Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-01-14
A TERRIBLE RIDE.

may take it for granted that such is the
ease you will perhaps remember noticing
during your progress man who apparent
ly did not know what to do with himself
downcast looking fellow, hanging around
the door 6f public house or gin palace,
with his hands deep in the pockets Of a
pair of greasy corduroys, and his chin hid
den in a gaudy Belcher neckerchief, while
he passed the time by putting dense clouds
Of smoke from a short, black pipe. He did
not trouble you much, however You sim
ply said to yourself, Some poor fellow ont
of work" But you were wrong. He was
Detective Trace.
Whether you are of the town or country,
you have, presume, Travelled by railway,
and have sometimes found your vis-a-vis
an affable, loquacious old gentleman, with
spectacles, who rested his palms on the
handle of a stout stick or umbrella, while
he quietly scrutinized and banded an in
offensive joke with each passenger who en-
tered or left the carriage at the different
stations, and who in spite Of n trouble
some asthmatical cough, so managed to
ingratiate himself with his fellow travel
ers as to almost draw from them the his
tory of their travels for any past period.
Perhaps it has always been your lot to
see this same agreeable old gentleman con-
descend to a sudden fit of seriousness as
he whispered into the ear Of one Of the oc-
cupants who was going to alight. This
might have surprised you, but what fol-
lowed this strange movement gave you a
clew to the mystery. You witnessed an
alteration, followed by the sharp click Of
handouts, and you knew that he was De-
tective Trace
Maybe at times you have had difficulty
in killing a weary hour OF 3d. and have
amused yourself by listening to the cases
at the nearest police court II SO, your eye
has wandered to the witness box as the Of
fcer in charge Of the culprit has entered it.
Whom did you see therei A man who
no longer hoisted false colors, for there was
no further need of disguise; he had thrown
II aside and stood revealed in his true char
acter, wearing the uniform of a sergeant
N the police force as, having kissed the
sasrsd book, he proceeded at once TO tell
"ths truth, the whole truth and nothing
bat the truth, etc, and gave in his name
as Sergeant Trace But, although he has
hng been superannuated and the winter
Of time has somewhat thinDed and silvered
AIS hair, his evidence while he reclines IA
his easy chair shall be ~ true. the fnct
which he asserts shall be as irrefragible AZ
when years ago be kissed the sacred book
IN the court over which the blind goddess
presides.
To begin then, Sergeant Trace and l are
one and the same person.
Many years ago i was instructed to dis
cover the whereabouts of young lady who
was "wanted"-why, it is unnecessary for
me TO tell, but il was in the execution Of
my duty that an incident occurred which
nearly cost me my life.
ly.lN h. afr ffwra IN Rrlf
where 1 made the discovery that she was
just upon the point of returning to Lon
don. This suited me admirably, as l could
delay the disagreeable business Of arrest
till we arrived at the end of the journey
but in order to be upon the safe side l OF
course did not lose sight Of her, and finally
seated myself in the same compartment Of
the train as she herself occupied.
1t was the morning express, and our
com partment contained but three passen-
gers-a gentleman a lady (the object of
my pursuit) and myself. The guard locked
the door, and then commenced the most
terrible journey / ever made in my life.
scanned the features OF the gentleman OPP
posite to whom sat and saw that his eyes
were intently fixed upon me.
The discovery was anything but pleas
ant, for there was a dark, malicious look
in his face that did not relish, 80 quietly
drawing paper from my pocket became
apparently absorbed in its contents, while
from under my lids / kept sharp eye
upon the stranger. When again turned
TO meet his eye was more than ever con
WINGED that he was bent upon mischief
though he had not spoken, for his hand
was clutehing nervously at something in
the breast pocket Of his coat and his gaze
was riveted upon me-
Was il a pistol he had in that pocketf
wondered. Such a thing was not at al
unlikely; and, coupled with the fact thai
the man himself had every appearance o
a maniac my position was anything but
agreeable, for we had a fifty minutes rur
before us without a stoppage.
However, to have let him know my sus
piciops would but have been 10 place my
self at a disadvantage; so, settling mysel
down for nap, so arranged my hat tina
/ could watch his hand without bis know
ing 1t.
No sooner had apparently fallen asleel
than he Jumped from his seat with the evi
dent intention Of springing upon me, bu
quick az he was, / was quicker, and In al
instant had him by the throat and hurle'
him on to his back. Before ! could thoi
oughly master him he had turned tn
tables and / was down upon the floor @
the carriage, with the mailman sittin
upon my chest
All this had occurred in moment, an
the first sound that reached my ear was
piercing scream from the woman whom
was about to arrest; but she did not faint
or Knight not have lived TO tell my story
With admirable presence Of mind she stoo
watching for an opportunity TO render m
any aid she could