The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-02
filled tho last one and Mrs. Van Spoof's
voice seemed to be choked By u kind Of
"'Tten they can be started off at once.

filled tho last one and Mrs. Van Spoons
voice seemed to be choked by u kind of
sob.
"'Tlen they can be started off at once,
pussy said MIR. Van Spool.
II head no more; / believe l tainted.
"WAen | cana to myself was brought to
by q tremendous CONCLUSIONS; | heard the
noise o! vehicles and the hum of voices. We
were evidently in the street. dared not
utter q sound for Cynthia's sake. We were
soon in rapid motion over the smooth
asphalt. The position was q terrible one. |
| couldn't turn, but l could breathe-thank
heaven, l could breathe. l would go through
with my terrible adventure for Cynthia's
sake. What if | we're to die of sutfocstion?
breadth! thought. But her secret-Cynthia's
would be safe. She would release
me at the fist opportunity. She
evidently had had some %p!an-trust q
woman's ingenuity for that-but she
had not had time to communicate it. But
my maditations were interrupted. and
my living tomb were suddenly, violently
flung upon Some hard substance. If it had
not been for nv hat my skull must have
been fractured: as it was. l felt as If every
zone in my body was dialocated. But l
uttered no sound-Do cry escaped me, for
folt thet, perhaps, the ewes OF Cynthia were
upon the ttunk. and a gioan might be-
tray rs.
"We-the trunk and l-were banged
about horribly for the next tive minutes.
Then somebody kicked us. q voice shouted
'Grande %vitesss, Charing Cross. enreglstre,'
and then my sutferings recommended. But
| bore it. sir-l bore it for Cynthia's SAX
II saw it all; she was clipping to England
with me, and for a moment l pltled the
poo deluaed American hubbard, Van Spool.
I'VE were placed IN the van; the train
started. After what appeared like years of
agony, though it was only a little over four
hours, We wate dragged forth. | was one
vast ache, but my heart beat with happi-
mesa, for now, surely now, Cynthia would
release me. My position was terrible; in
total darkness, my knees in my mouth, IN
able to change my attitude, parched with
thirst and want of Dir, it was worse than
the miners III the coal NINE, worse than the
Little Ease; but hope, the hopo Of my re-
ward, sustained me. And then | heard a
voice-an honest, hearty English voice:
Look out below
Then we-the trunk and flew through
the air as if shot from a crossbow. There
was an awful crash and | lost conscious
ness. They had shot Us. with the rest of
the heavy luggage, down the steep shoot to
the steamers deck-n railway collision is a
joke to 1t.
They put the heavy luggage forward.
Yon feel the motion of the snip most there.
| am a bad sailor, Pumper. | always have
q private cabin when crossing the channel.
/ Hau one now. i GraW u EGll-yOu can
fancy the rest. But | bore it all. en-,
durei torrents in the van from Folkestone
from want of air; we. being big. were
Under.nost in tho huge pile of luggage in
the van.
When We got to Chnring Cross at last
the customs oticials opened my prison. !
learned uftcrward that there was n label
directing that the trunk Was to be opened
ana examined Immediately on arriving n!
ChaTlng Gross. The label. Sir, vas in the
handwriting Of the tand Van Spool. Had
Cynthia bet. ayed me?
They dragged me out, Gir, more dead
than alive, and l WAS at once given in
charge for attempting to defraud the rail-
way company by travelling as passengers
luggage.
Il dared not tell the story. gave a false
name. | was fined IS the noxt duy and
pRssed the night III the police cell. The
maRlBtrata SAID TINT he no ed it would be Q
warning to Inc.
ut Will be, Funper. Never-aever while
| l!7e-wlIl again pay my uddres8es to 4
married lady. But | wonder whether Gym.
thla-l mean M;s. Van SUoof-did what sh,
conld unter compulslon? Iwcnder?'
L shook hands with Capt. Lov.lace and
sympathlzeG, aud then l bade him good.
night.
Hos married now, poor fellow, 30 | tel
the stojy.-C. j. Wills.