Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-09-11

tTeSS
@UOUSANDS of men throughout
the world are each day pa
tiently seeking in the laby-
rlnthine ways of evidence the
proof or disproof Of some poor wrctch's
guilt, the penalty of whose conviction
perhaps is death, and the life of Il man
may be lost or saved by a thread Slcn-
der, yet so unbreaking and sure that it
holds inevitable truth in its mcShcS.
Sometimes there is only a tiny seed of
truth, but grain of gold outvalucS ten
of droSS.
One afternoon last summer Il man
occupied the rear end compartment i'll
a train bound north from Lu, crnc. He
was leaning leisurely against the door
frame watching the crowding thrung
in the station as the train took on its
burden preparatory for the journey.
He was powerfully built, and even
in this attitude Of repose he betrayed
the tense control with which he domi-
mated the abundant energy which per
vadcd him. He was an American.
The train was about to start when
the traveller noticed a woman Strug-
Cling through the crowd toward it.
She had scarcely reached the rear end
when the train started, and the Amer
lean, jumping down, caught her bag
gage and assisted her to mount to the
compartment which he was occupying.
When they had recovered their COM
posure and he had slowed away her
I, I, .l-p I,nf <.Il
young, richly dressed and wore jaun-
ty travelling hat which seemed haunt
ingly familiar to him. She was unmiS-
takably French.
Oh! He remembered her standing op-
posite him at Monte Carlo on the night
Of his fortunate play, when the crou-
pier had put into his hands the returns
OF his lucky hazard. He also rcmcm-
bered the expression of hatred and
avidity from the eyes across the table
as he turned to leave. Presently she
felt his questioning gaze and spoke:
ooh, monsieur, je vous remercie!
Nous m'avez sauvee"
Though he caught the meaning of
her words in her smile and gesture, he
tied back to read his paper. She sigh
ed and glanced at him from time to
time, but his attention was soon alb
sorbcd, and silence reigncd except for
the rumble of the speeding train. Once
he laid aside the paper to draw out
and light a cigar, but she was gazing
intently out into the closing darkness.
Then suddenly she spoke in English:
"Monsieur, give me 5000 francs"
The American looked up question
ingly.
"Monsieur give me 5000 francs" she
repeated calmly, looking directly into
his eyes. He returned her look tiXedly.
Madame, you are mistaken. lam an
American traveller We have never
met before"
"But monsieur will give to me the
money" she said, this time with un-
mistakable menace In her voice.
He did not answer her at once. Evi-
dently this was not a case of mistaken
identity. 1t was n threat. But how
could this mite Of woman carry out
the menace she implied in her per
sistcnt demand and eloquent gesture?
His hand clasped the butt of his re-
volver as he answered:
"And if | will not?"
"Then l will scream" she answered
simply.
lie smiled ut his own crcdulity The
woman was mad. But this idea was
quickly dispelled by the look of des-
perate determination she fixed upon
his as she said:
II will give to monsieur three min
utes."
They sat dogGcdly facing each other,
she watching the hands of Il tiny
watch, he vainly conjecturing her next
move. The train began to Slow up for
the next station. The three minutes
licked by.
Then she deliberately threw aside
her watch. tore her hat from her head,
dishcveletL.h .hcr hair till it Strcamcd in
wild dsordeE. over her shoulders and
even dug her nails into her cheek TIL
the blood Smcarcd her face. Mean
while she threw open the window and
screamed "A mol A moi, Help, re
American" and uttered sighs and
stified grOanS. The American leaned
back in his seat and waited, the only
evidence of his excitement in the furi-
Gus putting of his cigar between his
set teeth.
Before the train had come to a stop
in the station the gendarmes had
boarded and the accused man faced
four revolvcrs. Still he waited,
frown of perpleXity on his brow. while
the woman gave the officers n hurried
account of her struggle and held up
to them the portemonnaic which, she
averred, he had not been able to wreSt
from her before the train arrived at
the station.
The case looked clear. The Ameri-
can rose to accompany the gendarmcs,
as their prisoner when suddenly he
stopped and mOtioned them aside with
GESTURE so convincing that they
lOOScd their rough hold and stood back.
He took the cigar from between his
teeth. The ashes clinging to its end
were an inch long.
Madnets For IroncIads