The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-01-07

That's SO, that's So" whispered the
loving Ben, "we must keep num-. You
know, my angel. we talked over sew
eral points that we thought of going to.
You still think we had best go tS-to-"
"Why. to Chicago. CT course!
thought that was all settled, Tom?"
ut is, it is. certainly. my love! Now.
we're not so far from the depot, ard
we must have crr course fully under
stood. I've get I all thought out, you
see. We vert buy any tickets in the
depot, but ray en- the train. if neces-
sary. though | don't think it will be,
necessary. or course if we went to
the waiting room some one might rec
ognize US, though even you. darling,
1 am sure. won't know me when you
see lne. for have on a black wig and
a false mrstache. and different clothes
than YOU ever saw me in; besides, l
have changed my face. expression and
voice as much as l could. I've been
practicng for this, you see"
''Oh. Tom! how smart you are"
gasped Susan.
Eyes. that's a fact" assented Zen.
"I'm pretty smooth guy-I mean duck.
Anyway. when the train pulls in we
will be standing in the dark across the
way, and slip into one of the coaches
and sit down and pretend to be asleep
when the conductor comes along. You
do just what I tell you and it will be o.
K, my sweetheart"
eyes, Tom" answered Susan.
tSCox Inrr5ror, dr,sf ~ ho
mantle to get eff two or three stations
out and have some preacher marry us? ?"
cooed the captivating Ben.
"Oh, Toni" gurgied Susan.
"Then we will. Oh. you are lulu!"
murmured Ben under his breath.
Presently the> stood in the dark
ness at the end of coal shed across
the street from the depot. Scarcely any
one was moving about. and the street
lights looked like yellow spots in the
fog and gloom. The pair occasionally
exchanged whispered words. and again
Susan protested about the onions. At
last the train came in, and the men be-
gan unloading the baggage. AT that
the runaway couple stole up to the
train on the dark side, Slipped into
the chair car unobserved, and took
seats. The lights were turned low and
apparently the passengers were all
asleep. Susan, all a-futter with ex-
citement. glanced at her escort. She
at once opened her mouth to scream,
but Burglar Ben put his hand quickly
( over her mouth.
"Take good look at me and see II
you don't like me in my disguise!" he
whispered. Susan obediently looked
with wide, frightened eyes.
/ 'My," she gasped, "you are awfully
changed, but are handsomer than ever,
! Tom"
"And you are peach!" whispered
the cracksman, squeezing her hand.
Two men reclined apparently asleep
in the seats just before them. Glanc-
ing about quickly Burglar Ben reached
over and took from their hats the blue
slips of pasteboard which conductors
give passengers after punching their
tickets. One of these he placed in his
own hat and the other he stuck in the
window-frame near Susan's head. He
! then nestled down in his seat, spread
handkerchief over his face, pulled his
hat down over that, drew Susan's
veiled face on his shoulder, and began
| to snore in a soft, slow fashion. "When
the conductor comes through, darling,
snore just trifie," he whispered.
During this time one of the men from
whom the pasteboard slips had been
taken turned round with the noiseless
movement of cat after a mouse He
| glanced at the slip in Burglar Ben's hat,
drew a pair of handouts from his
pocket, and STOPPING over the snoring
couple softly took the cracksman's
hand.
"What are you doing, dovey?' muir
INJURED Burglar Ben, from under the
handkerchief. Then suddenly he leaped
up with a smothered yell and tried to
strike at the man before him.
But handouts were on his wrists.
| The conductor entered at that mo-
ment. Susan screamed. and the burglar
tried to dive through the window, but
was caught by his feet and held. The
depot watchman seized him by the head
on the outside of the car, and the gallant
cracksman came near being pulled in
twain. A brakeman quickly turned up
the light. while the conductor and the
men who had lost the slips pulled Bur-
| glar Ben back into the car, leaving his
wig and mustache in the hands of the
Waterman on the outside. The ro-
mantle cracksman looked common.
place. but fought with uncommon
spirit.
"Oh, it isn't Tom! 1t isn't my Tom
at ALL" screamed Susan. jumping up
and down in the aisle of the car. I'm
eloPing with the wrong mani" In
CONSERVATION she turned to the stran-
ger who had manipulated the hand
cuffs. "Oh!" she cried with joy. "you
are Tom! You are Toni"
'No. am not" said he; I'm Tum.
not Tom! I just got in from Frisco.
Am on the detective force out there, so
happened to have a pair of handouts
in my pocket. Would have been car
ried by the station only this scoundrel
woke me pp!"
With gasp of JOY Susan sat down
suddenly on the floor OF the car. and
very properly went into Mysteries.
/ Now it would seem that this chron-
icle might fittingly end here. But there
was finally wedding and bridal trip,
though gallant Tum, and not Tom, was
the bridegroom. rom, with sore but
rapidly healing heart, went to San
Francisco, and, presenting a written
iD1orcamapt fro,,, bic bro4J,ar eoo,,,ol