Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-07-11
SHADOWED.

more DreatDloss traVolof. Inc 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;
I'm another-the farthest ON the opposite
side-sat the man with the black whiskersi
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 inssinctivsly into the corner. His
eyes suddenly met those Of the other man;
deep nush suffused his face, which seem
Cd 10 find q reflection In the others
Dibbs hastily took up book and Affected
~ read; the man opposite simultaneously
did the same.
The tension was tesrible, 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 bold, even throetening demeanor.
Casting truoulent glance ACROSS the car,
he plunged his hand into his pocket, af.
footing 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 % good. But how
70 keep up the pretensei What so do nexti
At this crisis the whistiing Of the engine
suddenly distracted Dibbs. Good heayensl
He had forgotten the long tunnell They
were coming 10 IL nowl His eyes, with a
quick, involuntary movement, sought the
lamp. IL was not lighted
Entrappedi Dooniedi The widest
thoughts rushed oonfusedly to his brain.
With q shriek, 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. It
was looked, however. His movements
must have been heard. There was n stir at
the other end Of the car The fatal mo
ment had come; the assassin was advano-
ing TO the attack. In the extremity Of his
terror Dibbs sank swiftly on the floor and
crawied under the seat
For what length OF time he crouchod
there. half stihed 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
WhdiJ tnEOukn NCinh nC uOOI
was swinging openi Something had hap
denedi And WHAT
His straining ears detected no sound
but the outside rattle and roar Of the train
through the tunnel. Within all was a.
lenoe. He remained listening I'm 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 carriagei Deliverance had
come miraculously-why and how he
knew mott
The tunnel was coming to an end.
Light began to stream into the car. eau
tiously and slowly Dibbs peeped from un-
der the seat He was quito 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
q passenger coach. A few hours later the
brilliant was safely transferred from his
charge into that of Goldsmith's brother at
Pittsburg.
Dibbs' adventure made quite a sensa-
tion 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 men
toned. His friend Bodkin, among Others,
gave a dinner party In his honor. Dibbs,
with his usual punctuality, was the first
of the guests to arrive.
by the way" Bodkin said ohafflngly
TO him as the two stood chatting together
on the hearthrug, you must look to your
laurels tonight, Dibbs Do you know
Leroy, your neighbor In Ninth street,
Never saw the man In my life. What's
the joker"
"A rival adventurel In Pennsylvania,
too, and eliminating In a tunnel"
Dear mel What an extraordinary Co
incidencei'
I'm his case it was a lunatic, not rob
Der. He was Swallowed at hotels and In
trains. You must hear the story from his
own lips; he's dining here tonight. The
climax Is terrific. Shut In railway car.
riage alone with q lunatic, aforesaid luna
tic armed with a revolver A long tunnel,
an extinguished lamp, the lunatio crawl
Ing In the darkness TO the 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 left the station and
he was alone In the car from which all
traces Of the lunatio had disappeared. -
Bodkin was 90 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. sprineing forward with effusior
to greet the newcomer, led him gushingly
up to Dibbs
"You two must know each other" he
said.
And they did. The recognition was in
Simultaneous on both sides With gasp,
Dibbs stared In speechless wonder on the
man with the black whiskers, while Leroy
started back aghast on encountering the
gaze Of the lunatio.-ExohanRe