The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-24
ON THE MIDNIGHT MAIL.

the door, drew IN the t11lltoWn poucn
hot from the catcher, and with one
hand tossed II upon the distributing
table. He unlocked it and inverted 1t
over the table. Some miscellaneous
pieces of third and fourth class matter
and a small packet of letters fell out.
He united and began to distribute the
latter.
All at once the superscription on one
of the letters seemed to jump with an
insolent defiance to meet his gaze. The
letter was thick and heavy, and was
addressed in his wife's handwriting.
not to him. but to his former rival.
be for that week his running mate"
Clement Gleason.
Mrs Scott was spending the summer
at Hilltown, where, on his off weeks,
her husband Joined her. 1t was scarce
" more than five months ago that
Scott had won her. and Gleason, hav-
ing lost her. had sullenly retired from
the field. Although aware that Gleason
had taken his defeat to heart, Scott had
not suspected him of being capable of
renewing the attack-much less had he
dreamed 1t could prove successful. Yet
the faithless one was evidently in COM
munication with her former suitor. The
Rudacity of the thing, performed lit
orally under his nose, was well-nigh in
conceivable.
In the midst Of its turmoil his mind
harlSed bacl, to their tender parting at
the close OF his latest off week, nearly
seven days earlier. 1t had been in the
evening shadow OF that very station so
recently passed. How she had chung to
khim, as II he were all that was dearest
her in the world He could feel yet.
imagination, her soft arms entwin-
TX his neck, could hear her whisper:
"Oh Charlie. you don't know now
dread havirg you gol 1t gets harder
each time. I'm never easy a moment
while you're away. Your life is always
in danger on that horrid train If any
thing should happen to you, dearest, 1t
would kill me-"
He had treasured her as well as he
could, declaring that one short week
would bring him back to her safe and
sound. And all the while he had
thought with loving pride that he was
surely the luc<est fellow alive To have
such a sweet little woman for his very
own, even though an unkind fate did
keep him away from her through half
the weeks of the year.
What a blind fool he had been, and
what a past mistress in the art of de-
ception shel Her anxiety had been act
ing, doubtless she was hoping for the
fatal accident she pretended to dread.
Scott gritted his teeth in mortified rage
as he reflected upon the ease with
which he had been hoodwinked.
Within a few feet of him, almost at
his side, leason stood. working the
contents of the last Of the pouches
which had been taken on at Colebrook
Junction. The mere sight of him caused
a fierce resentment to surge up ana
nearly overpower Scott. He could have
strangled him with the keenest joy. But
he controlled himself, and thrust the
fateful letter into his pocket.
The express shot past Orringford and
heavier one than the last. For the pres
ent the call of duty was paramount,
and the discipline OF long habit pre-
vailed over all else Yet his myers
seemed to have an intelligence OF their
own leaving his brain free to think.
To think what an idiot he had been In
his fancied security, and how MS trea s.l
rous mate must have chuckled TO hlIn-
elf A fit of insane jealousy well nlgh
astered him. but he struggled with IL
still a little longer. He would klii-lhe
reptile, but how?
= The train had left Colebrook Junction
twenty minutes late. and there was an
important connection fifty miles ahead,
with scarcely a quarter mile OF straight
track on which to make up time com
fortably. The man in the CAB was urlN-
ing ike a demon. Curve. reverse curve,
and reverse again. he struck in quick,
bewildering succession, and with start
ling rectlessness. The two mail clerks,
both their hands occupied, braced them
selves as best they could, leaning this
way. that way. and the other, SELDOM on
one tack" longer than few SECONDS
Every muscle in the legs and back
indeed, in the entire body-was called
into almost ceaseless play. And the
hot close, dog-day atmosphere, the
sitting dust the deafening roar, and the
IMPERATIVE need of continual activity
70 keep pace with the never endlns
work and what wonder If SCOTS blood
grew hot to the point of boiling.
Now the pouch to be left at the next
station was locked. and for few mo-
ments he would be unoccupied. He
stood watching Gleason, still busy drop
ping packages and papers into pouches'
thrusting them into pigeonholes, OF TOSS
ing them into compartments. He turn
ed away and, taking the double stamped
letter from his pocket, bestowed on 1t
f,irtive glance. Then he put IT back and
brought out something elsa big jack
knife his father had given him ana
which he always carried, bulky tnougn
# was. With one eye on Gleason, ne
opened this knife and ran his finger
along the edge of its blade up to its
sharp point. No hunters weapon could
have been more suitable for the pur-
pose; the sole question was. should he
plunge It into the mans back or try 10
slit his jugular?
The train rushed onward down river
There was stretch or wilderness just
ahead where a body thrown out might
not be found for months, II at all Scott
crept nearer his intended victim, keep
ing the knife concealed by the hand
. which was to strike the deadly blow
AThe train was making upward of 80
npiles an hour. and the many curves
I've the impression of a still higher
y speed The mail car oscillated fearful
". Gleason's sturdy figure braced itself
against necessarily changing forces, un-
til by and by a more than usually vio-
lent jerk caused him to throw missive
into the wrong pouch.
with a muttered curse he bent far
forward to recover it. and Scott per-
ceived that his moment had come. His
enemy's defenseless back was fully ex-
posed a fair and easy mark for the
six inches of cold steel awaiting 1t. Two
strides would have brought him to the
SPOT. but he had not made one of them
when a sharp whistle sounded from the
locomotive, and the trains speed abrupt
" slackened. causing Scott to pitch
headlong toward the front of the car
in another second there was mighty
him the whole world