The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-02-02

know what that means. You are help
less. Be brave for the sake OF the
"cause." >"
"Have You got that letter." said
the fireman.
"No; 1 tore it up. Well. I tell
you, l was desperate. / had half
made up my mind to Jump and risk it,
when we gradually began to pass your
train. l was alone in my compart-
ment, and could see the well-filled
at them mechanically, when the idea
| suddenly seized me, and L asked my
self the question: why shouldn't 1
change trains?' By this time 1 was
opposite to the guards van in the
front, and there was not O moment to
be lost. 1t was too late to try for that
when l opened the door, aud my only
course was to jump on to your engine.
| Thank God, did so safely !"
"Aye, you've had lucky escape,
and you may we'll thank God. Well,
what's TO be done now?"
"Where are you bound for?"
Portsmouth.
"Do you stop anywhere first?"
"No."
"Well, look here. Can't I slip off
on the outer side as we come into the
station?"
81 don't know so much about that.
You've come on the foot-plate unin-
vited, and you ought to give an &C
count OF it to the authorities. II l
let you get off without, I'm liable for
row myself. Besides, how are we
to know your story's true?"
Before God swear it's true. Aud
no one need ever know L was here.
I'll make it well worth your while.
Besides" he added, piteously, ''it's
my only chance. When they know
I've escaped they'll search high and
low. II this isn't kept quiet they'll
know about if before have the start
of them, and that means certain death.
l couldn't escape. AS it is, I've got
money enough to get we'll out of the
country before they know"
Well, it seemed rough enough on
the poor chap, but my mate stuck out
against letting him go. I argued the
matter out with him as we'll as [ could,
and he was beginning to come round
l.
exclaimed:
Look out, mate, there's block at
Petersfeld."
The distant signal was shining
with a red light instead OF green,
and we put on the brakes until the
train was almost at standstill.
For Gods sake, let me get off,"
begged the stranger.
Ny mate and L looked at one anoth-
er. The train came to stop close to
the signal.
Don't refuse me. See here" and
no held out five soyereigns and liter
ally pressed them into my hand. 1
looked at Jim again. He nodded.
''All right, get off and keep quiet
till we've gone on. Good luck to you.
Here, l don't want your money"
But he was gone in a moment.
| Then the semaphore arm fell with
crash, the green light shone out, and
we started once again; nor did we
stop till we had reached Portsmouth.
Later on, my mate and l talked the
matter over between us, and agreed
that we would not mention it to any
one, rs it was better for all that it
should be kept quiet. Then 1 offered
him half the money.
"No, said he, 81 won't take it. II
his story's true, it's something like
the price of blood. They must have
given him the cash for his journey and
expenses"
hadn't seen it in that light
well, mate, L believe you're right.
L never thought of that. sha'n't
touch it either. couldn't bring my
self to do it. But what shall we do
with it?"
Finally, we agreed to send it anony-
mously to a railway charity, and the
next morning we did so.
Two days after that, I was off duty,
when the fireman came round to my
house, with curious expression on
his face and a newspaper in his hand.
"Read that" he said, quickly point
ing to paragraph. read as fol-
lows:
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF A CHM.
NAL.
ooh Thursday evening last
strange occurrence, the facts Of which
are unknown, must haze taken place
somewhere on the main line of tho
Southwestern Railway between Water.
loo aud Basingstoke Our readers
will remember the case OF embezzle.
meut and forgery at the head Offices OF
the 'AmaRamated General European
and Colonial Exchange, q forgery on
q largo SCALE in which the under cash.
Ter, Charles Winfield, n clever, and
unfortunately wsll-trusted Young man,
was deeply implicated Winfield, by
some means, managed 30 escape arrest
and the police have been assiduouslv
following his track since. On the
evening in question Detective Baxter,
OF Scotland Yard, recognized Winfield
in q firstciass compartment Of the
9.3j boat.train from Waserlco to
/ Southampton. The train was Just
moving ont OF the station, and is was
/ impossible for the detective 10 get in,
/ but he ran along the platform by the
( side Of the window, cleariy identified
/ bis man, took tho number OF the car
/ riage, aud noticed which compartment
it was, and immediately wired to Bias
ingstroke tho first stopping place.
/ When, however, tho train arrived at
this place the police, who had assem-
bled on the platform, found no trace
OF the criminal. IL was ascertained
that the train had not pulled mp once /;