The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-02-15
THE MIDNIGHT TRA!N


she assented She bad thought It was
going 20 be SO different when she bad
come up from her aunt'a dull home to
live With Der brother IN the city. but
Leonard only Kissed her and was gone
II know he Is mixed up with some
dreadful people," Olga Thurston
thought as she returned 70 the little
sitting room and raked the dying ems
bers Of the Ere into q glowing heap.
because poor mother was a Russian
Leonard thinks himself bound 70 fra
tornlze with an the black sheep who
come over here why can't he be con-
tent with nice English friends ike
the cunninghamsY
A blush overspread her face as the
remembrance Of Hugh Cunningham
parting that very afternoon crossed
her mind. aud she could feel once mora
the warm pressure Of the hand and
hear the mellow voice saying; Good.
BY, Olga. win come again tomor
row.
she had risen 70 extingnish the lamp
before retiring to her own room when
she heard the sound Of key being
turned IN the front door. and. fearing
lest Leonard should be angry II be
found her still up. she slipped behind
curtain that was drawn across the
window to wait until he bad gone 10
bis room. To her dlsmay. however,
her brotner was not alone
Ills friends Kroutalzki and Schneider
were with him, and they began 10
speak at once. evidently continuing
conversation.
"You understand what You have 70
do. said schreiber addressing Leon.
ard. Il viii tell you once more. that
you make 20 mistake. The train bear
ing that Internal villain passes youi
station here at 1910 and reaches Red.
Vile at 1905, You must get IN here
and leave the train again at RedgIlle,
and mind you select the carriage iu
front OF the saloon and leave yout
parcel under the seat as close to the
partition as you can get Il"
How long win II last as II Tsp ask
ed Leonard 10 faltering tones
''For an hour and a half It "a sci
to 10 on al 20. and the train win be
halfway between Redville and Let
terham then That gives you plenty
OF time even allowing FOR delays
schfelber had spoken IN English,
though with a strong foreign accent
and the trembling girl behind the win.
dow curtain had heard every word
with a shuddering horror not only 90
account Of the dastardly crime they
were plotting. but because she remem
bered that Captain Cunningham was
quartered at Ietferham and That ne
was dining ID London that night and
would almost certainly so back BY The
midnight train. The conspirators lefi
almost Immediately, arst carrying into
the room a square package done up 10
brown paper and placing Il carefully
on q chair
AS 10 q dream Olga Watched Leon
ard through a rent 10 the curtain Hay
ing drunk OF some whisky. be picked
up bis burden and let himself out al
the door Within dpe minutes d close.
~ yelled figure was following him. and
the brother aud sister reached the sta.
tion simultaneously. they took tick
cts for Redvllie ana Leiterham Is.
spectYely. Olga getting into com
partment at the end Of the train aud
Leonard entering the one next to the
saloon carriage
At Redvllle both got ont aud Olga
had the satisfaction Of seeing her
brother hurry away. while she speedily
took his place and perceived to her
horror that a man Ia q fur coat was
asleep n one corner
She bad learned from a porter that
the train stopped once more halfway
70 Ietterham. and with an her heart
she prayed that the awful thlng might
not 60 on until she could get ont With
it ct the little roadside station she
sat trembling from bead 70 foot
At Hast came shrili whistle. and
with her heart beating ia her throat
as It seemed to her. olga began to
grope under the seat
The man ia the fur liHed coat sat up. 1
"Can help sou to End angthingY
he asked, and Olga saw that one Of her +
fears was realized, for Il was Hugh t
Cunningham
mo: please don't-don't touch II"
she gasped, and as the train stopped +
she lifted the parcel and placed It on
the seat
It was very heavy and from it came
terrible ticking sound, which the
noise Of the train had prevented them
from hearing before, Hugh looked at
her euriously
"0leag be exclaimed. what is
thisg9 He got out quickly. bnt in the
delay caused BY having to give UP hist
ticket he lost sight Of her. and she ran
swiftly down the dark road away from
the station
She dared not 20 too far gate
leading into a big field invited her to
enter She did so and, having set
down the awful package, turned back
again with long, sobbing breaths AZ
she reached the gate an explosion rent
the air, and. with a wall Of anguish
mingled with relief Olga fell into
Hughs arms
Perfect confidence reigns between
Captain and Mrs Cunningham except
at one point He has never sought to
learn how she became acquainted with /
the plot e assassinate the Russian
minister, and when Olga receives her
American letters he does not ask to
- 49,. "a ....h 40 10 .,-.fs.- ta-