Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-06-14
A Pair Of
Fugitives
By MALCOLM BROWN



Copyright, 1921. Western Newspaper Union.
Jim Washington, the porter, went
to the door Of his car. Upon the plat
form of the next car another porter
stood, snatching a few inhalations
from q cigarette.
"Howdy, Joe," said Jim. "Your car
pretty full?'
Joe drew In cloud and flung the
stump away. MOSTLY women" he
said. "How's yours?"
'"Tolerable," Jim answered. Say,
Joe, there's girl in Section 2 been
crying ever since come on at Spring.
field. reckon she left her fellow be-
hind. Well. l reckon business will be
better next month, when the regular
crowd starts north"
Only the porter had observed the
girl in Section 2, for she was at the
end Of the car. Hilda Mercer opened
her suitcase and a pad with little
pencil attached, and began to write.
II should not have left you II you
had been frank with me, WILL" she
wrote. "What, cannot forgive is"
She stopped and stared out into the
driving rain. 1T was because / al
ways believed In you" she continued.
But the letter was tear-spotted. and
she tore 1t into strips and watched
them futter out into the storm. She
would not write that letter. She had
written one, and VIII would find it
when he returned to New York the
following morning at eight o'clock.
Two men were seated in the smok-
ing car. One was about five and
thirty years Of age; he might have
been an accountant or bank cashier,
for he had the alert air of one who
is in the deadly struggle of CONNER
cial life. The other lolled heavily in
his seat, scanning the first man with
furtive persistence. Suddenly he
leaned forward, curious smile upon
his mouth.
aren't you the paying teller Of the
Brooklyn2" he inquired. my names
Phil Graves. I used to have an &C.
count with you"
The other seemed stunned by the
recognition. II used-to be there"
he answered. his voice quavering
slightly. Then he made his way back
to Section 3, opposite the girl.
Hilda started and looked round at
him. Their eyes met, and the teller
rose up and stood before her.
"Don't you remember me, Mrs
Mercer?" he asked. smiling forlornly.
Her eyes lit up. Its you, Alfred
Burton!"
Burton sat down beside her.
"Hilda, there's something wrong be-
tween Will Mercer and you," said
Burton. You're running away.
You're running away to think, just as
you used to do. You mustn't think,
hut net. / want you to turn right
round at Brattleboro and 60 back to
him. There isn't n finer man living
than viii Mercer.
Il know there isn't" she answered
impetuously. and then she saw how
hideously wrong she had been. 1t was
not VIII from whom she was running
away, bnt her own discomfort; and
she was carrying 1t in her heart.
Its too late now" she answered
dismally, and looked out into the rain
again.
1t was impossible to return before
VIII got home There was no train
from Brattleboro till morning.
She was crying Historically. Bur
ton let her hand fall and stared at
the cushions Of the seat opposite. He
had urged her to go back. but what
about himself? He, too, must be back
by Monday morning or become fugi-
tive. Fate seemed to have lain in
wait for him.
He swung round In his seat sud-
denly. "Hilda." he said. I'm running
away too. haye six thousand dol
lars In my pocket that doesn't belong
to me-"
A jar shook them in their seats a
whistle shrilled, and the train ground
its way to standstill
They heard the cries, 1.-The down
train wrecked! She's catching fire
Saved ourselves by six inches" Bur
ton was outside, one of the crowd
, that surged about line of halted
cars, two Of which lay on their sides
amid the wreckage. The passengers
In the two cars seemed to have es.
capped by a miracle.
Hours seemed to pass The passen-
gers on both trains waited.
Burton had not spoken to Hilda
Mercer. He did not even notice the
arrival of the wlecking train till
somebody touched his shoulder. Then
he looked up to see Jim standing
over him.
We're going on in FIVE minutes,
boss" said the darkey.
Burton got up unsteadily. I'm not
going on" he muttered.
ITS all right, boss" replied the
porter 1.-THE lines clear and the
down-train's getting ready to start.
She'll reach New York by midnight.
Well both have to make up time"
New York;" cried Burton, and
suddenly the miracle was made clear