Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-06-12

noise of escaping steam had ceased, but
the groans of the wounded and dying
passengers could still be heard intermit-
tently. A figure approached him carry
ing a lantern. 1t was one of the brake
men.
"Are you hurt, sir?" he said, pausing.
"Only few bruises" replied keppel.
"But believe most of the others in our
car were killed. And, by the way, there
was one odd thing
"What was that, sir?'
"Why, there was prisoner aboard
he was handcuffed to an officer-they
were taking him to Sing Sing, l suppose"
"Why, that was the fellow that killed
Harry Trent! What became of him?"
II was sitting in the seat next him.
He's lying there stone dead, and the de-
tective's with him. His life imprison-
ment didn't last long"
Dead, is her" said the brakeman.
"Well, if was he, I'd rather be killed
in a moment in railway accident than
live fifty years in a prison. Some said,
though, that he never murdered Trent.
But l guess he got his deserts"
"No doubt of it. Well, good night.
shall walk on to Tarrytown."
"Good night, sir"
Keppel stepped of up the track. He
had no settled plan of flight, but so long
as he did not meet any one who knew
him he felt little or no apprehension. In
the belief of the world, tomorrow morn
ing he would be dead; his obituary would
be read in the papers by millions of peo-
pie. Nevertheless, it behooved him TO
keep out of sight, and as soon as might
be, to make whatever changes We're pos
sible in his personal appearance. He
would cut his hair-he might be able to
bleach it, perhaps-he would let his beurd
grow. He must move ont of the country
too; if ne could contrive to get to Europe
so much the better. He must take an
other name, and look forward to u life
under totally changed conditions. A
new life, a lonely life. Henceforth all
his old friends and acquaintance were
his deadliest enemies. All but one. Olym-
pia had said that she believed in him,
that she loved him and would marry
none but him. Aye, but she, with the
rest of the world, would now think of
him as dead. Death obliterates al things
memory and love and the rest. But
what if he should send her a secret mes
sage or sign informing her of his safety:
He paused in his walk to reflect. No, it
would not do, as the message might mis-
carryl and, If not, what avail to write to
her? She could not come to him. They
could not get married and 20 off togeth-
W ~ hn oil ia
give her happiness for a moment, but in
the long run it could only make her mis-
cradle. Moreover, money would be in
dispensable, and where was it to come
from? He might still paint pictures, it
was true, but it would not be safe to do
SO in this country; and as to Europe
1t was better to select some other pro-
fessiOn. Yet what profession could bring
the immediate returns that were neces-
sary2 Robbery was the only one, and
there were objections to that! How was
he to procure the means Of buying his
next meal2
A sudden thought caused him to
search the pockets of his coat and waist
coat-the garments which he had taken
from the dead man.
There were papers and letters, and in
the right hand pocket of the waistcoat
there was a small roll of bills-fOur or
five in all. 1t was too dark TO discern
the denominations, but there could not
| be less than five dollars. 1t was enough
! for the present; and indeed keppel
who still had some traditions Of con-
science left, was glad it was not more.
Nobody could feel the loss of so small a
sum, and it was Of disproportionate value
to keppel himself.
He now lefs the track and turned off
to the eastward The rain gradually
! cleared and the stars came out. Guid-
ing himself by them, Keppel walked on
and on, now clambering over steep &C.
clivities, now plunging into hollows
now toiling over plowed meadows, fore
! ing his way through bits of woodland,
stealing past farm houses, where dogs
/ parked and cocks crowed, but occasion
/ ally coming upon stretch Of road that
! went his way. Presently the short night
Wore away and dawn began to appear,
keppel halted and spent half an hour in
removing the stains of mud from his
] C4Oluln5 ana making himself lpot us pre-
sentable as possible. His left arm panied
him severely, but he thought himself
lucky in having no bones broken. In
one of his new pockets he found pen
knife, and with this, as well as he could
he cut bis hair sho.t In couple OF
weeks his beard would have begun u
grow, and he would be toierably dis
guised.
He now proceeded slowly, for he was
very tired, and also sleepy and hungry
He had walked moro than twenty miles
AT length, as the sun rose, he saw, hal
mile of, a railway cutting extending
toward a small town. Thither hC
directed his steps, but fingered on thu
outskirts for an hour or two until tn,
townspeople should be awake. Finally
he heard train coming, and managed
to reach the station at the same tim,
that the engine drew up at the platform
Then, as it steamed away again, h,
walked into the town, as if just arrived
from New York, and seeing plain bu
comfortable looking inn near at hand
1, ,.gl.