The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-09-30

AT Brussels Brown lodged the dark.
faced man.
Never within the whole course Of his
experience in foreign ports had Brown
passed q more wretched night; the
morning found his nerves in sad
state. He, who had never before known
himself the possessor of nerves The
fdgety man who made fussy arrange
ments about starting by the first train
for Lucerhe, and whose eyes had way
of casting furtive-not to say apprehen-
sive-glancos around, was strangely TN
like the self-satished, phlegmatic Briton
who had arrived the evening before at
the Three Kings.
Tho success of his man9uvre in leav-
ing Brussels made him repeat it, and, be-
sides, he was In perfect fever to get to
the end of his journey, and rid himself
of the charge OF the diamond. His
spirits rose considerably as the hour of
tho trans departure drew near without
any appearance of the tshadower" in
the station. Brown remained on the
platform until the last moment, then,
with fervent sigh of relief, he entered
the railway carriage. The train was
just moving off when tho door was sud-
denly opened, breathless porter dashed
In handbag and parcel OF rugs, fol-
lowed by still more breathless traveller.
The door was shut, the engine shrieked
the last departing signal, the train
moved from Bale station. In one cor.
ner sat Brown; in another-the farthest
on the opposite side-sat the man with
the black whiskersl
The position in which Brown now
found himself might well have appalled,
the bravest. He was alone in railway
carriage, with scoundrel who had fol-
lowed him from London. Brown had
utterly abandoned surmise since last
night and accepted each idea as an abso-
lutte certainty. The object In this scoun-
drel's viow was the capture of the valua-
BILE diamond, which was at that very
moment on Browns person. A long
journey lay before them, and Brown was
unarmed. At this review of the sltua-
tion his heart sank; he drew back in
stinctively into the corner. His eyes
suddenly met those of the other man; a
deep flush suffused his face, which
seemed to find reflection in the others
Brown hastily took up Baedeker and
affected to read; the man opposite stimuli
taneously did the same. A transparent
unreality on both sides. Browns fur
tive glances invariably caught-quickly
withdrawn though they were-those of
the other man levelled on him. While
this went on, the slightest change of posi-
ton, the least movement in the oppo-
site corner, made Brown start. Might
it not herald the approach of danger2 A
spring, a rush, the attack
The tension was terrible; to remain
inactive almost impossible. Brown had
an inspiration, as man in extremity
sometimes has. Though he was not
armed, he would pretend to be. That
might do something; produce hesitation,
or delay, at least. Accordingly, he de-
liberately assumed bold, even threaten
ing demeanor. Casting a truculent
glance across the carriage, he plunged
his hand into his pocket, affecting to
grasp an imaginary revolver. To his
intense delight the ruse took immediate
effect. The man opposite gave an un-
mistakable start, and shrank back into
his corner. So far, so good. But how
10 keep up the pretence2 What to do
nexta At this crisis the whistling of the
engine suddenly distracted Brown.
Good heavensl He had forgotten the
long tunnell They were coming to it
nowl His eyes, with quick, involun-
tary movement, sought the lamp. 1t was
not lighted
Entrappedl Doomed The widest
thoughts rushed confusedly TO his brain.
With shrek the train plunged noisily
into the tunnel, into darkness. The din
and rattle outside contrasted sharply
with the silence within the carriage.
Crouched in his corner, Brown, his hear
ing sharpened to agonizing acuteness,
listened for a stir, rustic, the sound of
human breathing drawing nearer to him.
Every moment fancy detected step, q
stealthy, cat like movement. His imagi-
nation. after the neglect of lifetime,
was now taking ample revenge. Un-
controlled aud uncomfortable were its
wild flights. Every railway murder of
which he had ever heard flashed upon
him with all the ghastly 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 himself as the victim; his,
the body Absolute panic seized upon
him; hardly knowing what he was do
ing, he tried softly to open the door. 1t
was locked, however. His movements
must have been heard, there was stir
at the other end of the carriage. The
fatal moment had come, the assassin was
& lvancing to the attack. In the extrem.
ity of his terror Brown sank swiftly on
the floor and crawled under the seat.
For what length of time he crouched
there, half stiaed, scarcely daring to
breathe, Brown knew not. Agony can
not measure time. A sudden and ex-
traordinary rush of air made his heart
first stand still, and then sent the blood
coursing wildly through his veins. The
far door was swinging openl Some thing
had happened And whatl
His straining ears detected no SCUM
but the outside rattle and roar of the
train through the tunnel within all was
silence. He remained listening in in
tense excitement and amazement until
the hope which had hardly dared to stir
in his breast grew into vigorous life.
He was alone in the carriagel He was
saved! Deliverance had come miracul-
ously-Why and how he knew mott