The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-11-27

OF the trains departure drew near
without any appearance of the ''shad-
over" in the station. Brown re-
manned on tile platform until the last
moments then. with a fervent sigh of
relief, he entered the railway carriage.
The train Was just moving OF when
the door was suddenly opened and q
breathless porter dHshed in q hand
bag and parcel of rugs, followed by a
still more brenthless Traveller. The
door was shut, the engire shrieked the
last departing signal and the train
moved from Bale station. In one
corner OF the carriage sat Brown; in
anOther-the farthest of the oppO-
site side-sat the man with the black
Whiskersl
How Of. Yin fancy-we place our
selves in heroic situations. and there
in fancy-act with invariable hero
ism. 1t is quite different, however,
when the heroic situation Is a reality.
Our consequent astions are liable to
be quite different, too. The position
in which Brown found himself might
we'll have appalled, the bravest. lie
was alone in a railway carriage with
n scOundrel who had followed him
from London. Brown had utterly
abandoned surmise since last night
and accepted each idea as an absolute
Certainty-the object OF this sCOun-
drel's view was the capture of the val
liable -dihmond which was at that
very moment on b owns person. A
| long journey lay before them and
| Brown was unarmed. At this review
OF the situation his heart sank; he
| drew back instinctively into the corn
| er. His eyes suddenly met those of
the other man; deep flush sutfuSed
| his face, which seemed to find reiiec-
| ton in the others. Brown hastily
| took up Daedeker and affected to
read; the man opposite simultaneous
| ~ did the samoa Transparent un-
/ reality on both sides. Browns fura-
tive glances invariably cnught-quick
! ~ withdrawn though they were-thO~e
| OF the other man leveiled on him
! While this went on the slightest change
| of position, the least movement in the
| opposite corner made Brown st..rt.
| Might it not herald the approach of
| danger? 4 spring, n rush. the attack?
The tension was terrible to remain
! lnactiye-alnlOst impossible. Brown
had an inspiration, as man In ex-
| tremIty sometimes does. Though he
was not armed he would pretend to
| be. That might do something-pro-
| duce hesitation or delay, at least.
| Accordingly he deliberately assumed
a bold, even threatening demeanor.
Casting. n truculent glance across the
carriage, he plunged his hand into his
! pocket, affecting TO grab an imaginary
revolver. To his intense delight the
ruse took immediate effect. The man
opposite gave an unmistakable start
and shrank bHck into his corner. So
far 30 good. But how TO keep up the
pretenseH What to do next? At this
crisis the whistling Of the engine sud
| denly distracted Brown. Good
hsavSpsi He had forgotten the long
! tunnel They were coming to it nowl
His eyes, with a quick, involuntary
movement. sought the lamp. 1t was
not liehtedI
Entrappedl Doomed The widest
| thoughts I'll he'd confusedly to his
brain. With a shrek the train
| plunged uoisily into the tunnel of
darkness. The din and rattle outsids
contrasted sharply with the silence
within the carriage. CrouChed in his
corner, Brown. his hearing sharpened
| to agonizing acuteness, listened for
stir a rustic, the sound OF human
| breathing near to him. Every mo-
nIent fancy detected q step-a stealthy,
| catlike movement His imagination,
after the neglect of lifetime. was now
taking ample revenge. Uncontrolled
and uncomfortable were it's wild
! flights. Every railway murder of
| which he Ind ever heard flashed upon
| him with all the chastity details. The
spring upon the victim, the struggle,
the death stroke, the body thrown
out on the rails. How idly he had
read of these things happening to
other menl But now to realize him
self rs the victim, his body! Absolute
| panic seized upon him; hardly know
ing what he was doing he tried softly
to open the door. 1t was locked,
however. His movements must have
been heard, there WAS a stir at the
other end of the carriage. The fatal
moments had come; the assassin was
advancing to the attack. In the ex-
tremity of his terror Brown sank
swiftly on the floor and crawled under
q seat,
For what length of time hecrouched
there, half stiHed, scarcely daring to
breathe, Brown knew not. Agony can
not measure time. A sudden and
extraordinary rush of air made his
heart at first stand still, and then
sent the blood coursing wildly through
his veins. The far door was swinging
openl Something had happened. And
WHAT
His straIning ears detected no sound
but the outside roar and rattle of the
train through the tunnel; within all
was silence. He remained listening IN
intense excitement and amazement
until the hopa which had hardly
dared to STIR in his breast grew into
vigorous life He was alone in the
carriage! He was saved! Deliverence
had come miraculously-why and how
! he knew not.
The tunnel was coming TO an end;
light began to stream int the carriage.
! Cautiously and slowly Brown peeped