Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-03-24
A Pair of
Fugitives
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
BY MALCOLM BROWN

btoOu, buutChiuS u AoW
from cigarette.
"Howdy, joe" said Jim. "Your cal
pretty full3"
Joe drew In cloud and flung the
stump away. Mostly women" he
said. "How's yoursf"
"Tolerable," Jim answered. Say
Joe, there's girl In Section been
crying ever since I come on at Spring
field. reckon she left her fellow be-
hind. Well, reckon business will b.
better next month, when the regular
crowd starts north"
Only the porter had observed the
girl In Section 2, for she was 1t the
end of the car. Hilda Mercer opened
her suitcase and a pad with a little
pencil attached, and began to write.
II should not have left you II you
had been frank with me, WILL" she
wrote. "What I 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 flutter out into the storm. She
would not write that letter. She had
written one, and VIII would find 1t
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
clal 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
Merchants and Brokers over In
Brooklyn he inquired. my names
Phil Graves. I used to have an ac-
count with YOU"
The other seemed stunned by the
recognition. ~ used-to be there"
he answered, his voice Quavering
slightly. Then he made his way back
to Section 8, 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 forlornls.
Her eyes lit up. TITS you, Alfred
Burtonr
Burton sat down beside her.
"Hilda, there's something wrong be-
tween VIII 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,
but act. l want you to turn right
round at Brattleboro and go back to
him. There isn't finer man living
than Will Mercer.
II know there isn't!" she answered
lmpetuously, and then she saw how
hideously wrong she had been. It was
not VIII from whom she was running
away, but her own discomfort; and
she was carrying II In her heart.
"Its too late now" she answered
dismally, and looked out into the rain
again.
II 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 10 80 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, "rm running
away too. l have 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 a standstill.
They heard the cries, "The down
train wreckedl She's catching FIRE |
Saved ourselves by six inches" Bur-
ton was outside, one Of the crowd
that surged about q 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 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 wrecking 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.
SITS all right, boss" replied the
porter. 1.-THE lines clear and the
getting ready to start.
She'll reach New York by midnight.
Wen both have to make up time"
New York;" cried Burton, and
suddenly the miracle was made clear
to him. Burton snatched up her suit.
case.
"Hildal" he cried, we're going
back-golng home. That trains go
Ing to make New York by midnight.
Hurry! We've bot got our chance
to make amends"
Burton helped her aboard the down
train. They sat down together. He
turned to Hilda.
"We're going to make the most Of
life now" he whispered. "And I'm
going to call on you and win some
lay"
She leaned back happily; and then
I waS he realized that his love had
lot proved In vain. even though II had
lottad