The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-09-11
A Fight With a Madman.
BY WILLIAM TAAFE.

was travelling in "mixed train"
on 'ierkwater railroad" in Cali
fornia. These terms obtain in railway
parlanee. The train consisted OF a
motley and sinuous length Of freight
cars, with two passengcr.cars bringing
up the rear, Quo smoker was in
the latter, and it was night. At either
end ftful and aickering light faint
ly illuminated the oxtremitios OF the
car and intensified the darkness Of
the rest Of it The only other oceu-
pant was man at its further end, who
sat directly under the light with his
back toward me.
had been smoking furiously for
half an hour, trying to subdue the
vexation caused by the irritating
slowness of tho train rs it ratified
YEARLY along. For lack of anything
better to do, ! pressed my face against
the window-pane, and tried to deci-
pher objects in the outside blackness
through which we we're moving.
Ghosts of telegraph-poles fitted by in
regular procession; the rails of a
parallel track seemed to be racing with
the train, and keeping up to it; occa-
sional lights, few and far between,
told when a farmhouse was passed.
This was neither exciting nor enter
tanning, and / turned from the dreari-
ness without to that within. Then I
noticed that tho 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 a temporary diversion. Was
the train late? Yes, but the time
would be made up before we reached
the terminus. We had a couple OF
freight cars to be dropped 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,
returned, and went into tho rear Que.
Gradually ] began to nod. My Cigar
fell from my fingers, and / leaned
sleepily over on my travelling bag be-
side me. / dozed for awhile until
awakened by jerk from the train.
looked ahead and saw my fellow-pas-
senger. He still had his arm over the
back of the seat, and he appeared to
be gazing steadfastly in my direction.
1 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 l had beer
asleep and how long he had
been watching me when saw
him stealthily step into the aisle anC
sink into the next seat in my direc
ton, his arm over its back and his
face toward me as before. l was
thoroughly awake and curious 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 o
his face. Two minutes, and again Q
cat-like movement and change of seat,
/ leaned back, feigned sleep, and
watched him through partly closed
eyelids. This, however, seemed to re
assure him, for no advanced two seati
in quick succession. / counted tn,
backs Of the seats. He was still
six away from me. For a moment
felt inclined to get up and leave tn
car. would not have admitted tina
I was afraid, but there was something
decidedly uncanny about the myster
ious approach Of the stranger in tina
darkened car, and began to develol
a rather healthy anxiety. Besides,
Ind forgotten my revolver whel
leaving home. Had the condac
tor entered I would have beef
grateful. Still I was determined to Sc
what the mans object might be. A