Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-06-11

tiOnS and was tWenbg-tNV mAuoeN'
hind schedule time; it was to be run on
a single track across the wild and DESC
late stretch Of country traversed 0y the
Virginia Midland railroad, from Alex
andriat 10 Danyille. On this train KEN
ard Torrance. OF New York, had taken
passage. with two red Irish dogs OF ped
igree and a couple Of guns, Tor Ceosr
Hollow. the residence OF his frleno'
Major Ameswood, who had written
him that pheasapts, as they arc
called down there, were becoming 80
fat and plentiful that 1t seemed an ae1
OF improvidenee to permit sueh a waste
OF opportunity TO 90 on. Torrance hao
seem his dogs well housed in the bag
GAGE car forward aud was patroling the
Station platform In whimsical indect-
sion Ubetber 10 travel in the smoking
car or ON the third coach from the rear,
which a lady and child who q Inter
ested him had entered. He tnally Of
feeted 8 sort OF comprehensive oesto"-
"A his guns and ValiSs in the coach, 10
the seat Immediately back OF the one
the lady and child had TAKEN anu
then as the train started out
into the wet darkness for us
long night run went forward into the
smoker. where he found some gay splr-
its IN the persons of three commercial
travellers from philadelphia, who mad
literally and comfortably Installed
themselves aud we're casting aooutIor q
fourth hand at a game OF euehre. 1hey
claimed him by the unwritten Jaw OF
the road and he, nothing loath' joined
them; but he played with an ar o.
pre~oceupatiOn and gave uncertain
laughter to the spicy narratives Win
which the drummers beguiled the game
between deals. After finishing MS
cigar and losing a couple OF
games and his reputation as a
euchrs player, he rclinquished MS
seat 10 a passenger Of indigenous
aspect and went back to the car In
which be had left his traps. The laoy
who had attracted him sat nerVouSly
watchful, her head resting YEARLY upoh
he- hand: the little girl had gone 10
sleep, with her head In her companion 5
lap. Torrance could see, IN the nasty
survey he made Of their faces, oy tna
fickering CLEAN OF the car lamps that
the lady was young, possibly not more
than 25. and very pretty; that the child
was not more than 4 or 5 years OF age,
and In feature an almost exact repro
duction Of the elder. who, he reasoned
must be its mother. The LADY was
dressed in deepest black and yelled, out
not so heavily as TO conceal the rather
pale loveliness of her face.
T------ A.~D his aanf and mazda II
feint Of reading the Washington papers
but he divided the attention he gave 20
the report OF the Congressional proceed
ings with a study OF the yellow hair OF
the passenger who occupied the seat In
front OF him and in making formleSs
contectures as TO her destination. de
could see that she was very nervous,
possibly ill.,. He could dot wonder much
at any state Of feminine nerves, for the
speed OF the heavy train as 1t
plunged down the steep grades
and lurched around the sharp
curves was truly frightful. They had
passed Manassas Junction aud the train
swept on into the wild aud lonely region
beyond, through the stormy ~blackness
which was briefly Illuminated In passing
by the light from the car windows and
the headlight Of the painting, heaving
iron mass ahead, whose soul was held
in the grasp OF the silent, vigilanJ man
who drove it forward into the night.
The rain beat spitefully against the
black window panes and the lamps
fickered and 1uttered dimly, but the
wild howl OF the wind was lost in the
rush and roar OF the wheels beneath and
only the weird notes Of the deep whistle
rang out now and then and were borne
back on the voice OF the tempest TO their
ears. Faster and faster they sped on
till the swinging and lurching or the
cars seemed every moment to threaten
derailment, and possibly a deep aud aw-
full plunge from one OF the lofty TRUSTEES,
with which the road a0Ounds, down,
down to a horrible and perhaps not in
slant death. Torrance had no anxiety,
for he was an old and hardened traveller,
but he ~conceiYsd what a strain it must
be for a delicate and timid woman; this
speed, this darkness and this storm.
There we're but half a dozen other pas
sengers in the a most OF whom were
reading, and, as he heard a sleepy CRY OF
complaint from the child ABOUT its be-
ing cold, be Ventured to accOst the
mother.
pardon me madam" he said, lean
ing forward, "but will you allow me to
throw this coat Over the little girlP The
car seems cool, and 1 feel a draught.
They ought to have fires in the cars at
this time Of the year in such weather"
She hesitated a moment, then with a
grateful acknowledgement accepted the
light overcoat be rendered her and
spread il over the sleeping child. As
she did not seem Inclined to encourage
him 70 further conversation, he lapsed
into quiet Quiescence and idle specula-
tien respecting her place geographical
H.. Presently she turned and asked in
evident apprehension: us not the speed
something extraordinary, u~nusual?"
Seeing the looked-iOr opportunity TO
reassure her her be fastened 70 reply,
with the nOnchalance Of the expert
epeed traveller and the readiness Of q
man who reasons quickly; "Oh, no;
not for this train. It's a fast train,
and they're a little behind time 1 be-
lieVe. You really need have no alarm,
for the engineer is the safest and best
on the line"
This was pure fabrication on Tor
RANGES part, for he knew the engine
driver about as well as he knew his
pext-door lodger in New York who, he
had heard, was q young man Of diSsO-
lute habits; but be saw 1t had partially
the desired effect, that Of ~allaying the
lady's fears, and be felt supremely de-
iant OF the Injury It might do his con-
science.
"You know him thenP" she said with
q faint smile.
II know him; his name IS Ferguson;