The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-01-19

| w
ever, it didn't bother me very much, as
soon saw that there wasn't great deal
to be dropped off east of Perth. and once
Montreal Junction was passed, there
would be lots of time. On my own run
with express as well as baggage and a
stop every half.dozen miles, it was much
more of problem.
cat the Junction, kept the door shut
until there came a sharp hammering.
when l opened quickly, and standing to
one side in the shadow, thrust out a
hand end hauled aboard one small Sara
toga. After that, it should have been al
most clear sailing with no stop before
Winchester, and then only for water.
"Book in hand, l began to jot down
numbers and destinations, stopping
whenever came to piece for any point
east of Toronto, and dragging it out of
the pile to space which had cleared
near the door. From time to time,
threw glance towards the bunk, but all
appeared to be quiet here, and 1 con-
cluded that Burt must be fast asleep.
"Then, without warning, the storm
broke. AS l bent over to haul piece of
Smith Falls from under two Chicagos, a
pint flask struck the side of the car
above my head, and fragments dropped
all around me. turned to find sitting
on the edge Of the bunk-a mailman
Was this the man whom had considered
to be helpless? ? Two eyes fairly blazing
from under the matted black hair mus
cles quivering, and alertness only too ap
parent. The flask told the story of the
one pint which had substituted delirium
for ordinary drunkenness.
"But there was little time for specula-
ton or tracing back effect to cause, for,
as L Strengthened up and looked into
those crazy eyes, he had dropped from
the berth and was coming for me over
the tops of the trunks As preliminary
| to a Presbyte1 picnic, l cannot say
that l cared for the situation. There
was no time to do anything just then
but Just what did, and that was to run.
| if laundering over trunks, sliding between
trunks, doubling around trunks, and
otherwise playing puss-in-the-corner and
doing little obstacle racing on the side
| may be called running.
81 had an idea that even if had any
thing to say, it wouldn't be much use
trying to say it, so kept my tongue te-
tween my teeth, and saved my breath.
But at last the game became uncanny.
| 1t was too much like cat and mouse.
He was in no hurry, it seemed. He knew
that some time or another he would catch
me, and was content to await the time.
| No longer any mumbled curses or threats.
Instead, the CLEAN of those eyes and
| silence.
"And, as if hadn't troubles enough of
| my own, had to remember once more
| the mans wife whom | had never seen;
| the woman who must have struggled
with this terror of the night, single
handed not once, but many times. 1t
seemed absurd to be thinking Of how
could save the man from himself, when |
needed all my wits, apparently, to save
myself from him. And yet the thought
persisted Surely, there must be some
way by which the reasoning faculties
could be brought back and at least little
rest obtained for the shattered nerves be
fore he was seen by anyone in authority,
and perhaps broken
"What methods did this heroic woman
be approached? Remember, was only a
kid, and the whole thing looked to me to
be too big bite for me to chew. At last,
painting Just little and determined to
make an end of this horrible silence, even
if my voice should be all that would
hear, slid behind a big brass-bound
| commercial and across it whispered:
Tom and after moment, shooting at
venture, Tom dear don't you know
me?"
Evidently Tom did not, for, his ex-
preston unchanged and eyes boring me
like gimlets, he merely attempted to tilt
the trunk over on me. But-blessings on
its owner --it must have been filed with
samples of lead pipe, for it budged not.
"The problem jostled with thoughts OF
self preservation, first one being upper
most, then the other. From the two
thoughts came still another. From
Winchester to South Mountain was only
a short run, and there were five trunks
to go off at the latter station, and, as
knew from my own experience OF the
town, every chance that half a dozen
would be waiting to be taken on. Even
at Winchester, when the vibration of the
train would no longer cover the noise we
were making, the true condition of affairs
might be discovered This must not be
permitted for my own sake, for his sake
and for the sake of his wife and all she
had done 1t might be that l would
have to go through to Toronto, but ever
so, if only could escape Jackson's eye
and bring reason to my friend the maniac
there might yet be some way out. Ant
as for Minnie and the picnic
"a hand shot across the smaller trunl
l behind which had been taking refuge
for the moment. Stepping back eludet
it, but the sudden slackening of the trair
t which told NE that it were going owe
/ the frogs at Winchester, threw me slight
= ly forward again. Burt was atop TIL
. box, his blazing eyes closer to mine thar
e l had yet seen them. The other hant
- | Il a. E,;aI Ooca mora I,