The Washington herald., 1913-12-07

L
all. L did not know what to think.
What was to do? 1 was Just trying to
make up my mind when some one from
behind lifted me right Of my feet and.
putting a hand to my throat, squeezed
1t so tightly that it hurt me.
'Tf you make a sound I'll choke the
life right out Of you. Don't you make
any mistake about it, will''
He said that out loudly enough, though
It was not so very loud either-he spoke
so close to my ear. I could scarcely
breathe, but could still see, and could
see that the man who held me so hor-
ribly by the throat was the second man
Of the train. The recognition seemed to
be mutual.
'If it isn't that internal bratl She
seemed to be all eyes in the railway
carriage, and. my word. she seems to
have been all ears, too"
The first man had come to the window.
What's up?" he asked. who's that
kid you've got hold Of there?"
My captor twisted my face round for
the OIner 10 look dI
Cant you see for yourselfH felt,
somehow. that she was listening"
she couldn't have heard, even II she
was; no one could have heard what we
were saying. Hand her in here" was
passed through the window to the other,
who kept as tight a grip on my throat
as his friend had done.
who are your" he asked. TN give
you a chance to answer. but II you try
to scream I'll twist your head right on
you"
He loosed his grip just enough to en-
able me to answer II I wished. But I
did not wish. kept perfectly still. His
companion said:
Whats the use of wasting timer Silt
her throat and get done with it"
He took from the table a dreadful
looking knife. with a blade eighteen
inches long, which I knew very we'll
Mr. Collegiate had it in his collection be-
cause OF its beautifully chased. massive
silver handle. knew that he kept It in
beautiful condition, with the edge as
sharp as a razor. So you can fancy
what my feelings were when that man
drew the blade across my throat, 50
| close to the skin that 1t all but Erazed
me.
Before you cut her throat" observed
his companion, well tie her up. Wen
make short work of her. This bit OF
rope will about do the dodge"
He had what looked to me like a length
of clothes line in his hand. With it. be-
tween them, they tied me to a great
oak chair, so tight that it seemed to cut
f, right into me, and. lest 1 should scream
with the pain, the man with the blue
eyes tied something across my mouth in
way which made it impossible for me
me with that knife again, and just as I
made sure he was going to cut my throat
he caught hold of my hair which. Of
course, was hanging down my back, and
with that dreadful knife sawed the whole
of it from my head.
Rage made me half beside myself
He had destroyed what was almost the
dearest thing in the world to me-not
because of my own love of it, but on
account Of my mothers. Ny mother had
woman is her hair" and she would add
that mine was very beautiful And to
think that this man could have robbed
me of it in so hideous a way! I do be-
lieve that at the moment I could have
killed him.
suppose he saw the fury which pos
sessed me. bacause he laughed and
struck me across the face with my own
hair.
I've half mind to cram it down your
throat" he said. TT didn't take me long
to cut 1t OF, but. I'll cut your throat
even Quicker-if you so much as try to
move, my little dear"
The other man said to him:
she can't move and she can't make
sound either. You leave her alone
Come over here and attend to business"
'Tn learn her." replied the other man,
and he lifted my hair above my head
and let it fall all over me.
They proceeded to wrap up each piece
of Mr.. Colegates collection in tissue
paper anu then to pack the whole into
two queer-shaped bags-pretty heavy
they must have been. The fury which
possessed me as sat there, helpless,
and watched them! When the man who
had cut on my hair moved to the win
dow with one Of the bags held in both
his hands-it was as much as he could
carry-he said to his companion with
glance toward me: Hadn't I better cut
her throat before go?"
You can come and do that presently"
replied the other; you'll find her wait
ing" Then he dropped his voice and I
saw him say: Now you quite under.
stand?' The other nodded. what IT it?"
The face of the man who had cut my
hair was turned toward me. He put his
lips very close to the other, speaking
in the tiniest whisper. which he never
dreamed could reach my ears: Got
terilI, Cloak-room, Victoria Station,
Brighton Railway"
The other whispered. That's right.
You'd better make a note Of It; we
don't want any bungiing."
mo fear, I'm not likely to forget.
Then he repeated his previous words,
| aCotfariU CIoak-roonn Victoria Station