The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-01-09

ment, and could see the well-tilled
carriages close to me. / sat looking
at them mechanically, when the idea
suddenly seized me, and I asked my
self the question: why shouldn't l
change trnins:' BY this time was
opposite to the guards van in tho
front, and there WAS no. u moment to
be lost. It was toe late to try ioc that
when ! opened the door, and my only
course WAS to Jump on to your engine.
Thank God, I did SO safely"
"Aye, You've hna 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 frst?"
"No."
"Well, look here. Can't I slip off
on the outer side as we come into the
station?"
81 don't know so mach about that.
You've come on the foot-plate unin-
vited, aud you ought to give an &C.
count OF it to the authorities. II I
let you get off without, I'm liable for
g row myself. Besides. how arc we
to know your story's true??"
"Before God l swear it's true. Aud
no one need ever know / was here.
I'll make it we'll worth your while.
Besides" he added, piteously, sits
my only chance. When they know
I've escaped they'll search high and
low. If this isn't kept quiet they'll
know about if before | have the start
of them, and that means certaindeath.
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 so. I argued the
matter out with him as we'll as L could,
and he was beginning to come round
to my point OF view when I suddenly
exclaimed:
"Look out, mate, there's block at
Peterstield."
The distant signal was shining
with a red light instead of green,
and we put on the brakes until tho
train was almost at stGndstil.
''For Gods sake, let me get off,"
begged the stranger.
Ny mate and I looked at one anoth.
er. The train came to q stop close to
the signal.
"Don't refuse me. See here" and
he held out five sovereigns and liter
ally pressed them into my hand. l
looked at Jim again. He nodded.
"All right, get Oft and keep quiet
till we've gone on. Good luck to you.
Here, I don't want your money"
But he was gone in moment.
Then the semaphorc arm fell with a
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 I talked the
matter over between us, and agreed
that we would not mention it to any.
one, as it was better for oil that it
should be kept quiet. Then I offered
him half the money.
"No," said he, 81 won't take it. If
his story's true, it's something like
the price of blood. They must have
given him the cash lor his journey and
expenses.
| hadn't seen it in that light.
swell, mate, I believe you're right.
1 never thought OF that. I 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 i! anony-
mously to railway CHARITY, and the
next morning VIC did so.
Two days after that, I was of 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. 1 read as fol.
lows:
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE O" A CHM.
ooh Thursday evening last
strange occurrence, the facts of which
are unknown, must have taken place
somewhere on the main line OF the
Southwestern Railway between Water.
loo and Basingstoke. Our readers
will remember the case of embezzle.
ment and forgery at the head Offices of
the 'Amalgamated General European
and Colonial Exchange, a forgery on
large scale. in which the under cash
Ter, Charles Winfield, clever, and
unfortunately well-trusted yonng man,
was deeply implicated. Winfield, by
some means, managed to escape arrest
and the police have been assiduously
following his track since. On the
evening in question Detective Baxter,
Of Scotland Yard, recognized Winfield
in a tirst.c|ass compartment of the
9.35 boat.train from Waterloo to
southampton. The train was just
moving ont of the station. and IL vas