The morning call., 1893-10-23
J. If TT fEEF OR MANIAC ?

THIEF OR MANIAC? p?
-: I'll leTe IS an empty compartment. Look
s.sbaIpl Maryi Jump in !" said my brother
:: sire hurried me into an empty first-class
:fa.ti age OF the express from Ipswich to
sIIiCTT9ls,s,
=: :. With sigh of relief at having caught
.ilj9. f1ain-so splendidly, leaned back in a
ce0TAer, rejoicing that had the carriage TO
myself.
Hardly ad l done so when, to my dis
may; the guard opened the door aud a
yQung man. breathIesS and painting.
rushed: in, f1iBging himself in an exhausted
& manner in 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 an the rack. which had not noticed
hetore and which, of course, belonged to
this gentleman. who had evidently been
the.drst occupant Of the carriage.
:: "How.very annoying" l thought, two
long ours TO spend in the company of a
strange person and 10 means of escape"
): Here began to feel nervous and glanced
..furtiyely al my Vls-a-vls.
He had changed his silk hat for gray
cloth one with the monogram h. G. c. on
it, and was leaning back IN his corner as If
hemeapt to go to sleep.
=. In a few minutes he caught my eye as
.. Was looking him, and knitted bis brOws
asif annoyed.
He. certainly was forbidding- looking.
and Lins family looked away and began to
:. Ieadmy paper; but the words swan be-
= fore my eyes as | tried 10 concentrate my
mind On rs pages.
, A. then began To feel cramped In my posi-
: tioD :spd moved to a more comfortable
.-0ne. Was it by accident or design that
Z: my companion moved too?
=. i could neither read nor close my eyes,
= and: could only stare in a fascinated man
nef AZ the small black Gladstone bag op-
= p6site.
Suddenly my companion, noticing how
G. f1xedly I was regarding it, took it down
.fFem the rack ald opening 1t turned every
thing in il over in such hurried manner
thatI began TO feel quite alarmed.
:. At last he found what he wanted, a
small packet of documents, which he care
fully placed in the inner pocket OF his
cdat, after which he leaned back again.
and / hoped ne would fall asleep.
He. would nod for five seconds or so and
then wake with a start, feel in his pocket
8 fo4:.the packet and then, catching my eye,
would cough in an embarrassed manner
ap0. iIOi4 MS manu- Out DttOIt Dllll, OlOW W.
along it as if blowing off an imaginary
fly.
. After this had happened two or three
times began to feel dreadfuly frightened,
ard the fearful thought:
What if he be maniac? flashed through
nv mind.
' Ifet that l was rapidly going mad n.y.
SELF when sharp whistles made us both
jump.
!; Sly companion pushed down the window
ana looking out exclaimed: There is a
Train exactly in front OF us"
Hardly had he said so than OCr train
caulB to a stop, whereupOn the maniac
produced a railway key from his pocket,
remarking, 81 always carry one of these"
and calmly unlocked the door. opened it,
balancing himself On one foot looked out
Here was my opportunity. Getting up
suddenly | pushed by him as if To get out
Of:the carriage, causing him TO lose his
balance and fall onto the line.
:: H aTdly, knowing what | was doing l
+putled the door TO as ] felt the train moy-
IR& on again, and then | must have tainted
away. for | remember nothing more until
THE cool evening air blowing through the
.. open window revived me.
=. :N here was my late companion? Nv
conscience began to ITick me- Had I
K i3lpd him? Perhaps passing train haG
g. :fjin over him as lie lay on the rails stunned
. .byl1is fall, and | seemed TO see his mangled
CORPSE on the line.
:: 'f:Was going to nurse sick brother or.
rather, help TO nurse him. as Maud Som
. -ers. .lfs fiaDcee, spent as much time as she
cglka hy his couch. He had broken his
leg short time previously and was. there
FORE. unable as yet TO move about alone.
On ny arriving at Jacks house, more
dead lhan alive, | found Maud presiding
oyer the teatable in his study and Jack
himself lying on the sofa. They both
vFralyn nod yxyifh md I
delighted to find how much better Jack
was than | had expected.
':HOw white and tired you look, child, "
he said. anxiously. "Are you ill ?"
= "Oh, no dear, but | was rather fright
q. e9ed at travelling so far alone" l said.
alarmed about the fate Of my late fellow
traveller.
s:"Whata pity" said Maud, that we did
not know earlier by what train you in
tended to come. as my brother arrives this
evening by the very same one, and must
hurry nome now, as he will be there, of
COURSE"
After she had gone Jack told me that he
had deputed her brother to fetch some i'm
'portant papers for him, as he could not go
himself. ~
More than once during the evening I
maze up my mind to tell Jack about my
aaYehtuIe' put was afraid of upsetting
MIN In hls weak state of hFalth.
Ipassed wretched night. Visions of
mangled, e94rpses were constantly before
me. and L was thankful when the day
dawned. 0 N"'
TIE sound of voices in nv brotber's
room reused me- and l ran down bnt
paused, my hand On the handle of the
door. 'o
p ."Where bad l heard that voice beforsp
1t'was the maniac's. He was mot kiIled
after all! Why had he come hereP What
was he sayiDg?'. nav
''Ob. yes. old fellow, have them safe
enough, although / am sure I Travelled
with a female thief-a very pretty one.
too-but / was match for her. She