River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-04-09
A PrediCamcnt
BY
Rev. Henry M. Wharton
Copyright 1908 BY Daily Story Pub. Co.
7 WAS sitting in our private car al

| | the Terminal station, St. Louis, Mo.
1t must have been half past eleven at
night, and such a night. All day d
bowling rainstorm had been beating
down upon the city and the night
closed in with gloom and mud, with
pouring rain and driving wind.
Ny partner had not come in, nor
had the porter; both were late and
| was beginning to be anxious about
| them. Scores of trains and shifting
engines pass in and out Of the great
station-and often persons have been
killed in getting across the network
of tracks.
AS 1 sat reading, / felt a slight
culver of the car. My office door
which opens on the hall running
from end to end of the car and near
which l was sitting had been lett
opened. [ listened eagerly. 1t could
not be either of our party for thew
came always with a well-kno"n
heavy step.
As | listened l heard distinctly
gentle knock at the front door. In
| stantly [ went to the door and there
before me plainly visible through the
glass stood young lady. She looKed
at me with a pleading, anxious eA-
preston. and at the same time mo-
! toned with her hand as if there was
some one behind her. L opened the
door and she stepped inside. Her
waterproof was dripping with raln
| though she carried an umbrella.
| please lock the door," she said.
| obeyed, and stood waiting for an
| explanation with increasing uneasi-
ness and anxiety.
You do not know me-" She spoke
hurriedly and excitedly. you do
not know me, but l know you. l live
in Alton; have been here spending
the day. / was starting home and
waiting for the train. A man has
been following me all the evening;
[ went out to supper with a friend,
he followed me there, he followed me
to the train, when | went in the car
he went in and took a seat near me.
| came out, he followed me, he is here
now lurking between these cars. Oh,
sir, can you protect me?
I assured her that l would do the
best in my power to protect her and
would she please take seat. My
partner would be in in a few minutes
and we would make her comfortable
for the night.
''Oh, no, no, mol" she cried, 81 can
not stay here. The train to Alton is
gone. l have an uncle living near
Forest Park l must go there. Is it
| asking too much?"
That 1 go with you?" [ interrupt
ed. "Certainly not; take seat, will
get my macintosh and umbrella and
be with you at once"
When we stepped off the platform
a man like a dark shadow disap-
peared around the end of a Pullman
car. L had no weapon, not even
pocketknife. But the young woman
was so pleasant and her manners
were so easy and ladylike L had no
thought but to protect her and take
her in safety to her uncle's home.
We boarded an Eighteenth street
car, changed to a suburban and tray
eled for nearly an hour.
We talked together upon general
subjects, noticed the people come and
| go and nothing unusual occurred I'M
| til she looked back in the car, then
suddenly in a hoarse whisper said:
He is there, he is in this car on that
back seat. Oh, [ am afraid he will
wait for you and kill you. What
shall we do?"
] confess L was considerably dis
turbud. Why should he still pursue
her when he knew l was with her?
We were running through a dark
narrow street known as the Fright
of Way when she touched the cleo
trio button and stopped the car.
I'VE get off here" she said as she
rose.
The man was gone, but [ caught a
glimpse of his retreating form going
across an open lot along a path
which we followed also.
There he goes!" she said, and
shivered as she took my arm.
The situation was growing more
and more mysterious. We were il
utter darkness. The rain was rafting
upon my umbrella and the wind
blowing a gale. We passed into an
alley. dark, narrow and repulsive.
But for her appearance and conduct
! should have gravely suspected foul
play.
We came out of the alley, however.
in a few minutes into a welI-Tghtcd
street.
"Ah," she said with a good long
breath, 1--WE are nearly there. That
is the house, and | am SO glad. Now
you must come right in and sit few
minutes. L will introduce you to nv
uncle and tell him how good YOU
have been. He is very nice. Come in"
Feeling in no mood to go back
into the fearful night and probably
an encounter with a mailman, [ ac-
cepted her invitation. She led me
into a brilliantly Illuminated parIor.
where a grand piano stood open, and
handsome furniture and bric-a-brac
with well-appointed portraits and
other paintings made up a very in
wiling place. Take a seat and ex-
cuse me-" she said. Il must get off
these wet clothes, and introduce my
uncle"
She returned in much less time
than l expected, and with her came
fine looking gentleman, all smiles
and politeness. But my blood fairly
froze when 1 saw a striking resem-
blance to the man who was in the
car.