The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-08-20
FIGHT WITH A MADMAN
BY WILLIAM A. rAAFrE.

BY WILLIAM A. TAAFFE.
was travelling in mixed train"
on a "jerkwater railroad" In Cal
ifornia. These terms obtain in railway
parlance. The train consisted of mot
ley and sinuous length of freight cars,
with two passenger cars bringing up the
rear, one q smoker. was in the latter,
and it was night. At either end fitful
and Pickering light family llumined
the extremities of the car and intensi-
fed the darkness of the rest of it. The
only other occupant was a man at it's
further end, who sat directly under the
light with his back toward me.
had been smoking furiously for half
an hour, trying to subdue, in the solace
of tobacco, the vexation caused by the
irritating slowness of the train as it
ratified wearily along. For lack of any
thing better to do I pressed my face
against the window pane and tried to
decipher objects in the outside black
ness through which we were moving.
Ghosts Of telegraph poles fitted by in
regular procession; the rails of a paral-
lei track seemed to be racing with the
train and keeping up with it; occasional
lights, few and far between, told when
O farmhouse was passed. This was
neither exciting nor entertaining, and
turned from the dreariness without to
that within. Then I noticed that the
man at the further end had his arm
thrown over the back of the seat and his
face was turned toward me.
The conductor, with his lantern on his
arm, entered at this moment and proved
q temporary diversion. Was the train
late? Yes, but the time would be made
up before we reached the terminus. We
had q couple of freight cars to drop at
the next station and a couple to take on.
but the delay would be slight. The con-
ductor walked the length of the car, re-
turned, and went into the rear one.
Gradually began to nod. My cigar fell
from my fingers, and leaned sleepily
over on my travelling bag beside me. I
dozed for awhile until awakened by a
jerk from the train. I looked ahead
and saw my fellow passenger. He still
had his arm over the back of the seat,
and he appeared to be gazing steadfast-
ly in my direction. I noticed he was not
in the same seat as before, but in one
three or four nearer my end of the car.
I was just wondering how long had
been asleep and how long he had been
watching me, when saw him stealthily
step into the aisle and sink into the
next seat in my direction, his arm over
it's back and his face toward me as be-
fore. was thoroughly awake and curl
GUS now, and little uneasy to boot. He
had gotten into the dark shadows of the
car, and all I could discern was his
form and the indistinct white disk of
his face. Two minutes, and again a
cat-like movement and change of seat.
I leaned back, feigned sleep, and
watched him through partly closed eye
lids. This, however, seemed to reassure
him, for he advanced two seats in quick
succession. counted the backs of the
seats. He was still six away from me-
For moment felt inclined to get up
and leave the car. I would not have ad-
mitted that was afraid, but there was
something decidedly uncanny about the
mysterious approach of the stranger in
that darkened car, end began to de-
velop rather healthy anxiety. Besides,
ing home. Had the conductor entered
would have been grateful. Still was
determined to see what the mans object
might be. AS the rays from the light in
my end of the car fell upon him, was
better able to make him out could
see he was a man of about my own age
and physique, with piercing black eyes
in which thought could detect sus-
picion that / was not asleep. As
watched him advance, seat by seat, I
wondered II he would attack me, and, If
80. how I should repel it. My nerves are
pretty good, but they were being sorely
tried. Strange as it may seem. even
during those critical moments, while
I watched him as alertly as he did me,
the monotonous rattle Of the train got
into my head and compelled me to keep
note of its regular but unmusical time
beat:
Clack, clack, clickity-clack; click,
click, clackity-click-he was but two
seats away-clack, clack, clickity-clack
he was in the seat Immediately in front
Of me, his face not three feet from my
own-click, click, cliclxity-
could stand it no longer; I opened
my eyes and met his gaze. A long mo-
ment. and then:
"Well?" from me.
"You are my brother William"
1t was not question. but an affirms-
ton. solemnly and alowly made
"You are mistaken" began. Inn
measurably relieved. "I-"
"You are my brother William" he re-
Pested. Aeroely. Aand ! shall punish you
g. you punished me-"