The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-01

e,cn, was tho third warming and was
how u doomed man! Any momont might
bring my death.
Wo sat for fow minutes in silonco
Thon Alexis said, 81 assume you aro arm
cdr"
Il havo my revolver hero, loaded and
ready" 1 ropliod.
And so have 1. Our great danger will
DO between hero and tho frontier; am
convinced of that. Wo must use tho ut
most vigilance
Fortunately wo havo n carriage to our
solves" said, land tho doors arc both
locked. We shall have to BIO Oh our guard
whom wo leave this train"
Tho first part of tho journey was long
and firing, and us tho day wore on and
night began to gather in wo became sleepy
and silent. Alexis curlod himself up in
his corner, with tho collar Of his fur cloak
pulled up over his Dyes, and dc2od. AS /
sat looking ut him l noticed how very
similarly wo woro dressed. 1 WINS wearing
u cloak and hat very closely resembling
his own, and, mutllGd up ms wo woro, 1t
would have boon difficult for stranger to
havo distinguished ono from tho other.
1t was very dark night and, Wishing
to SEQ whit kind Of country wo were pass
Ing through, suddenly turned my faco to
my hand, tried to poor into the gloom. AS
pressed my nose to the glass distinctly
saw mans faoo OH tho outside looking
in. 1t instantly disappeared.
With ono hand on my revolver dashed
down tho window and looked out Tho
train WAS rushing along ut great speed,
and nearly lost my cap in tho wind; but
there was nobody to DO soen.
"How you startled mop cried Potro-
witch. "What on earth is tho mattorP"
~ saw face at tho window"
Imagination, my dear fellow, or, moro
probably, your own reflection"
mo; l am positive it was noithor 1t
was fair man, with beard, while 1 am
dark, with only u mustacho."
Alexis suggested we should exchange
seats and lot him experiment. Wo did So
and under my direction no initiated my
movements in looking out of tho window
1T Is certainly suspicious" no said
''Wo must be on our guard"
We did not go back to our original soats,
but remained as wo were. Each held his
revolver in readiness. Wo sat thus talk
ing for about half an hour All the time 1
Kept my eyes fixed on ono or tho other of tho
windows. Potroritch was not SO vigilant
He would gaze mt tho glass for u few
minutes and thon turn to speak to me.
Suddenly l thought 1 saw something
moving Oh tho side where Alexis was sit
ting. AS 1 bent forward could discern n
face dimly, but right against tho glass was
revolver which a hand was directing at
the head of my friend.
Down.! Down for your lifc!" shout
ed to Alexis, but tho same instant thoro
was loud report, and tho bullet, cutting
clean hole through tho glass; laid poor
Petrovitch along the seat.
AT the same momont-indecd 1 believe
half second boforo-I had fred my own
pistol. AS peerod out of the window 1
saw man retrcnting along tho footboard
toward tho rcar of tho train. Again fired,
but without result.
The train Soon stopped, and careful
search was made but no man ut oil rcseIn-
bling the one l had seen was to BIO found
He must have occupied compartment
alone, for nobody in tho train, IL they wero
all to DO believed, had seen any person
leave carriage while 1t was in motion.
Meanwhile it was found that my friend
Alexis was not, as 1 had feared, killed,
though he Is, unfortunately, disfgured for
life. A skillful doctor was found at tho
next station, and he is today halo and
hearty. Probably tho League of the Red
Hand mover knew of the blunder that re-
suited from our exchange of seats and also
believed that It's intended vengeance on
myself had been carried out to tho death.
Tho actual assassin, however had u very
narrow escape, for n cap was picked up on
the line with bullet hole in the crown. /
had missed my man by less than an inch
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