The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-05-29

a quarter of an hour; ten mlnuIeS VIII
he more than ample time for me to 90
all that / require, and we Will, Win
YOUR permission, devote the interval
to a calm discussion on any suoJect
YOU may suggest. Now, can SPEAK
fairer?"
All this was aid in the calmest ana
most natural manner mentaiiy
thanked heaven for this unlooked-for
renr;eve. Short as it was, felt there
was vet a chance for my life. Much
might happen in quarter OF an hour'
The train might be stopped by some ac-
cident. or might even be able to make
nv escape by another door. Still, [
felt how hopeless it was to speculate
On this, for single look at the door
convinced me of the folly of the at"
tempt. since, in order to leach it, L
should haze to pass my terrible conf
panion. He looked at his watch, and
said quietly:
"Ten minutes gomez!
Only short five minutes between
life and death!
The CHASTITY glitter of the polished
steel seemed to grow red in the pale
lamp-light, and the dark, cleaning eyes
were bent on me with the fierce, eager
look l had noticed before.
A sudden thought struck me. re-
membered having heard that almost all
lunatics labored under some special
monomania, and that by humoring
them on this one point, and abstalnlng
from contradicting them, they would
often become so interested in the sub
iect as to lose all consciousness OF
everything that was passing around
them. This, then, was my last chance,
and 1 resolved to try it. l at once di-
vined my companions weak place, and
looking him steadily in the face, said,
as calmly as l could:
''My dear sir, as ] have still to detain
you some five minutes longer, am sure
you will pardon me for asking single
question. You have just now referred
to an ingenious essay by the late Mr.,
De Quincy. l need scarcely say that
fully agree with the views therein ex-
pressed, and that if you are really a
homicidal connoisseur-a dilettante in
murder-and follow the art from
genuine tONc OIL IT. U4icIl, VI COuISC NY
throat is most heartily at your serV-
ice. But if, on the other hand, as 1 i'm
agine from your looks, you are only
q beginner, then l beseech you, for
your own sake, that you reflect serious
ly before you commit yourself to pro-
fession for which you may find out too
late that you have no natural genius"
For moment thought had gained
nv object, as he assumed a half-medi-
tative air. But after a brief pause,
he suddenly said, with the air of man
who had perfectly made up his mind:
"No, my friend, it won't do; am de-
termined to act up to my principle,
SO pray say no more on the subject
You have just minute and 33 seconds
to live. In the meantime I am sure
you will excuse me for attending to
this little instrument"
And suiting the action to the woro,
he turned up the sole of his boot and
commenced sharpening his knife In the
most business-like manner.
1t was a situation full of horrible
suspense. The precious seconds were
flying fast. l fancied 1 heard mock
ing shrek amid the roar of the hurry
ing wheels. The Kissing as of a thou
sand snakes rang in my ears. A low,
crunching, wailing sound, slight jar
ring of the timbers of the carriage.
Was it? A wild, maddening hope
leaped up in my heart.
Zone minute MORE" muttered my
tormentor.
Again the sound was repeated, but
this time more distinct and prolonged.
l could not be mistaken; it was the
sound of the brake, the train was stop
ping.
1t might be only temporary diminu
ton of speed; no, we were perceptibly
slackening our pace, the train was
about to stop, and in another minute
assistance would be at hand. The ques-
ton was: Would he perceive it?
looked up. Too late! Too latel
With yell, the mere memory of
which makes my blood run cold, he
sprang upon me; and as we rolled to-
gether at the bottom of the carriage, l
saw the cleaning knife brandished
above me. 1t was a struggle for dear
life. Despair gave me strength to
make a last effort TO avert the blow.
The form above me swayed for an in
slant, the blade swerved in it's descent,
and, glancing harmlessly within an
inch of my forehead, shivered into frag-
ments against the floor of the carriage.
With a wild curse he seized me by the
throat, his knees pressed heavily on
my chest; and all was blank.
When l came to my senses found
myself on the platform at - station.
''That was rum customer, sir, of
your'n," said the guard. "When we
opened the door he had Almost nigh
throttled you, and it took half dozen
men of us to hold him. It seemed he
escaped at York from his keepers, who
were bringing him down from Scot
land, and whom he tried to murder
score Of times; but it was not until
after they had missed him for some
hours that they made out he had gone
by the train. OF course, they tele.
graphed to all the principal stations;
but the train had left Hitchin before
the message arrived. However, they
sent it On here, sir, and we signaled her
just in time; but it wa, u close shave,
sir, very close have!"-Tit-B Bits.
ELEGANCE AND FORCE.