The sun., 1891-11-08

return that II was pretty brisk day to be
knocking round much In . stone quarry.
Northwick smiled In saying. It was. rather"
He watched the conductor to see II no should
betray any particular interest in the matter
whom he left him. but the conductor went on
punching the passengers tickets, and seemed
to forget Northwick as soon as he left him. At
the next station North wick followed him out
on the platform to hnd II he sent any telegram
OF. When ho had once given way to this
anxiety. which he knew to be perfectly stupid
and futile. he had to yield to It at every station
He took his bag with him each time he left
tho car. and he meant not to 60 back II
he saw tho conductor telegraphing. 1t
was intensely cold. and. In spite Of the
fierce heat Of the stove at the end Of the car.
the frost gathered thickly on the Windows
The train creaked. when It stopped and started.
as II II were orunchinR along on . bod OF dry
snow: the noises Of tho wheels seemed at
times to lose their rhythmical cadence. and
then Northwick held his breath for fear one Of
them might be broken. He had dread OF
accidents such as he had never felt before: his
life had never seemed 20 valuable to him as
now: he reflected that It was 80 because It was
to be devoted now to retrieving the past In
new field under new conditions. His life In
this view. was not his own: It was Q precious
trust which no held for others. first for
his children. and then for those whom he
was finally to save from loss BY the
miscarriage Of his enterprises. He justified
himself anew In what he was intending: 1t
presented itself as . piece Of self-sacrifce.
sacred duty which he was bound TO fulhl
All the time he knew that he was defaulter
who had used tho money In his charge. and
~Skh AhA "A . . Ao n n
fact, and that he was now absconding. and was
carrying OF large sum Of money that was not
morally his. At ono Of the stations whore he
got out to SEQ whether the conductor was tele-
graphing. he noticed tho conductor eyeing his
bag curiously: and he knew that he believed
thore was money In It Northwick felt q thrill
Of gratfed cunning In realizing how mistaken
the conductor was: but he was willing the fell
low should think he was carrying up money to
pay of his quarry hands.
He was impatient to reach the Junction.
where this conductor would leave the train.
and It would continue northward in tho charge
Of another man: he seldom went beyond Will
loughby on that road. and tho new conductor
would hardly know him He meant to 60 on
to Blackbrook Junction and take the New Eng
land Central there for Montreal: but he saw
the conductor 60 to the telegraph oflce at
willouehby Junction. and It suddenly occurred
to him that he must not 60 to Montreal BY
route so direct that any absconding defaulter
would bo expected to take It. He had not the
least proof that the conductors despatch had
anything to do with him: but he could not help
acting as II 1t had He said good day to the
conductor as he passed him. and he went out OF
the station. with his bag. as II he were going up
into tho town. He watched till he saw the CON-
ductor 60 OF in another direction. and then he
came back and got aboard the train Just as 1t
was drawing out OF the station. He knew that
he was not shadowed In any way. but his con-
sciousness Of stealth was such that he felt as
If he were followed. and that no must act 80 as
to baiie and mislead pursuit.
At Blackbrook. where the train stopped for
dinner. he was aware that no ono knew him.
and he ate hunerily; he felt strengthened and
encouraged. and no began to react against the
terror that had possessed him. He perceived
that It was senseless and ridiculous: that the
conductor could not possibly have been tele-
graphing about him from Willoughby. and
there was as yet no suspicion abroad concern
ing him: no might 60 freely anywhere. by any
road it
But he had now let the New England Central
train leave without him. and It only remained
for him to push On TO Wellwater. whero he
hoped to connect with the Boston train for
Montreal. on the Union and Dominion road.
He remembered that this train divided at
wellwster. and certain cars ran direct to Que.
bee. up through Sherbrooke and Lennoxvtlle.
HN meant to 60 from Montreal to Quebec. but
now he questioned whether he had better not
70 straight ON from Wellwater: when he re-
called the long sll-night ride without sleeper.
which he had once made ON that route many
summers before. he said to himself that In his
shaken condition he must not run the risk Of
such hardship. II he were to get sick from
II, or die, It would be as bad as railroad ac-
oident Tho word now made him think Of
what Hilary had said: Hilary who had
called him O. thief He would show Hilary
whether he was thief or not give him time:
he would make him eat his words. and he
figured Hilary retracting and apologizing In
the presence Of the whole Board; Hilary apollo
gized handsomely. and Northwlck forgavo
him. while It was also passing through his
mind that he must reduce the risks OF railroad
accident to . minimum by shortening the
time. They reduced the risk Of ocean travel
In that way. by reducing the time and. logic
ally. the fastest ship was the safest II he
could get to Montreal from Wellwater In four
or Ave hours. when 1t would take him twelve
hours to get to Quebec. 1t was certainly his
duty to 60 to Montreal First Of all. he must
put himself out Of danger OF every kind. He
must not even fatigue himself too much; and
no decided to telegraph on TO Wellwater and
secure q seat In the Pullman car to Montreal.
He had been travelling all day in the ordinary
car. and he had found 1t very rough.
II suddenly occurred to him that he must
now assume false name; and he reflected
that he must take one that sounded like his
own. or else he would not answer promptly
and naturally TO It He chose Warwick. and he
kept saying II over TO himself while he wrote
his despatch to tho station master at Well
water. asking him to secure chair In the Pull
man. He was pleased with the choice no had
made; It seemed like his own name when
spoken. and yet very unlike whom written.
But while he congratulated himself on his