Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-01-16

SUES ne Was III u perfect lever TO get
TO the end OF his Journey and rid him
self OF the charge OF the diamond. His
spirits rose considerably as the hour
OF the trains departure drew near
without any appearance OF the "shad-
over" IN the station. Brown re-
manned on the platform until the last
moment; then, with a fervent sigh of
relief, he entered the railway carriage.
The train was just moving OIL when
the door was suddenly opened and q
breathless porter dashed in hand.
bag AND parcel OF rugs, followed by
still more breathless traveller. The
door was shut, the engine 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
whiskers!
How often-in 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 Il reality
Our consequent actions are liable to
be quite different, too. The position
we'll have appalled, the bravest. He
was alone IN a railway carriage with
a scoundrel who had followed him
from London. Brown had utterly
abandoned surmise since last night
and accepted each idea as an absolute
certalnty-the object OF this scoun-
drel view was the capture OF the val,
liable 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 situation his heart sank; he
drew back instinctively into the corn
er. His eyes suddenly met those OF
the other man. deep flush suffused
his face, which seemed to find retlec-
ton IN the others. Brown hastily
took up Baedeker and affected to
read; the man opposite simultaneous
| " Gid the samoa transparent un-
reality on both sides. Browns fura-
tive glances invariably caught-guick-
" withdrawn though they were-thOse
OF the other man leyelled on him
While this went on the slightest change
OF position, the least movement in the
1 opposite corner made Brown start.
Might 1t not herald the approach OF
1 danger? \ spring, a rash, the attack
The tension was terrible TO remain
! lnactlye-almost impossible Brown
had an inspiration, as a man in ex-
| tremlty sometimes does. Though he
/ was not armed he would pretend o
1 be- That might do something-pr
| duce hesitation or delay, at least.
\ Accordingly he deliberately assumed
Z . 4
/ Casting truculent glance across the
I carriage, he plunged his hand into his
/ pocket, affecting to grab an imaginary
revolver. To his intense delight the
I ruse took Immediate effect The man
/ opposite gave an uumlsuakable start
/ and shrank back into his corner. so
i lar 80 good. But how to keep up the
/ pretense3 What to do next At this
4 crisis the whistling 81 the engine sud.
denly distracted Brown. Good
heavens He had forgotten the long
tunnel. They were coming TO it now!
His eyes, with quick involuntary
movement, sought the lamp It was
not lighted,
EntrapEed, Doomed, The widest
thoughts rushed coniusedy to his
brain. With shrek the train
/ plunged noisily into the tunnel OF
darkness. The din and rattle outside
contrastee sharply with the silence
within the carriage. Crouched in his
corner, Brown, his hearing Iharpened
| to agoniZlng acuteHess, listened for a
stir a rustic, the sound OF human
breathing near 70 him. Every mo-
ment fancy detected a 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 had 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 men. But now to realize him
self as the victim, his body! Absolute
panic seized upon HIM hardly know
ing what he was doing he tried softly
to open the door. It was locked
however. His movements must have
been heard, there was q 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
a seat.
For what length Of time hecrouched
there, half stiiled scarcely daring to
breathe, Brown knewnot Agony can
not measure time. A sudden and
extraordinary rush Of air made his
heart au first stand still, and then
sent the blood coursing wildly through
his veins. The far door was swinging
open! Something had happened. And
what?
His stralning ears detected no sound
but the outside roar ana rattle Of the
train through the tunnel; within oil
was silence. lie remained listening In
intense excitement and amazement
until the hope which had hardly
dared to STIR in his breast grew into
| vigorous life ITp ,vug ulonn in fbn