Sharp County record., 1890-01-09


the station.
The train stopped ten minutes for re-
freshments, and taking the guard, who
was an old friend of mine, sufficiently
into my confidence, | was given an OPP
portunity of looking through the car
riages previous to the starting OF the
train.
1t was a full train, but, singularly
enough, there was not a red-headed
man on board of it, Jorlette was red
headed, and aside from that circum-
stance he had face which tlattercd
myself could not readily mistake.
As | stood irresolutc and feeling very
much as if | had been fooled, there came
toward me from the dining room an in
| dividual, tall and spare, with slouched
hat, a white cravat,a huge piece ofgame
pie in his hand-and this person had red
hair! And dark oyes
| watched him closely. There was a
certain dogged, skulking look about
him; he would not meet my eyes, and
he walked off to the extreme end OF the
platform by himself and remained there
munching his pie until the last bell rang,
and then he hurried on board with the
air of one who felt that a great deal de-
pended on his getting seat.
was convinced that he was my man,
though he was not altogether like the
photograph. Still, faces and photo
graphs differ a great deal, since to the
picture there is little expression or no
expression; and do not the character
istics of face depend more on color
and expression than a mere outline OF
fcaturh
He entered carriage No. III, and at a
hint the guard put me in the same van.
There were three persons already there
besides my pie-eating friend and my
self An elderly gentleman, who was
reading the Times wrong side up and
nodding blandly over its fascinating
columns; pair of rural lovers, loung-
ing on each others shoulders and dis
cussing peppermint drops together; and
presently we were reinforced by an old
lady in a very prim bonnet with brown
ribbons, and bearing luggage in the
shape of bird-cage, basket with a
cat in it, an umbrella and very large
carpet sack.
Jorlette had produced another section
of pie and was demolishing it vigorous
ly. Seemingly he enjoyed it. Well, |
suppose even a murderer may enjoy eat
ing pie
just as the train began to move the
door opened and a young lady came
hesitatingly forward. You know what
helpless creatures women are on their
feet in bouncing, swaying railway car,
and this young beauty was no exception
She tottered and would have fallen, but
l put out my arm and caught her, at the
same time offering her the unoccupied
seat at my side,
She blushed rOsily, thanked me IN
the sweetest voice had ever heard, and
sank down on the cushions, covering my
knees with billows OF rutfiing and
ffsr.iiAhrrghT1g, ma!Iig ., : II. |fooi wcii-@n not
many removes from ~ gates of para
disc.
A loyelier face had never seen. The
skin was clear and fair; the mouth
sweet, sensitive, and little sad; the
eyes dark and melting, and the beautl-
full dark brown hair, which hung over
her shoulders in the prevailing style,
was soft as floss silk and rippled like the
bosom of meadow brook when it flows
over a bed of pebbles.
But so lost was | in contemplating
the charms of this fair creature that l
suddenly remembered was not 'look-
ing sharp" as Cathcart had ordered me,
and | turned to regard my unsuspecting
Jorlette.
If a criminal he was a very self pos
sessed one. lie had finished his pie and
was picking his teeth with quill and
furtively regarded his boots, which, by
a peculiar lightness and stiffness of
look, | judged were new ones. Occa-
sionally 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, unless
he attempted to leave the train, so /
might as well cultivate the acquaint-
ance of my pretty scat-mate.
She was somewhat shy, but after
awhile oI managed to overcome her
reserve, and we chatted pleasantly like
old friends.
She had not been much from home,
and was little timid about travelling
alone. She started neryously every
time the car gave lurch, and deemed
it my duty to put my arm around the
back of the seat to calm her fears.
She had such horror of railway acci-
dents, she said, after her Aunt Jane had
predicted, before she left, that some
thing dreadful was going to happen to
her: and then she lifted her large, melt
ing eyes to my face, and | drew the arm
down from the seat and let it rest on her
shoulder. Men are the natural pro-
tectors of women, you know.
We talked on various subjects. My
sweet companion was very well-in-
formed and her language was simple
and well chosen. Before | was hardly