The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-16


would find them helpless. The thing
| was to stave off the danger, 70 do all
4 that they could to preserve the mans
| present state of calm
Angela made a rapid mental review
of all her edge-prfncipally gath
! cred from sensational literature-con-
corning the insane. AS the result she
concluded that what they had to do
now was to avoid everything which
could attract the mans notice or ex-
/ cite him IN any way. They must not,
/ for the world let him see them looking
al him, nor rouse any suspicious in his
mind that they were talking or think
ing of him. The difficulty was to com
munlcate these decisions to Molly with
/ out exciting suspicion.
Angela first Venrpred a swift glance
from behind her book to the other end
/ OF the carriage. The man was again
concealed by the newspaper, the peace
/ fla,. ordinary way in which his long
/ legs were stretched across the carriage
\ would have been more rea assuring were
II not for the top of the bare head thar
/ showed above it. He vas quiet, how
/ ever. CLEAN of hope kept Angela's
Spirit. That calm state, if undisturbed,
might very We'll last until their arrival
! at the next station.
Sh9 snatched the opportunity to
stoop over and communicate with the
/ trembling Molly. 1t was difficult TO re-
store her TO the appearance of a nor
NAL state to prevent her little gasps
becoming audible.
TRY not to lock so frightened. for
heavens sake, Molly" Angela softly
whispered. "Quiet and calm are our
best chance. Don't give way like that,
it may not be so bad after all. If we
do nothing to attract his attention he
will not notice us. They often do not.
Perhaps he will fall asleep; he must be
drowsy going over that paper so often
y smothersd OH answered An
! gela's well-meant attempt to reassure
her sister.
He's not a bit drowsy,' she gasped.
I've just caught his eye over the
newspaper. And-and-he looked as if
he-was- going-to-tatk OH What
are we to do? Oh, AngeIaw
Angela had turned deadly pale, but
her presence of mind did not desert her.
Let us pretend to be admiring this
view, she whispered. How lovely
the light on those fields is" she said
in louder tone, turning to the Win
dow. DO look, Molly"
He might spring on US"
Look Angela severely interrupted
the faltering whisper ''at that effect.
Out of the window beside you, a little
/ to the right; the shadows on the trees"
-yes-I-see.
GO on looking and talking about
what you see,'' admonished Angela In
undertones, and when you can think
of nothing more to say we will go on
to the weather, and to Yorkshire and
the hours of arrival at the stations"
She gave the lead taking up the pre-
scriroed topics in a quiet, level tone, the
least calculated to arouse interest and
attention. Her ears all the time. We're
! fearfuIIy alert, listening for the slight
est sound from the other end of the car
riage. The chief burden of the con-
versation rested on her, for Molly's
parr in it, even with the most heroic
efforts, was very weak and dfSjointed.
Sometimes it broke off altogether, when
a rustic or movement in the far corner
made her teeth chatter and ell power
/ of speech fail. Though the stronger
minded Angela's heart beat just as
quickly at these awful moments, she
/ always rose to the emergency and kept
up the discourse with unvarying CAM
ness.
To those stretched in agony upon a
rack minutes are as hours. Never had
the sisters dreamed that twenty min
utes could be drawn out to such dread
full. length. Ten times twenty seemed
/ to have passed, when at last the engine
began to whistle and the train to
slacken speed before pulling up at the
station On the instant that the stop
was made the man sprang from the
carriage and disappeared in the crowd
! ON the platform. 1t was hard for the
girls to- realize at once that the danger
was over; the reaction after the great
strain had such a bewildering effect.
| Angela found her voice first.
| "Ohi'-she drew a deep breath
what an escape we have had! He is
stark, staring madp'
ITO think of his rushing off like that!
We need not leave the carriage now.
| Oh, it was dreadful while it lasted"
sighed Molly
Inc girls had not decided the q11es-
| ton when the signal for departure was
given, and the train began 60 move.
| At the moment there was q rush and
a. shout, the door was dragged open,
the bareheaded man precipitated HIM
self into his former place in the car
riage, breathless and painting. Ihe
girls, literally paralyzed by the terror
of the awful surprise, were struck lex
dumb. They could not cali for help
until it was too late and the station
had been left behind
The extremity of the danger had the
sudden effect of Steadyin2 Angela
nerves; she stood, as it were, at pay
Every depended on her, Tor Molly
had utterly collapsed. The SITUATION
seemed desperate, IlG man Wo0 In"
palpalb,y excited and what was a
thousand times worse, eVluently ue-
tetunined to fix his attention on them.
dreadful intuition told Angela that
he would address her. 1t went rapidly
through her mind that no matter what
he said he must be humored, at any
cost. and not contradicted. IL was the
only chance with lunaflcS-
Several awful moments passed IN 81
lence. Although Angela did not look,
she felt the staring eyes fixed on her
as surely as if she saw them
The man moved uneasily and cleared
his throat. Angea's heart beat wildly
the crisis had come.
II beg your pardon he jerked OUT
the words in peculiar and AWKWARD
way. Il frightened you?
The conventional mot at alr' had
almost escaped her lips when she re-
membered. Being mad, he had prob
ably wanted to brighten her.
yes" she agreed, hastily. You
did"
help it,"
Alas she knew only too well that
he could not help it.
Il failed in my attempt, though
ran half the way through the town.
hope to have better luck next time. L
shall try again at Birmingham, the
"oh! I hope so. indeed, am sure
Won will succeed at birmingham.
You know the town? Then perhaps
YOU can direct me where to go?'
yes. I know the town very well,
said Angela boldly She had never in