Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-01-14

merely becarae q man II queer-look-
ing?"
'But it's not only that. Oh, I wish
it was!" Mollie's teeth chartered with
fright.
'What else? What is it2 For heav-
ems sake, speak plainly"
"He is travelling without hat; his
head is BARE" Mollie gasped out, in
strangled whispers. "And he has no
hat in the carriage, no luggage of any
kind, either"
Good graciousl Are you quite
sure?"
"Quite. He has nothing with him but
the Times. Would any ordinary man
travel like that?"
Angela's face bleaehed to the color
Of her sisters; her fears started into
just as acute life. No ordinary man
would travel bareheaded. There was
an awful probability about the con-
illusions drawn by Mollie from his hat
less condition.
"Oh!" she gasped under her breath.
"It is awful! And to think that we're
nearly half IN hour from the next sta
toni"
A movement at the other end of the
carriage made both girls sink back in
their places with beating hearts. AS
Angela sank against the cushions, she
caught sudden and unexpected
glimpse of the suspected stranger. He
had turned again from the window, and
was reopening the Times. Alas! Mollie
had not exaggerated, as fear sometimes
made her prone to do. The mans face
was dreadful in it's gaunt grimness.
And then the staring eyes and bare
head.
Angela could not but accept the stu
alton, as the more suspicious and timid
Mollie had accepted it. There was some
thing wrong with the man; he had all
the appearance of being a lunatic. Aw-
full though the thought might be, that
they were alone in the carriage with a
mailman, it had to be faced. Angela,
less helpless than Mollie, rapidly be-
gan to consider what could be done.
The train was not due to stop for at
least 20 minutes longer. Would the
quiet phase in which the man evidently
then was, last during that time?-a ter
ribls and vital question. And If it did
not? Angela clenched her hands in the
agony of the thought, and thrust it
from her resolutely. Better not to
think of the worst, not to anticipate a
situation which would find them help
less. The thing was to stave off danger,
to do all that they could to preserve
the mans present state of calm.
Angela made a rapid mental review
of all her knowledge-principally gath
cred from sensational literature-con-
corning the insane. AS a 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 at
him, nor rouse any suspicious in his
mind that they were talking or think
ing of him. The difficulty was to COM
municate these decisions to Mollie with
out exciting suspicion.
Angela first ventured swift glance
from behind her book to the other end
of the carriage. The man was again
concealed by the newspaper; the peace
full, ordinary way in which his long
legs were stretched across the carriage
would have been more reassuring were
it not for the top of the bare head that
showed above. He was quiet, however.
A CLEAN of hope kept up Angela's spirit.
That calm state, if undisturbed, might
very we'll last until their arrival at the
next station.
She snatched the opportunity to stoop
over aud communicate with the trem-
bling Mollie. It was difficult to restore
her to the appearance of moral state
to prevent her little gasps becoming
audible.
"Try not to look so frightened, for
heavens sake, Mollie," Angela softly
whispered. "Quiet and calm are our
best chance. Don't give way like that,
it may not be so bad after all. II we do
nothing to attract his attention he will
not notice us. They often do not. Per-
laps he will fall asleep; he must be
drowsy going over that paper so often"
A smothered "Oh!" answered An
gela's well-meant attempt to reassure
her sister.
Hes not bit drowsy," she gasped.
"I've just caught his eye over the news
paper. And-and-he looked as il he
-was-going-to-talk. Oh! what are
we to do! Oh, Angela!"
Angela had turned deadly pale, but
her presence of mind did not desert
her.
"Let us pretend to be admiring the
view," she whispered. "How lovely the
light IN those fields isl" she said, in
louder tone, turning to the window.
"Do look, Mollie."
"He might spring on US"
"Look," Angela severely interrupted
the faltering whisper, "at that effect.
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