Year: 1868

eve. naQ watched lot nef next
coming to the station, and as usual,
seen to the carriage in which she
went. | knew | had nothing to hope
for, being only railway servant, and
she lady; but for all that, it SEEM
ed my duty to watch over her, though
since the day when | returned the TO-
lilo her bows had been little more
distant, and she hurried into the car
riage. e.,". -e..7Haas a#I


But it was Christmas eve, and all
through that week had not seen her.
Holidays" | said to myself, and then
tried to be as busy as possible, to keep
myself from thinking that it would be
perhaps month or six weeks before
/ saw her again. But there was no
fear of my not being busy, for most
people know what sort of a Christ
mas railway servants keep-all hurry,
drive, hustle, worry and rush. Dull.
heavy weather it was, yellow fog and
driving snow. The train came in CO.
vered with white, which slowly thaw-
ed and dripped of, so that the termi
nus was wet and cold, and miserably
dirty. People didn't seem to mind it
though; for the station was thronged
with comers and goers-friends com
ing to meet those from the country,
and as many coming to see others off.
/" By yer leave" it was all day long,
as the barrows full of parcels and lug
gage were run here and there along
the platform. The place seemed alive
with fish baskets, oyster barrels and
poultry; while, somehow or other,
from the poorest and shabbieSt third
class people up to the grandees of the
first class, every Que looked happy
and comfortable.


So there was | at it, helping to get
train after train off-all late, of course
for, do what you would, there was
no finding room enough for the peo-
pie, and so it got to be past four, with
the gas all alight and the fog and
snow thicker than ever. A train was
just starting, when there was bit of
confusion at the door. Some one
shouts, Hold hard p and then from
where | waS-some distance up the
PLATFORM saw a gentleman hurry
up to a first class carriage, almost
dragging lady with him-a lady in
black. Before any one could stop
him, he had opened the door and push
ed her in and then followed just as
the train began gliding off.


This happened to be carriage just
put on, and the compartment the
gentleman entered was locked; but
he had one of the pocket railway keys,
where | stood, with my heart some
how beating very strangely, | saw his
hand out of the window, locking the
door again. In the momentary glance
| caught, as the lamps of the station
flashed into the carriage, could see
that there was no light inside, while
two little gloved hands pressed down
the window the man tried to draw up !;
and there, pale and horror-stricken,
ewes starting and lips open, as if she
were crying "hclp" | saw the face
of the Young governess.


The time did not appear long
enough to see so much; but | saw all
that, and my mind seemed to keep
up with my eyes and explain it all,
and | knew that there was some in
fernal piece of villainy on the way.


"What TO do ?" seemed rushing thro'
my mind, and in the agony | felt
turned all of a tremble. Telegraph
to the station in front to stop the
train, which was the express, with
fifty miles to run before pulling up !
send a special engine and tender after
them? How could | do either on my
own responsibility, and only on sus-
picion? Should | 90 and report it +
| should have an hour wasted in quest
ioning, and then perhaps be told that
it was poor ground to work upon
And what had | to advance. Moth
ing but the appealing look for aid
from her | loved.


"Her | loved ?" Yes, knew it now
and knew too, that to be of service,
must act-act at the risk of life or
limb. [ thought all this running after
the train, fast gliding along past the
platform.


| had lost too much time already as
| darted along, for in a few more sec
onds it would have been impossible
to overtake the fast receding car.
riages. There was shouting behind
me as ran; one porter stood in my
way looking after the red lights, and
in passing | knocked him over. The
platform past, and bounding along
the incline at the end, was out in the
snowy night, when tripped over one
of the point handles and fell heavily
uttering a cry of despair; then | was
up again directly, and running along
the rough line amidst crossing metals
and rods that threatened to throw me
every instant.


1t seemed the act Of mailman to
run now, for the red lights were some
distance ahead, and gradually growing
dim and blurry amid the fog; but
through the thick snow Iran painting
on, with my breath coming shorter
and heavier, and hot, burning sen
sation at my chest, while it seemed
that l could taste the blood, though
my mouth was dry and hot.


All at once my heart ieaped, every
nerve tingled. From the fast vanish
ing train came long shrill whistle