New-York tribune., 1919-04-13

my fellow passenger was peculiar. At
the entrance of the quartet he had
scarcely accorded them glance, but had
reached for my paper and was now
perusing it diligently. He did not even
seem aware that others had entered. For
some unaccOuntabe reason this fright
ened me more than ever. ! glanced 1.-THE
men, and the rat-faced one met my ewes
with look Of such concentrated evil that
my heart missed beat.
presently the man across from me
laid aside his paper, rose and seated him.
self beside me, saying loudly, 'It rains
still, ma chere' Before I had time to
move he had adjusted my wrap, leaning
close and whispering tensely: "Do not
look at those men. -
did not speak, for my voice was lost
in my throat. 1t seemed the lesser dam
ger to do as he ordered. We sat closely
together at our end Of the compartment
and l pressed my face against the win
dow, trying to draw breath with reason
able regularity. | did not look again at
the men, but | was acutely conscious of
their boring eyes. | knew that in their
patols, which | could not understand
they were saying vile things
Some mysterious and hideous danger
threatened US The atmosphere of the
compartment was terrible with hideous
evil. 1t was as real, as dreadful a thing,
as the terror of crowd in panic, or the
mad horror of a mob after blood
The lamp above us dimmed, throwing
weird shadows which shifted about the
walls with the swaying of the car. Oil
drlpped on the floor, spreading dull un-
pleasant spots. Across the window beat
the rain; there was an occasional sharp
fiash with an answering crash of thun-
der. My throat and mouth were drv.
my hands quivercd, and had difficulty
III focusing my eyes.
The man beside me pressed closer. ask
ing clearly: "Fatiguec, ma chere?"
could only shake my head in reply.
The car gave sudden terrific lurch.
almost throwing me from the seat and
hurting the drunken man over on the
man next him. With stream of vio-
lent language, the man pushed him back
INTO his corner, passionate loathing on
his face. | shuddered in my own cor
ner The utter Indifference Of my fell
low passenger to the others in the com
partment was strangely alarming in it.
self, and terrified me more than ever.
The train slowed down and stopped.
Quite without warning and with star
tling suddenness, the man beside me
threw open the compartment door and
hurled my suitcase out into the darkness
and the rain. Before | had time to ex
CLAIM IN angry protest he seized me
with amazing strength and half pushed,
half threw me out the open door, so that
| nearly fell on the ground. He followed
with leap, slamming the door. and I
heard a howl from within, like that Of
animals.
At that instant the train started. the
man snatched my bag and pulled me
along at run. Overwhelmed with nure
panic, my feet found wings
The train gathered speed. and the last
carriage passed US with rush of wind
we were nearly at the little station
when the man stopped running. A brill
liant flash of lightning revealed his face.
asnen and drawn. THAT was the Mavor
OF Arde," he explained.
knew at once of which man he spoke.
lhey had made him prettily drunk" I
said
He did not answer. We were on the
platform of the small station and in the
circle of yellow light cast by the sway
ing lantern. He opened the door of the
waiting room and motioned me to enter.
We stepped inside and he set nv suit
case down on bench. From the office
we heard the clicking of the telegraph.
The man started toward it. then turned
to me and stared at me fixedly.
The man was dead he said, and
went on into the office.