A LEGAL WRECK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 184, 6 August 1890, Page 7

A LEGAL WRECK.

By WILLIAM GILLETTE, Author of "Held by the Enemy,'' "The Professor," "The Private Secretary," (joint author) "Esmeralda."

CHAPTER IX. A RAILWAY RASCALITY. The graduation exercises were over, the diplomas presented, the farewells said, the promises of visite made, the packing done, and Olive Grey was close to her dear friend Edith on an Eaat-bound train. The two were holding each other's hands with a very tight clasp, for they were drawing near tho place where they must. separate, Olive changing for the north, Edith going through to Boston.

During tho last college year they had bacoind very dear to each other. There seemed no barrier botweeti them now. Olive's reserve about herself had melted in The warmth of her love, and Bhe had told Edith all she knew about herself—all the Cap'n had told her, and a great many of her own thoughts and feelings besides. And Edith had told Olive many confidences, not concealing the facb that she was engaged, although Bhe did nob give any names. They were to visit each obher, Edith going to see Olive in Soptetnber, and. Olive returning to 'spend a long timo at her home in Boston. . > *

When fche parting actually came, noifcher spoke. They only looked into each other's Bad hearts through their eyes. , It was a few hours after this that a young fellow who looked As if he might have been afcroke oar on thq university crew when 1 he was in college, Wh.l_ paesihg through the northern express to reach the smoker, noticed something peculiar about a young lady on his left, and as he went by turhed to look a.fcjipr.. He was struck, with the beauty of her face, but most; of all by aft un usual appealing look in her eyes as she glanced up afc him. For an instant he had an impression that she.was going to rise and apeak to him,'__-»_£did not, and be passed on through the car, wondering if something was hot wrong.

This young man's name was Leverett, and he had been a stroke bar, and a runner, and a boxer, and a football enthusiast, and almost everything el_e in the college course excepting a efcudent. Baseball he cared little about, though ho played a fairly good game. And bow, notwithstanding he had been oub of College for six years, he found ib the mosb difficult thing in the world to bake enough time from his athletic pursuits, to get a grip on the business his father had taken him into as junior. He did nob realise any partciular delight; in having ifc read, Judsbn Leverefcb and Son, although he did fche best he could to carry oab the idea, only asking a day or two off now and then for the exercises of the Athletic Club, and an exceedingly long Bummer vacation. Even now he was on way to one of the north-eastern ports to pick up a small yacht he had left there, and bring it down to Boston for an early regafcba in which he wiehed to participate. He swung into a scab with another man, making no inquiries as to whether the stranger had any objections, and lighting an expensive cigar, threw the match on the floor at his feet, and carefully put his foot on ifc. . , , Henry Leverefcb was not particularly handsome, but he gave an immediafce impression of free, open, hearty goodwill, frankness, honesty. His clear, blue eyes inspired instantaneous confidence. They seemed to rest upon everything good' naturedly, too, as if he saw only pleasant things. It is sometimes disheartening to have a man look ab you as if he had come upon something which disagreed with him. Leverett'* gaze expre.sed nothing of this sorb. He seemed glad to have found you, no matter who you were, lb naturally followed that you were glad to find him. . It. is pleasant, too, to look upon glorious physical strength—-even when not exerted* The freedom of Leveretb _ stride through the train, bis easy grip of the brake as he passed from "car to car, the swing of his arm, th_ firm carriage of his well-shaped head on a good-sized sunburned neck, all gave the impression of a man Who had entire muscular, confidence in himself v ahd this man had. He Was perfectly willing ab any time to take parb in any sorb of a goodnatured contest, and judging from his appoarance the odds Would always be largely in his favour. ,'.'.. The only excuse for describing him at such length is, thab he was engaged bo Olive's very dear friend, Edith Kimball. Bub, although Olive found out something about him during the next hour, Bhe did nob learn this. Indeed,she did nob know of it until long afterwards, when it was too late to do anything about ib. Leverebfc smoked quiebly for a while. Tbe facb was, he wondered what bhe deuce was the matfcer with that pretty girl in the other car. Ib was the nexb car back, and he bwisted around once, nearly grinding the other occupant of fche scab to powder, and tried to get another look ab her, but found Bhe coulcl nob be seen from where he was Bl OUv- was really very much disturbed. In the first place, after being in this brain a few momenta, she missed her pockeb-book. She carefully searched in every conceivable place, but ib was gone, and with it her ticket, checks for her baggage, and money. In looking on fche floor for ifc, she bad d»s< arranged her bonnet a litfcie, and £ "•«»<» her hair had coma down j bub shejiardly thoughb of this in. her anxiety, and atter passing her hands nervously over her head in a hurried manner, and arranging bhe disbrder temporarily as best she could, she decided to find the conductor and reporb her loss to him, hoping he could help her. She went toward bhe forward end of the car, which was <*n ordinary day coach— Bhe never spent the Cap'n's money on a Pullman-and was about bo open bhe door, when a respeobable-looking mon of mwttie, age -topped her. , ,_ . ■ • Yon can't go out there,' said be, in a j iMnilu-r. mabter-of fact way.

He was too well dressed for a brakeman, was afc a loss to know why/he asi sumed authority. *1 wanfcT to see the coriductbr/lsho explained, and made a movement to pass him. 'I'm sorry,'replied the man, detaining her rather roughly, «but we can't let you leave the car.' ' Why not ? What do you mean ?' asked Olive, with sudden indignation. ' I want to .peak to the conductor at once !' But she had no suspicion, oven then, of the villainous neb bhat was being drawn aboub her. 'Now-, you'd better go back and sit down,' said the stranger, raising his voice so that;' notwithstanding the rumbling of the train, he could be heard by the other occupants of the car. 'You'd better go and sit down,' with the inflection of one who is trying to soothe and pacify, ' and the conductor will be hero soon.' Another mah had risen and como up the i aisle toward them. Ho turned and spoke to one or two of the pas.engers in a low voice, and thero were sympathetic looks ab Olive. The girl stood still, unoertain what to do. She looked back at the people in the car. Then forward, through the .glass door in front of her. The conductor was coming through the smoking-car, taking up fares and tickets. She turned and walked to her seat, observing that all eyes were upon her. The blood rushed to her bead. She sank dizzily upon the cushion and covered her face with her hands. Then she _erved herself up, and waited. The" conductor entered the car. He came .down the aisle slowly. It was bis first time through, and he had to collect all kinds of tickets, coupons and checks. He made change wibh intolerable deliberation, when a fare was paid. He punched holes in large cards and gave them to people. He seemed vory busy, and yet Olive noticed that every now and then he gave her a quick glance under his bushy eyebrows. 'What could be bhe matter? was anything wrong about ber dress ? She became very nervous. It seemed as if she were in a terrible dream., And all the people in the car were looking at her. He came near* ft© was taking the tickets from tbe people opposite. In a imoment he would ask for her ticket. She woiiid wait "for A tHat. She'would—• What did this mean ..He had pdWed without Jspeakjng ab her. He was alreaay, before she could recover from her asiiOjiishment, several yardß down the car. She rose and called to him. He came ab ootid.. 'My pocket-book has been takeh, sir, and my ticket was In ib, J she said, hurriedly, for she was afraid he Would go on and leave her. 'Oh well/ he replied, in a kind voice, ' never mind. You can pay your fare nexu time.' ' Bub I do mind,' said Olive, surprised at the cool way ho answered her, as though it were quite the usual thing to have one's valuables taken away on that line, ' I do mind;- My-checks were'in checks, and some money and —and other things. It musb have been taken when I came in— can't you do something . ' Yes,' was the answer, ' yes of course we can. I'll send the police after it at once. Don't alarm yourself at all,' and he turned to go. 'But wait,' said Olivo, desperately. i • Please wait—you don't understand V 'Oh, yes, I do, my dear,' replied the conductor, iv a compassionate tone, 'jusb sit down—ib . all right.' 'Bub how can I get any further?—my ticket is gone !' « ' We'll take you wherever you want to go. Now don't worry at all.' And the uniformed agenb of the company hurried away, for they Were drawing up to a station. Ib was shortly after this that young LevercCb strode through the car, and wondered, as he lit his cigar in the smoker, what was wrong with the pretty girl who raised her eyes to him with that strange appealing look—such very remarkable eyes. Twenty minutes later the train came toa standstill before the Bergmont station. Only a moment thereafter thero was a considerable commotion on bho platform of the car following:the smoker. Lcverett looked round, and saw that some one was being forcibly taken from the train. From where he sat, 4 ib appeared to be a young lady. He rose and went toward the door. As one of the men who seemed to be assisting in the unpleasant affair moved one side, he saw the same dark eyes whioh had turned on him appealingly as he was passing through tho train a shorb time before. But now they were frightened eyes, indignant eyes, fearful—wild-despairing eyes. Tho poor girl's dress was soiled and crushed where hands had grasped it—torn where it had been caught' in the arm of a Seat; her pretty little bonnet pushed out of place,; her red-brown, beautiful hair fallen here and there in disorder ; her face white ; her lips trembling. There had had been a struggle at lasb, before she would come, and even now she clung to the iron railing of the platform, and when one of the men unclasped the clinging fingers from their bold, quickly seized the cast-iron wheel of the brake. She did not cry out; but she was speaking breathlessly, excitedly, to any one who would hear; . •Believe me—believe me—l do not know these men-they have—stolen my ticket—l was going to Wllliamsport won't some one help me? It is—it is a crime to let them do thi?. Won't some one call a policeman ?' Leveretb turned away, for ho could not bear to look at the painful, pitiful eight. He heard some one say they were taking her to the Rochdale Asylum; Ho noticed that the conductor and one of the train hands were assistance, and remembered tbab something bad seemed wrong with the girl. A *£*"& look in her oyes. It was too bad. But it would be all right when she gob there. A good place, and, they treated the inmates with every con—deration. So he'resumed hia seat and tried to think of. eomethihg.else. And outside, on the platform of the station, they, were taking Olive Gray toward a close carriage that stood in readiness. The scheme was a bold one, and it. was wel- The railroad people had even been notified the day before that a patient would be taken through. The

asylum was too disbanb to make ib likely the deception would be discovered. And the train officials satisfied, no suspicion would be aroused among the passengers. Tho moro excited and incoherent she became tho better for them, and with malignant tact they used every meanß to increase tho poor girl's trepidation. The reward was a large ono. Escape easy. Within two hours' drive Ed Smith was waiting.

A sudden thought camo to Leverefct's mind which caused him to start perceptibly. Only an imaginary scene, but strangely vivid. Suppose a set of miscreants should bake it into their heads to abduct a helpless woman iv soma such manuer, for fche purpose of robbery or something worse ! The idea was co perfectly terrible —so ghasfcly, that, imagining some one he knew in such a situation, his heart seemed to stop beating for an instant. He had this picture before his mind, when a piercing scream rang in his ears, seeming to penetrate and leavo trembling his very soul.

Impulsive as a boy, impressionable, sympathetic, Leverett waa out of the car and across the station platform before he knew what he was doing. There was a little crowd of curious, pitying people gathered about, through which he _hofc, pushing them apide as if they had been cornstalks. __ Olive had just, been forced into the carriage. One of tho men was upon the driver's seat, and the other had climbed in after tho girl, and was in the act of closing fche door after him, feeling that the hard work of the job was about over. But he had one obstacle yet to overcome,as he perceived when he felt the carriage door suddenly caught and held in an easy but iron grasp, and looking up, saw Henry Leverett'B pleasant and good-natured blue eyes looking straight into his. 'This is all right of course,' said the broad shouldered young fellow, 'but an idea occurred to me that I'd like to be sure of it.'

* Certainly,' replied the man in the carriage in a_ ow voice, ' anything you want to know, though I hope you won't keep us long—it's one of tho most difficult cases to manage wo ever had.'

* Yes—l ahould ihink bo,' said Leverett, trying to get a look afc Olive, who had sunk back, exhausted, into the dark Hocuses of the carriage. " *

■* Taking her to the A_yl__a ove. _fc West Rochdale,' said the conductor, who was standing afchis flribulder ; having said which he turned and walked toward his train.

Leverett began to feel that ho had made a mistake. He had an idea of getting back to hia seat in che train us speedily as possible, when a trembling, eager, soul-stirring voice from the carriage stopped him. 4Do not' believe them 1 It is all a lie ! They are taking me '

There was tho sound of a blow in the carriage, and tho voice stopped with a little muffled cry of pain. It was Unfortunate, in the interest of art, that a plan which hud been carried out up to this time with consummate skill, should have been endangered, at tho moment- of its success, by the commission of aucb an error. That blow was a most serious blunder.

The ruffian realised this the instant he dealt ifc, for Leverett turned upon him. * Is that the way you treat your patients ?' demanded he, hotly, his face almost in the carriage. 'Our treatment is our own affair,' replied the man, ' and you have no concern with it.'

4 You will certainly allow me to epeak to the young woman V ' ' I'm very sorry, but ib would not do.sir ; she's very excitable, and you are causing her more suffering by letting her hear all this, than you imagine.' Suddenly the tremulous voice from the carriage, speaking quickly, to say ib before they could stop her :

' Look in my satchel—my letters—they threw ib on the driver's seat—do not beiieve them—do not— ' She was stopped again, but this time it was not with a blow.

Leveretb glapccd up, The man on the driver's seat was putting the alligator-skin travelling bag under bho seat. Quickly the one in the carriage spoke, pulling out some papers i ' ' ' Here is my certificate. Here are all the necessary papers- jusb glance over them— you will see it is all right.' 'I don't know anything aboub your papers,' replied Leveretb, 4 but if you havo no objections I will look into the lady's satchel,' and he moved toward the front Wheel of tho carriage. ' I have objecbions,' quickly answered the man he addressed, starting up as if he would get oub. ' That is private property ! I have objections, sir ■!'■

' Then I will look ab ib whether you have Objections or not,' said Leveretb, in the Baine cheerful, easy voice, as ho stopped upon the wheel. ' Here ! Stop that man ! Don't let him get up there !' shouted the other, jumping out of tho carriage. 'Lookout, Jerry Vhe added in _ sharp quick voice.

Here another grave error was made. The man upon the driver's seat had nob tho self-control of the other. Ho knew that Leverett must not geb tho satchel, and seeing him moun-ing the wheel and thinking of no other way to arrest hia progress on _horfe notice, ho gave him a terrific lash the short tough whip he had in his right hand. The nexb instant his ugly throat was in a grip that nearly split it down the middle, he felt himself lifted and shot through the air, the sensation of flying followed, .and after thab the less agreeable sensation of landing in a confused heap on the boards of the platform some fcwonfcy feet from the carriage.

When he looked up everything seemed to be revolving with great rapidity, but by watching carefully when the vehicle from which he had just been thrown swept before him, he saw that Lsverett had jumped down with the satchel in his hand, and was facing his confederate who had sprung forward to meet him. , ' Give me that! You have ho right to it! Give it here, I say V 1 I'll look at it first,' said Leverett, his suspicions now thoroughly roused, and his pleasant open face fired wibh indignation. The other seized the valise as if to snatch it away. His arm was nob quite broken, but it was lame for two months from the blow with which ib was knocked away.

He turned and called for a policeman. Fortunately for him,none were in the neighbourhood. He went to find one. His companion, who had recently taken a trip through the air, limped after him. They would return and make the fellow pay dearly for this. They would see to it! He would be sorry for this ! Just wait! And they hurried away.

Leverett gave one look into the little fcraveiling satchel, closed ib, and turned to Olive, whose white face was peering from the carriage, and extending his hand said, * Come this way, please.'

He felt the hand he held out caught as if by a trembling, . frightened child; a clinging hold—an eager, trembling, tremuloua hold. Olive had found a friend at last). A friend ! Ajriend ! A friend at last. All this took place in a moment. The train had not yet moved out, Leverett led her quickly across the platform and gently assisted her into the car. (To be Continued.)