The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-06-11
Selett Stnrp.
THE CONVICT'S REVENGE.
BY VICTOR L. WHITECHURCH.
From Strand Magazine.

Ugh = said my companion to me,
with a shiver and little clutch at my
arm "That's thing | hate =
We were standing by level crossing as
he spoke. We had almost started to cross
the rails, when rumble and whistle
and the bright glare of the headlights
heralded the close approach of a train.
So we stood back for moment or two to
let the iron steed and his load pass The
lights from the carriages flashed out upon
us. then there was swirl of wind as dark
ness came on once more, and the red tail
light vanished round the curve beyond.
'Why,' | remarked, with laugh, as
we went on again, "surely an old soldier
and ex-prison warder like yourself ism t
afraid Of passing train?
"Ah, sir, every man has his weakness,
and IN not ashamed to confess that I've
got mine And, perhaps, if you'd had
an experience that happened to me some
ten years ago, you'd finch a bit when an
express train ratified past you.
.'Oh, there's foundation for it, is
there p
There is, sir, and if you care to step
inside my little place and rest for half an
hour, I'll tell you the yarn, such as it is. y
expressed myself only too delighted
to pick up the proffered information. |
must explain before | 90 further that until
the evening in question my companion had
been unknown to- me. | had been staying
for few days at the little cathedral city
of Dullminster, and had been on day S
fishing excursion in the neighborhood with
no companion save my pipe. 1t was while
pensiveIy watching my float in the quiet
little stream that fine-looking old fellow
appeared, bent on the same spot as myself,
and took up his position close by. As
bites were few and far between, we en-
tered into conversation, and when dusk set
in, by mutual consent, we packed our
traps and set off together over the pleasant
fields that lay between us and Dullminster.
He told me something of his past history
as we trudged along, from which l gath
cred that he had begun life in the
army, and afterwards he had been a
warder in the well-known convict prison
of Dartport, from which post he had re-
tired into private life some few years since,
and had come to exc out a restful exist
ence on savings and pension in Dullmin-
ster, the place of his birth.
A few hundred yards beyond the level
crossing we stopped at the door of little
house in one of the streets in the outskirts
of the town.
''Come in, sir, said the old fellow,
'Tm all by myself-yes, an old bachelor,
sir And if you'll condescend to have a
cup of tea, while | spin you the yarn,
you re welcome to it.
1t was chilly autumn evening, and
the bright fire and singing kettle in the
little sitting room looked very inviting, SO
| gladly accepted mine host s invitation.
"And now, sir" said he, when we
were comfortably settled, "Tll tell you
why don t like to be near an express
train at night.
''Of course, as you can imagine, we
used to have some queer customers at
Dartport. Her majesty's private hotels
take all kinds of folk, and we are not par
ticular as to character One of the worst
gaol birds that | ever remember was a GER
tain convict whom / will call by his old
number-36 He was in for long SEN
tence-in fact, as far as | know, he's
doing time yet; though if there been a
little more evidence forthcoming at his
trial, his term of Imprisonment would have
been short one, ending in the prison