The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-12-01
WAS HE A MURDERER

in public. On one occasion at least this
faculty has led me into serious pre-
dicament.
The incident occurred on one of the
railways between London and west of
England.
AS soon as had conveniently disposed
of my belongings in compartment and
wrapped myself in my rug, proceeded
leisurely to take survey of my fellow
travelers-a young man and girl ap-
parently travelling together.
The style Of the young man did not
please me. He looked "horsy." His
attire was q great deal too ''loud" for
my taste, and on his little finger he wore
diamond ring-most probably sham
diamond. / decided. He was not ugly
but obtrusively big and strong looking,
and saw at once that he was in very
bad temper.
The girl, on the contrary, pleased me
extremely; she was exceedingly pretty,
md she was daintily dressed and ex-
4uisitely refined looking. was struck
by the fact that she seemed to share my
avoided his attempts to catch her eye,
keeping her face carefully averted from
him, and when he spoke to her she an
swered in monosyllables, without look
ing around. / noticed also that her
pretty, childish face bore signs of re-
cent weeping and that now and then
her blue eyes filled with tears. / even
i fancied that she cast plaintive glances
in my direction, as though unconsciously
seeking for help and succor.
With my usual quick sympathy
soon felt deeply interested in the lovely,
innocent looking young creature, who
was apparently in the power of the mo-
rose scoundrel beside her, and l began
to consider what means l should adopt
to make her understand that | compre-
hended her sorrow and desired to help
her. No better idea suggested itself
than to offer her my copy of Punch,
which | did with deferential bow and
a look which fattered myself would
reveal my sentiments toward her.
have always been told that l have a
most expressive countenance.
She declined the paper, but her eyes
met mine with an eloquent look, and
felt that had established an under.
standing between us.
Then brilliant idea occurred to me.
| could not talk to the girl right under
the eyes of the scowling villain beside
her, but if feigned sleep he might be
thrown off his guard and disclose the
situation to me. forthwith gave sew
eral portentous yawns; then leaning
back in my corner | spread handker-
chief over my face so as to conceal my
] features, but not opreyent me from see
ing my companions, and after little
i while commenced to snore.
By and by the ruse seemed successful.
The young man, after several unavailing
attempts to gain the girls attention, took
hold of the tiny gloved hand which had
been lying listlessly i'll her lap, and as
she still continued to look the other way
suddenly bent his head and kissed it.
"How dare you:" she cried, hastily
drawing away her hand, while she
/ turned and faced him. How dare you
ouch me, even when you know-you
know A food of tears made the rest
n Of the sentence inaudible.
4 The man looked at the girl with hall
renorseful, half impatient expression.
Come, Evelyn, he said after pause
crying won't do any good. Forgive
and forget" and he attempted to put his
arm around her waist.
"Forgiving won't bring back to life,
he cried passionately, shaking herself
rec, land as to forgetting, | never
4 never shall. How could you have tn,
hearth He never harmed you!"
NO replied the young man, with al
J unpleasant smile, land he won't hay,
the opportunity now"
You never cared for him." sobbe(
j. the girl; you never had kind wore
tor himln
But l tell you it was in self de
! nense"-
L And | tell you that ! don't believ,
f. It," exclaimed the girl. "He never woulc
have harmed us, and you-you neve
gave him even chance for his life.
t And she hid her face in her hands ant
sobbed convulsivcly.
By this time | was becoming almos
apoplectic from horror There was bu
one Interpretation to DO put upon tn
conversation. Tho man before me-hoy
true had been my first impressions o
= him!-had caused the death of fellow
creature, and the pretty fair haired girl
by her very loathing and repugnancc
was perhaps recklessly risking n simila
fate. My blood curdled at the thought
but by strong effort l repressed IN
feelings and continued to strain my enr
to the utmost and to snore as natural
as was possible with every nerve culver
ing from terror.
Evelyn" said the man, evidently try
I; ing TO be conciliatory, and as he spoke
forcibly drawing the girls hands fror
=, her face Evelyn, surely you and
y need not quarrel about the affair? | as
y. sure you | acted for the best. He woul
II undoubtedly have proved dangerous t
u us both.
ii "Oh, cried Evelyn, looking at hil
with flushed, tear stained face and flasl
ing eyes, "then, if you faneied that wa
=" going to prove dangerous to you, shout
S |, too fail a victim to poison?'
lr As the terrible words passed her liz
IhllE NllHil4t 9hNN u 'lll III NHlSlIt anu vi
rain rushed into a tunnel, the nois
Q "endering reply impossible. woul
,t have given a good deal for glimpse {
he mag face at that moment, but theI
were no lights in the carriages.
When, after n few seconds, whic
|; seemed TO me so many hours, W
/ merged into the sunlight again, pc
4 eiyed with a sigh Of relief that ii
man had seemingly subsided into Ii
80 'urmer state of morose sullemess. Il
loaned back in his scat with his arm
folded and stared absently out of ii
window, taking no further notice of Ii
IL, companion, who gradually ceased CT.
i." ing an1 began tocast furtive glances
e. him, as if apprehcnsive that she ha
%! gone too far.
.l Twenty minutes later we ran into
~ station and the train STONED. Mute