The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-01-16
THE MAN In THE TRAIN.

girls rushed into the station. They had
Just time to hurry into the first car
riagc at hand and have their bags and
rugs bundled in after them, when the
whistle sounded and the train started.
How 1 hate a rush." exclaimed An
gela Trevor, the elder of the W SIS
tiers, a handsome, resolute-looking girl,
as she sank breathless into her place.
ut is so upsetting to ones nerves"
"Disarranges ones clothes, too" added
Molly.
ITO think of our not having had time
to select a carriage for such a long jour
ney!" said Angela.
Both glanced involuntarily to the other
end of the carriage, where their one
fellow traveller sat in the corner seat
on the same side with Angela. His
head and face were hidden from view
by the ample pages of the Times spread
out before him. Two long. tweed-clad
legs were stretched out, finished with
fiattish feet in well-finished boots. At
the side glimpses showed of a shoulder,
an arm, and a thin, nervous-looking
hand.
HE looks all right" Molly said, care
lessly thrusting a hairpin into her back
hair.
"Undeniably a gentleman" said An
gela, with decision. HE has a good
tailor, and his boots are uneXceptional.'
The girls settled down for the journey,
extracting from among the surrounding
impedimenta the usual literary solaceS
in the way of newspapers and wildly
bound books. First, however, they
talked over in low tones the visit on
which they were going in Yorkshire.
Their hostess was a friend and con-
temporary, who had lately married the
squire of Mapledene. The girls were
full of excitement, surmise Il pleasant
-anticipations regarding the visit to
their friend in her new place and posi-
ton. 1t was some time before the flow
of conversation ceased, and they o
I'D their books. Angela was soon en-
gagged in following the unwholesome
career of a modern heroine through all
its risky intricacies. Mollie had CHANGED
on a volume Of short stories, plainly in
,spired by the triumphs of Sherlock
Holmes. They were full of Shastly ad'
ventures with criminals and lunatIcs;
the situations, though infinite IN va
riety, were all alike thrilling and blood
.curdling. Mollie's youthful magma
ton took fire; IL story, an adventure
with a lunatic in a railway carriage, IS
pecially excited her. 1t was not a par
ticularly happy selection for a railway
Journey. She looked up from the page:
with a shudder, her blood running cold
1t was only in books, however, tina
awful, creepy adventures happened tx
travellers. She had never known a rea
person who was unlucky enough t.
meet a criminal or lunatic in a train
AS the r~eassuring thought entered he
mind, her eyes wandered to the lar ent
of the carriage. They unexpectedly me
those of the man in the corner seat
the shock was sharp and violent. ID
was sitting up, the Times folded on HI
knees, allowing his whole face TO b
seen. Such a face! Just like so man.
of those described in the stories Molll
had been reading. The coincidence wa
extraordinary and startling. The girl
imagination rushed off on a series o
wild flights, and she drew quickly bach
covering behind her book. She ma
never seen a stranger looking man
hollow-cheeked, g@unt, grim, but, aboV
all. with the most peculiar eyes, stal
ing and prominent. She had so little eA
Dected such a development in the harm
Restocking man behind the Times tina
the shock and surprise were very grea
She retained, however, ~self-contrc
enough no. to appeal to Angela on IN
IMPULSE of the moment. Mollle wa
used to having fears ridiculed' Oh
therefore decided to wait before gl'
ing any alarm. for it was possible thu
6er excited imagination was runnlh
away with her.
After a few minutes she ventured
peep cautiously from behind her boo
The man had turned away, II W.
looking out of the window, the gauI
face only showing in prohle. Moli
breathed more freely, relieved frol
thestareo of those terrible eyes; she mao
a ouick. close study Of the stranger. =
the scrutiny progressed however al
other change came over her 1ace-u
pos she had regained began
diminish rapidly. Her eyes noted u
mans bare head, then went from 1t
the rack above, to the seat opposite
the floor. No trace of hat or hat bo
of bags, rugs or luggage of any XII
could she discover. Her heart stoe
still. Who but an escaped lunatic
criminal would be travelling hatless al
without baggage? The CHASTITY idea
vague before, now took terrible n de
mite shape. She bent quickly aero
and touched the unconscious Angel
whom the doubtful heroine's adve
tures still held wholly absorbed.
.STake care Mollie whispere
"Don't start and look around. l wa
to tell you something"
Good gracious! What has happene'
Are you iIl?"
Angela, so suddenly aroused fro
her reading. found it hard not to e
claim aloud at her sisters words al
the sight of her pale face.
NO, no. 1 am all right. Only i
p great deal worse. It's about the M;
in the carriage" Mollie's voice sank