The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-07-04
ON THE BOSTON
EXPRESS
An Assignment That Pro-
duCed Unexpected Results.
BY EDITH J. HUBERT.

Wentworth paused in the doorway
and glanced carelessly over the car.
Then he turned to the porter with an
involuntarily sigh Of relief
Either of these two vacant seats
will do" he said
The porter consulted his book.
mo. II is engaged, sab. but you can
have 49,"
"All right" said Wentworth, taking
possession.
After his belongings had been fin
gered for the conventional length of
time and the dusky official had re-
treated Wentworth looked at his
watch.
Give minutes to starting time" he
murmured, land no sign of her yet, for
which fact the lady has my heartfelt
gratitude.
"My, won't Collins be in deuce
of funk, though. He seems to be un-
commonly keen over the affair. I'll
see what he says again. And, fun
bling in his pocket, he produced a crum-
pied slip of paper
Smoothing it out, he read half audi
bly,: Look out for Annette Blain ON
Boston express. She has wind Of the
states intention to call her as q wit
ness in the Brent murder trial and is
going to cross the border. Is about
fJun wv cl will
hair and gray or blue eyes, timid man
ner, dresses we'll but plainly. Get an
interview with her and find out all she
knows about the case. Don't let this
slip. Should be beat. Other papers
not on"
'Nice thing to foist on a man just
starting on vacation" grumbIed
Wentworth. Anyway I've been
through all the cars-they're all jam
med-and there's no such person in
sight. That lets me out and-Jove"
The porter had come back, followed
by heavily yelled young woman in a
long dark blue travelling coat. AS she
sank Wearily into the seat opposite No.
13 a warning shrek came from the
great engine, and the train puffed SLOW
ly out of the station.
Wentworth eyed her furtively, while
the porter punctiliOusly arranged her
luggage in the rack.
''My victim undoubtedly" he solilo-
quized. poor child! wonder If she
thinks that covering her face with
thick veil when the thermometer is 80
is a good way to escape notice. How
had l best open up the attack? Moral
certainty all's very well, but I'm afraid
mine would become shaky If she should
deny her identity. There's something
about the poise Of her head that indi-
Gates she'd have the nerve to do it, too,
and I've really nothing to go by. Con
found that veil"
At this point a small leather hand
bag obligingly slid off the newcomers
lap, and Wentworth promptly present.
ed it to her with his best bow
"Thank you," she murmured politely,
but in tone that distinctly discourag-
ed any attempt at conversation on his
part. He felt instinctively that 1t
would not be advisable even to make
any suggestions concerning the win.
dow or the chair. He resumed his seat
and sulkily regarded the flying land
scape for several minutes.
When he turned again, his vis-a-vis
had thrown back her veil. AS he look
ed at her Wentworth found it difficult
to suppress an exclamation of amaze
ment. She was so like and yet so I'M
like Collins terse description of the
fugitive witness. Slender she certain
ly was, twenty-five she might be, al
though sixteen would seem nearer the
truth, and her manner was undoubted-
Iy timid. But surely the phrase "brown
hair" conveyed no adequate conception
of those ripping, gold fiecked chestnut
waves that swept away from her
broad white brow and were gathered
in loose coil at the nape of her neck.
Surely the man who had told Collins
about her "'gray or blue eyes, never
had picked viOlets diamonded with the
dew of an early May morning. Surely
no one but brute could endure the
thought Of the delicate pink of those
softly rounded cheeks deepening to
scarlet and those eXquisitely curved
lips quivering under the pitiless fire Of
cross questioning from half dozen
lawyers regarding the hideous details
of the Brent murder case.
Her testimony was not essential.
The case Of the state was sufficiently
strong without it. Justice would lose
nothing by her absence. Her flight
was not only entirely honorable-it
was a sacred duty she owed herself
and her family.
Fortunately she was safe enough
now. Soon after passing the next sta
ton they would cross the line into Con-
necticut, and there would be no ques-
tion of further pursuit. If only she
were a shade more approachable he
was sure he could give her some valu-
able advice in the matter.
At this point in his reflections the
train came to full stop. "Why, we're
there already" he muttered, glancing
out of the window. and then invOlun-
tarily he smiled sympathetically at the
girl
She, however, did not seem to be at
all in a mood to receive congratula-
tions. She was very pale. her lips were
twitching nervously, and when. just as
the train started again. the porter en-.
tered the car, followed by the conduc.
tor, an expression Of utter terror came