Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-02-21
lCopyright. lOO5. by B9bbs.MerrII 60
CHAPTER Il.-continued.

gers, in the hope OF seeing some one
l knew. Conversation on trains makes
short journeys. | sat up
stiGly in my seat. Diagonally across
the aisle sat the very chap | had met
in the curio-shop He was quietly
reading a popular ma gazine, and oc-
casiOnally smile lightened his sar-
donic mouth. Funny that | should
run across him twice in the same
evening! Men who are contemplating
suicide never smile in that fashion
He was smoking a small, well-colored
meerschaum pipe with evident relish
Somehow, when man clenches his
teeth upon the mouthpiece of re-
spectacle pipe, it seems impossible to
associate that man with crime. But
the fact that ! had seen him selecting
a pistol in & pawnshop rather neutral
lied the good opinion | was willing to
form. | have already expressed my
views upon the subject The sight of
him rather worried me, though |
could not reason why. Whittier was
he bound? Had he finally taken one
of Friard's pistols? For a moment |
was on the point of speaking to him,
if only to hear him tell more lies
about the ten OF hearts, but | wisely
put aside the temptation. Besides
it might be possible that he would
not be glad to see me. | always avoid
the chance acquaintance unless, of
course, the said chance acquaintance
is met under favorable circumstances
like the girl in Mouquin's, for in
stance. After all, it was only an in
'cident; and, but for his picking up
that card, never should have remem-
bered him.
Behind him sat a fellow with a
.countenance as red and round and
.complacent as an English butler's,-
red hair and small twinilling eyes.
Once he leaned over and spoke to my
>hance acquaintance, who. without
turning his head, thrust o match over
his shoulder, The man with the face
of butler lighted the most villainOis
pipe ] ever behcld, / wondered il
they knew each other. But closely
as | watched, saw no sign from
either. l turned my collar up and
snuggled down There was no need
of his seeing me.
Then my thought reverted to the
ten of hearts again. My ten of hearts.
The wrinkle OF a chill ran up and
down my spine, My ten of hearts!
Hastily / took out the card and eX-
amined the back fit. 1t was an un-
commonly handsome back, represent
ing Diana, the moon, and the midnight
sky. A horrible suppOsition came to
me: supposng they looked at the
back as well as at the face of the
card? And again, supposing / was
niles away from the requisite color
and design? | was staggered. Here
was a pretty fix. l had never even
dreamed of such a contingency. Hang
it! ! now wished ! had stuck to my
original plan, and gone to the theater.
Decidedly | was in for it; there was
no backing down at this late hour,
unless I took the return train for Jer-
.sey City; and ! possessed too much
stubbornness to surrender to any
such Weakness Either | should pass
the door committee, or | shouldn't; of
one thing | was certain.
"Blankshire!" bawled the trainman;
then the train slowed down and finally
came to a stop.
No turning back for me now.
picked up by suit case and got out. On
the platform I saw the curio-shop fell
low again. Tramping on ahead, the
smell from his villainous pipe assailing
my nostrils was the man who had
asked for match. The former stood
nd
this space of time he caught sight of
me He became erect, gave me a sud
den sardonc laugh, and swiftly dis
appeared into the darkness. All Nis
was uncommonly disqueting; in vain
/ stared into the blackness that had
swallowed him. What could he be
doing here at Biankshire? didn't
like his laugh at all; there was at
once menace and challenge in it.
Amy baggage sr?" asked one of
the station hands.
No" But ! asked him to direct me
TO a hotel. He did SO.
| made my way down the street
The wind had veered around and was
coming in from the sea. pure and cold
The storm clouds were broken and
scuddng like dark ships, and at
times there were flashes of radiant
moOnShine.
The fashionable hotel was full So
] plodded through the drifts to the
unfashionable hotel. Here | found ac.
commodation. / dressed, sometimes
laughing, sometimes whistling, some
times standing motionless in doubt.
Bah! 1t was only lark -. thought
of the girl in Mouquins; how much
better it would have been to spend the
evening with her, exchanging badinage,
and looking into each others eyes!