THE ELK
fhei.il, Miri-tmiWil, nnJ unlocked tin;
llnol".
a; !iiiwi;:ccl fo luo !n a grnlT whis
l' ", "Omidu'l help myself, sir."
Never mind said I, smiling, and np-
' fI myself to observing the newcomer,
who sat down, uot opposite to mo, but
in the middle partition, full in the glare
ni' tin-lamp. In a Very short time 1 had
as 1 thoiiLclit, iiken the measure of this
nut very delightful fellow voyager, lie
tin ajiiiin man, perhaps a year my
hi'iiinr, sti-niii;1y liuilt, nml with ratlicr
:i handsome lace, Sadly murrcd by. very
wident traces of dissipation, lie wove
a coat df sporting cut; a b!uo 'birds
rye" nai I, with a horseshoe pin in it,
ii'id a great dubious jewelry in the
i-liapc of rings, watch chain mnl dang
ling trinkets. '1'ho railway rug, that
lay across the knees of his tight fitting
ilrah trousers, was of a gaudy pattern,
ellow and red. II is eyes were blond
shot, his voico thick, nud he smelt very
strongly ol bad tobacco and bad brandy.
To all u poaran?c ho was abetting man,
or sporting "gent" of the lower substra
tum of that uninviting class.
The. bell rang for tlie last time. There
w.n the cu-'toinary final rush and scurry
i.'liela!ed pafsengeis and porters, and
the voices of the newq-.arcv Vr.js fcrow
."lnilh r .Till more excited. Then the
uiiards sprang to the steps of their vans,
nnd the station master looked wearily up
and down the line, prepared to signal the
eiu-ino driver. At that moment a man
i inn! i.artiiiL' across the iilatforiii, tore
open the door, jumped in and set down
ipnosite to mo. A policcmau ran up
an 1 shut the door.
All right, Sanderson."
The train began to move. I looked
at my opposite neighbor, and could
hardly rcpiess an exclamation of sur.
pi i-o and vexation. The Russian. Yes,
there was no mistaking the man. 1
knew the red brown beard, that flat, ti-t'.-rish
face, those long, crafty eyes,
black an 1 narrow us an American Indi
an's, perfretly well.
I had seen the man at the tick :t win
dow, certainly, but that was more than
ton niiir.iles ago, i'ii-1 I had been eonfi-
.1 L ll.... l. 1 1 l..i.. linil.ii l:lLin IkW
ue-iu .aai ...... .--. " "" ) life was still not extinct.
t... , ;.. c ,nm ..i lev finim:i!'tii ent ol llio 1
train. Sue.li, however, was to the case.
I wa fated, it seemed, always tj be in
contact with this person, for whom I
had conceived an antipathy that was
fidod." There was a look 6t stealthy
fierceness an t greasy self snfficumcy
about the iuaa which would have been
distasielul to most people. las was one
r.i r,,. tl.it,(-:mv,cvcd to tnoho
a warning. And after ail, was it a CO.
ir.cido that had brought mc so often
i u, to face with this crim foreigner ?
Certainly it might have been pure acci
dent which caused him to witness both
my entry into and my exit from the
jeweller's shop. It might have beou
mei'J has.ird which made him my fellow
t.-avellcr !v the same train and carriage.
And yet Tcoul l help somehow eonnec.
ting the four wheeled cib drawn by tho
jiray iiorse, the cab that had been tta
tioned near the club door, that had ap
peared in the street stoppage, with tho
eudden appearance of the Russian at the
terminus of the railway. Had ho dog-g.-l
me all that evening, tracking me
with a bl jjI hound's pertinacity from
tho jeweller's dour t) tho railway car
nauo
It was possible, though not
likely. Hut in vain I tried to dismiss
the idea as silly and romantic. It re.
tuned a .-ain " a id again. And yet
why should he or any oao dog my
hlcpi. ?
The answer to ibis selfrpicstkm came
fair. The jewels ' the costly set of pearl
and ruha ornaments I carried about mc
and of which this man had probably
overheard tho garrulous old jeweller
make mention. And yet the Russian
bad hardly tho air of a pickpocket.
There was something defiant and arro.
naul in his look, and an undefinablc air
.f education clung to hirn in spito of his
-habliy exterior. And as for violence,
1 h.iJ a young roan's confidence in my
..a-u power to cope with any single an
i agonist, and besides, I was cot alouo
with him. S far my thoughts had
gone, while I gaz-l abstractedly from
the window, as" if marking the last lights
of the London suburbs, as tho dark
hedges and dim mcaio'V3 succeeded
to hoai'-sand factories ; but then I cat
n gl ineo ar.jitn 1 and saw a siht which
caused me an involuntary thrill of alarm.
The two passengers in tho carriage
were rapidly and secretly conversing by
means of signs !
There ooul I bo no doubt upon the point.
Tin! two men v.l.o were ray -'olo cou-pauions
in that vapid nr.dlhnuly journey, ill-look-ins
desperadoes, each ia bid sepcrate style,
vevc accomplice. Vp to tbat moment l
lad not for an insUnt suspected any col
lnsiou between llio two. They came at
different times ; one was TngliA the other
u. lortiiner, nnd between the shabby lectu
rer and the betting win, sodden with drink
nnd attired in Cushy f.ncry, ivny previous
acqunii.tnnce seemed improbable. 'Jet
lucvelliey were, rapidly communieatius
with one another by means of tome thieves'
alphabet of finger telegraphy, unaware a3
yot that I hud observed them. f!o far as
could make out, the foreigner was urging
tho other to Home course which the latter
was reluct ant to pursue.
I am n it, I blic7:, en's whit moro dispo-,i-4
to timidity than most of my fellow
countrymen, and yet 1 wust confers that my
blood ran cold and my heart ulmost censed
beating as (he truth Jawaed upjii mo. I
v.ni the victim evidently of an artful and
Iroaohotona Hthetr.o. That cab that sud
den appearance cf the Kassian at the ter
jiiinus tlml peiaintenoy of hib Ufcglish cou
tc liato Ij occupy a . Beat .lu tho carriage
whi'io Isatuloue! All wan clear lu mc
uow. Hvbh".ry, no doubt, was thu object
ol the two villains in whoso company I was
shut tip, nnd probily they would hesitate
nt no crime to obtain possession of tho vulii
nblcjewels I bo Incautiously carried about
my person. Both woro strong mon, proba
bly armed too; nnd though I braced my
nerves and get my teeth for a struggle, I
had little hope cf a successful resistance,
none of rescue. The train was racing
fast through the black stillness of ft moon
less night. There was to bo no stoppage
short of 0 . nnd hours must clnpsa
before thai station was reached.
At the moment when tny thoughts had
travelled thus far, I nndo some slight move
ment ; the Russian looked up, nnd our eyes
met, nnd tho vi'lain saw that his byo-play
had been observed, and instnnlly threw off
the inn bk. Grinding out an oath between
his teeth, ho roso from his scat. I rose,
too, and as tho Russian noticed tho action
he sprang like ft. a tiger at my threat, grap
pling with mo so olosoly that tho blow I
dealt him took but partnil effect. Liukcd
together, wo wrestled furiously for a few
seconds, rising and falling; but I was the
younger ami more ngilo of tho two, and had
nearly overpowered ay ouemy, when his
confederate cam.; i0 j,i3 njj nml dealt mo
a succession of crushing blows upon tho
head with sonic heavy weapon, beneath
which I fell stunned nnd helpless, with my
face covered with blood, nnd my strength
nnd tenses left mo. When I canio to myself
again the ruffians w. re rilling my pockets
as I lay on tho floor of the carriage. Tho
Russian had opened one of the morocco ca.
scs that held tho ornaments, and he was ex
amining the gems by tne light of W lamp
overhead. JTho other villain w.v searching
lor fresh plunder. Ho was livid with agita
tion, I noticed, and his faoo was blotched
with crimson and damp with heat drops,
while his hands trembled very much. He
it wr.s who first spoke, in n husky whisper,
"What shall we do with him '("
"La btlle affaire'. Toss hiin out! Tho
fall won't hurt him!" sneered tho Rus
sian.
II was plain that they believed mo to bo
dead. I lay still, resolv ;d that no cry, no
twitching of an eyelid, should betray that
Too well I know
that mercy washopelcss, and that my ohanco
would bo far bolter if fluug out, nt the risk
of being mangled and crushed beneath tho
whirling iron wheels, than if 1 remained in
Wna ncasis in unman guiso reuuy 10 uihbu
their work at tho first sign that I yot lived.
The Russiau leaned out of tho window and
cautiouslv opened tho door. I felt tho chill
of tho fresh night wind upon my chock as I
tion to my help lo repress a shudder as the
murderers stooped and lifted inoup, ono ta
king mc by tho head and tho other by the
feet, as butchers carry a slaughtered oalf.
Tho Englishman breathed hard and trembled
perocptibly a3 ho dragged mo towards tho
doorway.
"Idou't half like 'he job,"hegrowlcd
out.
Tho Russian gave a scornful laugh.
"Pitch the carrion out, Uunc bee that
i , ,
iui sen-am ana rusii and roar, now
living into tunnels, now ploughing our
way between deep banks, now among the
dark trees and hedges. On past the
lighted stations, whero the signal was
made that tho road was clear, nnd where
policemen and porters, and passenger
"ailing lorsomc slower train that stop
ped there, wore to bo seen watching m
as we flew past. Hut thev never saw
mo ns I chin?, with desperate crino and
aching limbs, to tho swiftly hurryin-J
mass or wood and iron. Iwico durin;
that phantom ride I heard tho shriek ol
the steam whistle of a coming train, an il
twice l saw tho red lamps and flaino c
the advancing engine, glaring througl
the dark hko the angry eyes and luii
breath of some monstrous creature rush
ing down npon its prey. And then
with clong and clash, and deifening roarl
aua in the midst ot a trust of wind causei
by its rapid progress, tho long array or
carriages went by rue. On, on, as if
impelled by a demon's force, we flew ;
and still feebler grow iny arm, and I felt
despair and fatigue bcuuuib my f-eultles,
and was half tempted to lot go my hold
and drop, and faeo tho worst at once
beneath the grinding sway of the mer.
ciless wheels.
Should we never be at C ! IIow
long would that hideous night continue?
Was it possible that my tired muscles
wonld much longer endure the strain
upon them? And then came a ncwi
thought. I remembered that in dear
Carry's hist letter she had made mc
half-playful promise" that she and my
sister Clara and the rest would come
down to the station and meet mo thcrd
on the arrival of tho night train. That,
recollection filled my tortured heart with
a now anguish, as I thought of our
mutual love, 01 llio wedding day so soon
to conic, nud ot poor Caroline s grid!
when she should bo left, widowed oil
the bo trothod bridogrooin of her choice.
And then the mental pain was conquered
by physical weakness and distress, and
my dulled brain preserved nothing but
a vague terror lest I should fall fall
beneath those pitiless iron wheels so
you are; uue, two, throe, ana over witn
him."
I remember one agonized moment of
suspense as 1 was violently thrust for
ward; ono hurried, frenzied prayer that
rose from my heart to my lip3, but was
drowned by the roar and ruah of the
long train of massive carriages as they
tore along the iron way. I was launched
out, and felt myself falling, and then I
dropped with a crash, and my brain
reeled and sensation seemed again to
desert mc.
On coming gradually to myself my first
vague perception was that I formed a
part of some vast mdving body speeding
swiftly along, swinging aud swaying, but
rushing fast through the cool night air.
Then, as memory returned, I began to
rcalizo my position. In falling, when
the assassins had thrown mo out of the
carriage where the robbery had taken
place, I had dropped upon tho wooden
plank that runs like an elongated step
below the carriages, nnd my hand had
closed mechanically, in a clutch like that
of a drowning man, on some projecting
portion of tho iron work above, which I
presently conjectured' to bo the drop of
one of the iron steps by which passengers
ascend. And there 1 clung iustiLt-tivcly,
like a limpet to'a rock, while- the swer
ving, swinging train flew madly on
through tho black night. It was a posi
tion of fearful peril. True, I had es.
caped immediate death; but to all appear
ance my fate was only deferred. The
train was not to halt till it reached C .
I despaired of being able to hold on till
then; for already my cramped sinews
seemoJ to be stiffening, and my attitude
was a painful aud uueasy oue. And by
uight there was no hope that my daugcr
would be observed and an alarm given,
as I was hurled, helpless and despairing
through the darkness. The wouuds I,
had received in tho head causei mo a
dull, aching pain, and I was weak with
loss of blood; but my thoughts were
coherent and clear. I knew my risk
well. If I fell now I must certainly be
left behind, a mutilated corpse, torn
to fragments by tho cruel wheels that
whirred and spun close by me. My only
chance was to hold on to hold on till I
readied 0 , if my strength lusted so
long. Once or twice I essayed a cry for
help, but my feeble voico was lost in the
noise of tho train. And presently I felt
thankful that it had not Leon heard: for
Irom tho window ol the carriage to tho
left of where I lay crouching was pro
truded the head of a inau who peered
out into the niht; and I shruuk slill
closer t the woodwork ns I recognized
in the faint lump. light the flat w lute faee,
the red-brown beard, the tigerish grin ol
the Kussien, my late fellow traveller.
.lie did not see mc, however, but re
sumed his place with u well satisfied air.
Ou we wwiit through tho sikutcouu'ry,
clo.-c to mo. And then I seemed to fall
again into a waking dream, through
which the lights ot (J station 2lca
ed vorv brillinntlv.
Real lights ! a real crowd ! thoagh the
figures seemed to waver dimly before my
I saw a commotion among thoso on tle
platform. I heard a shout ot surprise
nml mrm fi.imo ruiinins and luted md
from whero I. lav, and carried mo be
twKJ.Ui'oJM station,! .tho tMte
mcnt and alarm. Among those faces
was that of Caroline Lethbridge, and as
she saw mo, pale, bloody, and apparently
dead, and heard me called dead by the
heedless ttsngues around her, I tried in
vain to speak, as I saw her totter and
sink fainting in my sister's arms. And
then I swooned again, and when medioal
care and rest brought back my senses,
read in the pitying looks of those about
mc that some tresh grid was in store lor
me. It was even so.
My Caroline was dangerously ill of
brain fever, and though her lite was
was saved, her reason, poor stricken
thin l?, never was icsored. As for my
self, a long illness followed, and left mc
broken in health and spirits, and with
hair that the horror of that hideous night
had sprinkled with premature i:rny.
Our two happy young lives were bligh
ted by one stroke.
As for the Russian and his accomplice.
all clue to them aud to tho stolen jewels
wcr wSt. l et, sooner or later, I cannot
doubt that Justice will claim her own
Sherman Reported to bo With
in Forty Miles ot oavannau.
New Yoek,Dco. 2. The Ccmmcr.
rial Advertiser of this cveing says i
letter, dated at Port Royal on November
25th, was received hero to-diy, which
says there is good news bv tho flap: of-
trucc to day. Shermai is within forty
ruUse of Savannah.
SLOCUM'8 COWS LEAVES THE GEOROIA
RAILRAOD ON NOVEMBER 21 ST, FOR
EATONTON, OA.
From the Augusta Uhronielc and Sen
tinel, Not. 22.
We conversed with an intelligent gen
tleman who arrived last night by the
passenger train up tho Georgia railroad.
He informed uj that on Monday, Nov-
21, the Federals left the lineof tho Goor
gia road, going direct to Eatonton. The
only Yankees who came to Greensboro
were a few stragglers, who were cap'
tured. The trains ran up to Greensboro
and Athens yesterday.
I'xplouion of llio Steamer
Maria.
Si. Louis, Deo. 11. Tho etoamcr Ma
ria, from St. Louis for Cairo, exploded at
Corondclet, six miles below St. Louis, early
iliis morning. The pilots, clerks and oth
er employees of the boat say that she was
lying without steam in tho boilers when
(lie explosion took place on the larboard
side, the explosion going upwajd, ar.d wa
king a bole in the boiler duck, through
which several persons fell. They say tho
ex plosion may have been caused by a box of
ammunition iu the hold.
There wore 80 soldiers of tho 31 and -1th
Iowa ar.d loth Wisconsin cavalry, with 187
horsus and mules on board. The soldiers
positively nay that the explosion was caus
ed by tho insumcien.iy of water in the boil
er, which bursl. The boat was caxt loose,
grounded on the bar, and was entirely con
sumed by tir. All the horses aud mules
were lost. It is reported that 2-j men were
killed, 'M wounded aud 1- missing. The
soldiers lost everything. Tho bait was en
tirely uew and valued ut $l,On'i.