The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-03-29
THIEF OR MANIAC.

as he hurried me into an empty first class
carriage of the express from Ipswich to
London.
With a sigh of relief at having caught
the train so splendidiy, l leaned back in q
corner, rejoicing that had the carriage to
myself
Hardly had I done so when, to my dis
may, the guard opened the door, and a
young man. breathless and painting rushed
in, f1inging himself in an exhausted man
ner on the scat opposite me. The door was
locked, and the train was off before l could
collect my scattered senses
/ then perceived Il small black Gladstone
bag on the rack, which 1 had not noticed
before, and which of course belonged to this
gentleman, who had evidently been the first
occupant of the carriage.
s'How very annoyingI'' thought 1.-Two
long hours to be spent in the company of q
strange person and no means of escape.'
Here l began to feel nervous and glanced
furtively at rly vis-a-vis.
He had changed his silk hat for a gray
cloth one, with the monogram III. G. C."o
it. and was leaning back in his corner as il
he meant to go to sleep.
In few minutes lie caught my eye as l
was looking at him and knitted his bro,vs
as if annoyed.
He certainly was forbidding looking, and
1 instantly looked away and began to read
my paper, but the words swan before my
eyes as / tried to concentrate my mind on
its pages.
I then began to feel cramped in my posi-
ton and moved to q more comfortable one.
Was it by accident or design that my COM
panion moved too?
j could neither read nor close my eyes,
and could only stare in q fascinated manner
Suddenly my companion, noticing how
fixedly 1 was regarding it, took it down
from the rack, and, opening it, turned every
thing in it over in such a hurried manner
that began to feel quite alarmed.
At last he found what he wanted, a small
packet of documents, which he carefully
placed in the inner pocket of his coat, after
which he leaned back again, and l hoped
he would fall asleep.
then wake with a start, feel III his pocket
Or the packet, and then, catching my eye,
would cough in an embarrassed manner
and hold his hand out before him, blowing
along it as if blowing off an imaginary fly.
After this had happened two or three
times l began to feel dreadfully frightened,
and the fearful thought, What if he be a
maniac2 flashed through my mind.
felt that was rapidly going mad my
self, when sharp whistles made us both
jump.
My companion pushed down the window,
and looking out exclaimed: There is a
train exactly in front of usV'
Hardly had he said SO than our own train
came to q stop, whereupon lie maniac pro-
duced a railway key from his pocket, re-
marking, II always carry one of these"
and calmly unlocked the door, opened it,
and 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 bal
ance and fall onto the line.
Hardly knowing what l was doing.
pulled the door to as 1 felt the train NOV
ing on again, and then must have tainted
away, for remember nothing more until
the cool evening air blowing through the
open window revived me.
Where was my late companion? My con-
science began to prick me. Had 1 killed
him? Perhaps passing train had run over
him as he lay on the rails, stunned by his
fall, and seemed to see his mangled corpse
On the line.
I was going to nurse sick brother, or
rather help to nurse him, as Maud Somers,
his fancee, spent as much time as she
could by his couch. He had broken his leg
short time previously, and was therefore
unable as yet to move about alone.
On my arriving at jacks house more
dead than alive l found Maud presiding
over tho tea table in his study and Jack
himself lying on the sofa They both wei
coined me with open arms, AID was de-
lighted to find how much better Jack was
than had expected.
What pity" said Maud. shat we did
not know earlier by what train you intend
ed to come, as my brother arrives this even
ing by the very same one, and must hurry
home now, Us he will be there, of course"
After she had gone Jack told me that he
had deputcd her brother to fetch some inn
| portant papers for him, as he could lot go
himself.
More than once during the evening l
made up my mind to tell Jack about my
adventure, but was afraid Of upsetting him
| in his weak state of health.
l passed q wratched night Visions OF
mangled corpses were constantly before
me, and l was thankful when the day
| dawned.
The sound of voices in my brothers room
reused me, and ran down, but paused, my
| hand on the handle of the door.
Where had | heard that voice beforei
| It was the maniacs He was not killed
after ALL Why had he come hero?- What
| was he saying9"
| "Oh, yes, old fellow. / have them safe
| enough, although am sure travelled with
| female thief-a very pretty one, too-but
| was q match for her. She never took hel
| eyes off me or my bag for two minutes to
| gether, in the hope, of course, that l should
| fall asleep, and then she could rob Gle, but
| kept myself awake the whole time by
| mere force of will, for l was dead will
| sleep and on the point of going of
| several times"
| How was it that you fell out of rhs
tramp asked Maud.
| "Why, / opened the door to see what was
| the reason of our train stopping suddenly
and the young lady, in mortal terror of al
accident, tried to get past me in order tt
| Jump out of the train, thereby causing
| me to lose my balance and fall out. i man
| aged to BILE up just as the train begar
| to move ON again and was pulled into tht
| guards van"
Here Maud, opening the door suddenly
| revealed me standing On the threshold.
There was no help for tin / had to go.
MARY, let me introduce my brothel
1 Fred" began Maud, but she broke off, say
ing:
''What Is the matterp Have you me
each other before?'
| 1.-THE THEIR said Frederick.
| 1.-The maniacp' said /. 'tAnd If you or,
not a maniac why did you behave lik,
one2" continued eXcitedly.-Exchange.
| Like Papa's.
A e-year-old was seated in barber
| abair