Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-11-02
THIEF OR MANIAC.

"Ilere is an empty compartment. Look
sharp, Man, lump inr' said my brother
as he hurried me into an empty first class
carriage of the express from Ipswich 20
London.
With a sigh Of relief at having caught
the train so spendidly, leaned back in
corner, rejoicing that had the carriage To
myself.
Hardly had l done so when, to my dis.
may, the guard opened the door, and a
young man, breathless and painting rushed
In, fiinging himself in an exhausted man.
ner on the seat opposite me- The door was
locked. and the train was off before could
collect my scattered senses.
then perceived a small black Gladstone
bag on the rack, which had not noticed
before, aud which Of course belonged To this
gentleman, who had evidently been the first
occupant Of the carriage.
"How very annoyingp' thought. Two
long hours TO be spent In the company Of
strange person and no means of escape"
Here / began to feel nervous and glanced
furtively at my vis-a-vis.
He had changed his silk hat for gray
1t, and was leaning back in his corner as il
he meant TO 90 To sleep.
In few minutes he caught my eye as
was looking at him and knitted his brows
as IL annoyed.
He certainly was forbidding looking, and
I instantly looked away and began to read
my paper, but the words swan before my
eyes as / tried TO concentrate my mind on
It's pages.
then began TO feel cramped in my posi-.
lion and moved to a more comfortable one.
Was IL by accident or design that my COM
panion moved too'
l could neither read nor close my eyes,
and could only stare in fascinated manner
at the small black Gladstone bag opposite.
Suddenly my companion, noticing low
fxedly | was regarding IL, took it down
from the rack, and, opening il, turned every
thing in IL over in such a hurried manner
that began TO feel quite alarmed.
At last he f. "a what he wanted, a small
packet Of documents, which he carefully
placed in the inner pocket Of his coat, after
which he leaned back again, and / hoped
he would fall asleep.
He would nod for five seconds OF so and
then wake with a start, feel tn his pocket
or the packet, and then, catching my eye,
would cough In an embarrassed manner
and hold his hand out before him, blowing
along it as II blowing off al imaginary fly.
After this had happened two or three
times began TO feel dreadfully frightened,
and the fearful thought, What IL he be a
maniacf flashed through my mind.
| felt that was rapidly going mad my
self, when sharp whistles made US both
jump.
My companion pushed down the window.
and looking out exclaimed; "There is a
train exactly in front Of usl'
Hardly had he said so than our own train
came to a stop, whereupon the maniac pro-
duced railway key from his pocket, re-
marking, II always carry one Of these"
and calmly unlocked the door, opened II,
and balancing himself on one foot looked
out.
Here was my opportunity. Getting up
suddenly pushed by him, as IL to get out
OF the carriage, causing him TO lose his bal
ance and fall onto the line.
Hardly knowing what l was doing. l
pulled the door to as felt the train mov-
ing on again, and then must have tainted
away, for l remember nothing more until
the cool evening air blowing through the
open window revived me.
Where was my late companioni My ycon-
science began To prick me. Had / killed
himi Perhaps passing train had run over
him AS he lay on the rails. stunned by his
fall, and seemed TO see his mangled corpse
on the line.
l was going TO nurse a sick brother, or
rather help to nurse him, as Maud Somers,
his tancee, spent as much time as she
could by his couch. He had broken his leg
a short time previously, and was therefore
unable as yet To move about alone.
On my arriving at Jacks house more
dead than alive ! found Maud presiding
over the tea table in his study and Jack
himself lying on the sofa. They both well
coined me with open arms, and was de-
lighted to find how much better Jack was
than had expected.
What a pity" said Maud. that we did
not know earlier by what train you intend
ed to come, rs my brother arrives this even
ing by the very same one. and | must hurry
home now, as he will be there, of course"
After she had gone Jack told rue that he
had deputed her brother TO fetch some inn
portant papers for him, as he could not go
himself
More than once during the evening
made up my mind to tell Jack about my
adventure, but was afraid Of upsetting him
in his weak state of health.
passed wretched night Visions Of
mangled corpses were constantly before
me, and | was thankful when the day
dawped