Page:010 Once a week Volume X Dec 1863 to Jun 64.pdf/61

 Jan-.

ONCE A WEEK.

186 J.]

2,

xtreme—

relieved, indeed, occasionally bymen who sneered at the

violent "quarrels with " sulky Britisher."

!



checked by one of the men desiring her, in a rough and peremptory manner, to change her SCB/G.

One

day, in the depth of as severe a winter as I ever experienced, I had to take a long then only a journey, the greater part by rail

—

At the wretched shed dignified " a somewhat curiwith the name of " station single line.

ous party attracted

my

attention.

They were four. An old and apparently

totally-paralysed gentleman, so swathed in shawls, comforters, fur cap, and buffalo robe, that only a small strip of his face was visible, and that was of a deathlike hue.

A

young lady, thickly veiled, apparently not for she seemed to the daughter of the invalid avoid looking at or approaching him, as he half

propped up by boxes and bags in

sat, half lay,

m*

J/

dragging along

the in-

manner

—and more

mm

snow, more

snow ,, „ The men, having refreshed themselves !

...

....

seve-

from a spirit-flask, took a bottle and a spoon, and prepared to feed the paralysed ral times

gentleman. I could not see what they gave him, or whether he ate for the men carefully placed themselves and the young lady between the sick man and me. I should here say that the young lady had absolutely refused to take any food whatever, though several times pressed by the men. They are bending over the invalid ; the

young

by

lady,

their direction, also

standing,

with her side face towards me.

With a quick and

men completed They were dressed in a much

sallow, evil-looking

number.

J/

Still

a corner of the one bench.

Two

53

her

veil,

and looks

silent

movement she raises

an instant with a ques-

for

tioning, agonised glance in

my

face.

to the others, but evidently had charge of both invalid and lady. I got into the same car with this strange

She must have seen honest pity there for, slightly leaning towards me, pallid as death, she formed a word with her lips but without

party anything a little out of the common being acceptable to me. Whether I should have done so could I have foreseen the tragic termination of our journey I cannot tell.

sounding it pointing to the men ; then lowered her veil again. Although the whole had taken place in a second or two, the men had observed some movement, and turned fiercely to her, looking like devils at both of us. I, however, was already sitting with folded arms, and eyes half shut, as if sleepy ; not so sleepy, though, but that I caught a moment's view of that strip of face I had seen at the station. That second look satisfied me of what I had doubted the v:ord dumbly spoken by the " young lady. The word was Murder /"

ferior



The snow was lying very deep on the ground and occasionally, where a drift had formed across the line, we had much ado to force our

way through

it.

I was the only occupant of the car besides the party I have described, and amused myself by speculating on the connecting links between such a strange quartette.

The lady was a lady evidently. Though I had not caught a glimpse of her face as she had not once lifted the heavy veil she wore

—

yet every fold of her dress, every her figure, showed refinement.

We

—

movement of

had been plodding on at a miserable rate the snow becoming thicker

for

many hours

and

thicker.



To look out of the windows was useless for the ground was snow, and the air seemed to be snow, so thickly was it falling. What could I do but watch my companions ?

I had forgotten to say that in the early part of the journey I had made some casual remark to the two men about the entirely hopeless state

of their charge but I received such a short answer, accompanied by such an evil look, that I resolved to hold my tongue for the remainder of the journey.

The young lady, when I spoke to the men, gave a quick sort of half-turn towards me, as if she would have spoken ; but was instantly



—

—

—

I sat

still

"Here

and thought

am

—

—

with a couple of murderers probably armed their victim apparently the father of that lovely girl. Yes this is the explanation of her shunning him at the station, and in lifting him into the cars. I have my revolver not loaded if it were I couldn't shoot these men down without more proof against them than a word only seen, not heard. It is of no use giving them up at the end of our journey for, of course, they will say that, half-dead when he started, he died of the cold in the cars. Cold Yes bitterly, piercingly cold and our stove does not seem to give the heat it should and there is no more fuel !" Although I could not see through the young lady's veil, she doubtless could see me through I

—

—

—



—



—

!





it.

I

nodded

—

slightly to her,

and fumbling in

the folds of my cloak, half exposed the barrel of my revolver.

The answer was a of the head.

scarcely perceptible shake