Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-03-31

ffANN VIZ 'ARAF bA NAASfA A%tAN NHS A0 AAtt
alarm? can not tell; but this much
know, that in an instant there flashed
across my mud with overwhelming
force the thought of this escaped wife.
murderer.
Returning NV companions silence sig.
nal with a gesture of acqniescsnce, !
wrote upon the paper:
:" Il is rohably only dog Shall
look under the seat?n
Her answer was short and 10 the point.
No; do not look. 1t was hand.
Here. then, was sufficient dilemma;
but by comparison with what had passed
before between my fellow passenger
and myself, it was dilemma that fell
almost disposed to welcome. The male
sex in my person was about to resume its
rightful position of protector to its
weaker, il would-be independent com.
panion. Sweet was my revenge, aud vet
the revenge scarcely promised to be
wholly pleasurable.
My first action was to remove any sus.
picion that there might be in the mind Of
the mysterious third occupant Of our car.
riage, through the presumably accidental
action of having touched the lady's
dress. Giving vent TO an audible yawn,
although / had just awakened from sleep
! remarked in tone d! cool importi-
nence,-
You really must excuse me for ad.
dressing you again, madam; but will YOU
permit me to smoke to enliven this
tedious journey"
As spoke | accompanied my words
with meaning glance, and was favored
with the reply
Certainly, if you wish it; cannot
prevent you. +"
Thereupon l produced my pipe and
tobacco pouch and proceeded slowly to
till the former rs | thought out plan OF
action. On reference to my watch saw
that the train would stop in ten minutes.
Clearly the only thing to do was to wait
till we reached Blackeley and there get
assistance to find out who our unknown
travelling companion might be.
The longer pondered over the problem
the more curious for its solution did be.
come. and then, needless of the warning
| had received, | struck a match aud i'm.
tentionally dropped it. STOPPING with
muttered malediction to pick it up. !
cast searching glance nnder the oppo-
site seat. and my blood ran cold as the
faint gleam of the taper revealed the
back of the mans hand with the mark
of the tattooed arrow upon it. Chippy
Watson, then, was our companion-ad des.
perate man!
BY mighty effort l controlled my
voice sufficiently to say:
"Excuse me reaching across you,
madam, but that was my last match, aud
could not afford to let IL go out
The girl, into whose white cheeks the
color showed no signs Of returning, MUIR
INJURED some unintelligible reply, aud foI
few moments we sat in silence.
Again glanced at my watch. Thank
Heaven in five minutes we should be in
Blackeley, and the awful ride would be
at an end Scarcely had the thought
formulated itself when the girl opposite
me sprang up, trembling like leaf, and
shrieked:
+Oh, dearl that hand has touched my
foot again!"
The moment the words left her lips ]
heard sudden movement under the seat,
and quicker than thought afigure appeared
upon the floor. Ia that moment flung
myself upon the ruffian and clutched his
throat with the energy of despair, know
ing that should he once gain his feet il
was all over with me, the lighter and
weaker man.
Can ever forget the horror Of ut
Eve minutes ride? The whole compart.
ment seemed to be falling upon me.
Teeth, nails, feet, all were attacking me
at once; but through all kept my grip
upon the murderer's throat, and though
| almost lost consciousness still held on,
while the girls screams rang dimly
through my ears. Suddenly the train
stopped, the struggle ceased, and /
tainted across the body of my captive.
When / recovered consciousness l
found myself lying upon a table in the
Blackeley station with sympathetic
crowd around me, and, best of all. saw
a face bending tenderly over me-the
face of the girl of my dream and my dis
comfture. After making two or three
euOFLS IndudReu 10 Say
Where is Watson?"
sVery nigh dead, " replied a ruddy-
faced farmer who stood beside me.
You almost strangIed the life out of his
ugly body; he was black in the face
when they lifted you off him"
"Do you know that he is an escaped
wife-murderer 2" | asked.
"Yes, we know, replied my honest
friend, the Burtown police telegraphed
after the train to have it searched, be.
cause man answering to his description
had been seen in the station before it
left. The police have him safe, my lad,
this time. Why, saw him hand-cuffed
and his arms tied behind him, and he
lying half dead the while, after tho
throttling you gave him.
Do my readers want to hear the rest of
my story, now that the catastrophe is
toldS / will inform them that Watson,
on breaking loose from the police, after
turning the corner Of Shut Lane-where,
it will be remembered, be disappeared
contrived by an almost incredible effort
to scale high wall, and so gain the shell
ter of railroad embankment. Along
this lie crept until he reached the mid
town tunnel, where he had lurked all
day, and late at night hid In the carriage
Of the midnight mail, with the result be.
fore mentioned.
There is one more incident to be told
Ia relation to that lOurney: il is this: