Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1894-10-06


auainted with it on that night in Ninth |
street.
The success of his maneuver in leaving |
Philadelphia made him repeat it, and be-
sides he was in perfect fever to get to the !
end of his journey and rid himself of the
charge of the diamond. His spirits rose
considerably as the hour of the trains de-
parture drew near without any appearance
Of the ''shadower' in the station. Dibbs
remained on the platform until the last
moment; then, with fervent sigh of re-
lief, he entered the car. The train was
Just moving off, when the door was sud
denly opened, and breathless porter
dashed in handbag, followed by still
more breathless traveller. The door was
shut; the engine shrieked the last depart
ing signal; the train moved from the sta
tion. In one corner of the car sat Dibbs;
in another-the farthest on the opposite
side-sat the man with the black whiskers!
A long Journey lay before them, and
they were the sole occupants of the car,
and Dibbs was unarmed. At this review
of the situation his heart sank; he drew
back instinctively into the corner His
eyes suddenly met those Of the other man;
a deep flush suffused his face, which SEEM
ed to find reflection in the Others
Dibbs hastily took up book and affected
to read; the man opposite simultaneously
did the same.
Tho tension was terrible, to remain in
active almost impossible. Dibbs had an
inspiration, as man in extremity some-
times has. Though he was not armed, he
would pretend to be. That might do some
thing; produce hesitation or delay, at
least Accordingly he deliberately as
sumed a bold, even threatening demeanor
Casting truculent glance across the car,
he plunged his hand into his pocket, af-
fecting to grasp an imaginary revolver.
To his intense delight the ruse took i'm
mediate effect The man opposite gave
an unmistakable start and shrank back
into his corner. So far SO good But how
to keep up the pretense? What to do nextS
At this crisis the whistling of the engine
suddenly distracted Dibbs. Good heavens!
He had forgotten the long tunnel They
were coming to it now! His eyes, with a
quick, involuntary movement, sought the
lamp 1t was not lighted!
Entrapped! Doomed The widest
thoughts rushed confusedly to his brain.
With a shrek, the train plunged noisily
into the tunnel, into darkness. Every
railway murder of which Dibbs had ever
read flashed before him with all the ghast-
ly details. Absolute panic seized upon
him. Hardly knowing what he was do
ing, he tried softly to open the door. 1t
was locked, however. His movements
must have been heard. There was a stir at
the other end of the car The fatal mo-
ment had come; the assassin was adyanc-
ing to the attack. In the extremity of his
terror Dibbs sank swiftly on the floor and
crawled under the seat
For what length Of time he crouched
there, half stifed and scarcely daring to
breathe, Dibbs knew not. Agony cannot
measure time. A sudden and extraordi-
nary rush of air made his heart first stand
still and then sent the blood coursing
wildly through his veins The far door
was swinging open Something had hap
dened And what2
His straining ears detected no sound
but the outside rattle and roar of the train
through the tunnel Within all was 81
lence. He remained listening in intense
excitement and amazement until the hope
which had hardly dared to stir in his
breast grew into vigorous life. He was
alone in the carriage! Deliverance had
knew not!
The tunnel was coming to an end.
Light began to stream into the car. Cau-
tiously and slowly Dibbs peeped from un-
der the seat. He was quite alone. The
man had disappeared.
At the station, just outside the tunnel,
Dibbs-alighting almost before the train
had stopped-changed his place for one in
a passenger coach. A few hours later the
brilliant was safely transferred from his
charge into that of GoIdsmiths brother at
Pittsburg.
Dibbs' adventure made quite sensa-
ton on his return to New York. He was
the hero of the hour in his circle. Wheth-
er or not he related the circumstances ex-
actly as here set forth need not be mon
toned His friend Bodkin, among Others,
gave dinner party in his honor. Dibbs,
with his usual punctuality, was the first
of the guests to arrive.
by the way" Bodkin said chaffingly
to him as the two stood chatting together
on the hearthrug, 'you must look to your
laurcls tonight, Dibbs. Do you know
Leroy, your neighbor in Ninth street''
Never saw the man in my life. What's
the joker"
"A rival adventure In Pennsylvania,
too, and eliminating in q tunnel"
''Dear me! What an extraordinary CO.
incidence!'
I'm his case it was lunatic, not rob-
ber. He was shadowed at hotels and in
trains. You must hear the story from his
own lips; he's dining here tonight Tho
climax is terrific. Shut in railway car
riage alone with lunatic, aforesaid luna
tic armed with revolver. A long tunnel,
an extinguished lamp, the lunatio crawl
ing in the darkness to tho attack, an es
cape by the skin Of the teeth. Leroy had
sufficient presence Of mind to open the
door and pretend to get out, in reality
crawling under the seat instead. The ruse
saved his life. He supposes that he tainted
in the sitting air, for when he was next
conscious the train had loft the station and
he was alone In the car, from which all
traces OF the lunatic had disappeared"
Bodkin was so engrossed in telling the
story he did not remark its curious and
startling effect on Dibbs just then the
door was thrown open, and the footman
announced, "Mr. Leroy"
Bodkin, springing forward with effusior
to greet the newcomer, led him gushingly
up to Dibbs.
'sYou two must know each other" he
said. "
And they did. The recognition was In
Simultaneous on both sides. With q gasp,
Dibbs stared in speechless wonder on the
man with the black whiskers, while Leroy
started back aghast on encountering the
gaze Of the lunatic. Exchange
|
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Cold bathing in the early morning ia
beneficial only to those persons who have
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to insure good reaction with no subse-
| .,...,k l., 1occituda MANY naraOno