop you line within a
week, Mr.. Dayton" she said sweetly.
"Let me see-your first name is -"
"Alphonse. No. 341 T. street,
Liverpool, for the next ten days.
Goodbye, darling!" and kissed her
again, and saw the door close behind
her with dull feeling of pain inside
the left section of my waistcoat.
But resolutely put my pretty un-
known out Ct ~ .y mind and devoted
myself to looking sharp at jorlette,
who nats aa evidently fallen asleep. Talk
about the une asiness of a guilty con-
science, indeed!
At Liverpool Mr. Cathcart stepped
into the car before any one had left It.
He swept his eve over the occuDants