The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-04-23

hers
How little had | ever thought my
chestnut hair would bring me into
such fearful danger as this for, ludi-
crous though it sounds-to lose ones
life because the color of ones hair
happened to be that of another per-
son's-I could not doubt that the mad
man beside me was determined to
murder me.
Il knew that the reXt station we
stopped at would be Stafford, and we
were many, many miles from there
my only hope lay in gaining time, al
though that was scarcely Il hope |
felt that | must die, However, |
managed to conceal my terror and to
speak.
Cannot you tell me about your
sister What was her fate = Then.
as l saw the ferocity of his glance,
felt that | had made mistake, and
FASTENED TO say something else-any-
thing. What was she like Was she
very beautiful: ,
"Beautiful, She was iovely-loYely
as an angel, with large blue eyes, and
hair of that glorious chestnut-just
like your own he added, again fixing
his eyes upon my face.
This was becoming unpleasantly
personal, and ! fastened to break the
silence.
Have you any photograph of herr
photograph? No; no likeness of
her at all. | would give anything for
one, though do not believe that any
artist could ever reproduce such
beauty as hers
while he was speaking thought
struck met surely must have been
an inspiration; to it owe my life--l
am quite certain. | addressed my
terrible companion again:
Il think if you describe your sister
to me could draw her likeness for
YOU. | have often sketched heads be-
fore, and | have my materials here"
How thankful felt that | had for
gotten to pack them up He turned
towards me with a quick look of sus-
picion, which slowly changed into
doubt. My voice trembled so that the
words were scarcely audible; and as |
fumbled at the strings of my case, try
ing to undo them, | doubted whether
nv shaking fingers would guide the
pencils The mailman evidently sus-
pected my design, and looking doubt
fully two or three times from me to
the deadly little weapon and back
well, it's very kind of you to try,
though don't believe you will be able
to do it; but there will be plenty of
time before we get near the station
with peculiar glance at the revolver
k8zhickbeuTlea thAkaQo dinnIHNsfNeiusas
;, Isucceede tslasts ifn9ektfngnutia
sketehing- block and some penoilssa1d
IHilea,S %itifA biief; 5eafa96St f3faSBf for
|Aa5g. es6rr n srreer 5Fifa af}asdq
told me, his sister II aess, :, Eas OLAF oyFAl
Sshap and be desert duly and es9
features as clearly and distinctly as
anyone in perfect possession of their
senses could have done.
AT first l tried to lengthen my task,
| for | knew Stafford was n two hours
| Journey from Rugby, and dared not
| look at my watch to see how much of
that time had already elapsed, for l
| knew that would not do. The maniac,
seeing no likeness to his sister as yet
in nv drawing, evidently began to
| doubt nv powers; so | cOntrived to
proceed more quickly, and presently,
two or three lucky strokes altering the
whole expression of the face, he de-
clared that the likeness was really
coming. No need then to complain of
his attention wandering; he eagerly
watched every stroke, Offering each
moment a suggestion for an alteration
here. curve there, and SO on, quite
inteligently.
Seeing how engrossed he was, | be-
gan to think how | could turn this to
some advantage in order to escape.
/ At first the wild thought crossed my
brain to open the carriage door next
me and lump out; but moments re-
Election showed me that considering
the rate at which we were then travel
ling, such a course would mean sudden
death. The last time we had stopped,
the other side of the train to that
where was sitting had been next the
platform; but | knew it was not al
ways the same, and the only plain
could think of at all rested chiefly on
the hope that at Stafford it would be
my side.
II knew that the door was not locked
because when first took my seat the
fastening was not quite secure, and
we had called the attention of the
guard to it. who, | was sure, had not
| locked it. determined then to I'M
fasten this door, if l could contrive to
do so unperceived, the moment the
train slackened speed, and jump out
as soon as | could do so with any safe
so much the better; if not-well, |
would rather risk injury than be shot
in cold blood.
"Youm may think how my heart beat
and how my fingers trembled, though
| | contrived to talk ceaselessly about
the drawing, asking my companions
opinion at almost every stroke. Most
wonderful it was that in such terrible
fear and anxiety, | should be able to
draw at all, much more that | should
have been able to produce likeness
TO a person | had never seen-a thing
| should have declared impossible at
any other time.
''At last the critical moment arrived.
| felt the train perceptibly slackening
and guessed that the station was at
hand.
"There.n said, brightly, 1 think
YOU had better hold this up to the
lamp and examine it critically; per
haps you will find some further altera-
He took the sketch from me, sus-
pecting nothing, and held it up to the
lamp, standing with his back to me,
and actually leaving his revolver
which all this time he had been hold
ing-on the seat.
by this time the station lights were
in sight, and without pausing to think
of the danger, l seized the revolver,
opened the door, and jumped onto the
platform, but more than fifty yards
from the buildings forming the station.
Il was an instant too soon. With Il
wild shout the maniac followed me
was almost upon mel could even
feel his breath upon his cheek tried
to scream for help, but could not;
however, fear, though it robbed me of
my voice must have lent me wings,
for distanced my pursuer, and fell
painting and breathless almost into
the arms of the station-Inaster.
by a fortunate chance, or rather
should say, a providential occurrence,
a group of people We're standing near,
ana seeing my alarm-for l was still
powerleSs to speak-and the wild APP
pearance Of my pursuer, seized and
overpcwered him.
When | was sufficiently recovered
to tell my story think they would
hardly have believed it but for the
evidence of the revolver-which | was