With her were two
younger people, who I took to be her son and her
daughter--the one a quiet, gentle-looking girl of twenty
or so, dressed in black, and the other a short, thick-set
young fellow, a year or two older. The two ladies sat by
each other in the far corner, and the son (as I presume
him to be) sat opposite me. We may have travelled an
hour or more without my paying any attention to this
little family party, save that I could not help hearing
some talk between the two ladies. The younger, who was
addressed as Winnie, had, as I noticed, a very sweet and
soothing voice. She called the elder "mother," which
showed that I was right as to the relationship.
I was sitting, then, still reading my paper, when I
was surprised to get a kick on the shins from the young
fellow opposite. I moved my legs, thinking that it
was an accident, but an instant afterwards I received
another and a harder one. I dropped my paper with a
growl, but the moment that I glanced at him I saw how the
matter stood. His foot was jerking spasmodically, his
two hands clenched, and drumming against his breast,
while his eyes were rolling upwards until only the rim of
his iris was to be seen. I sprang upon him, tore open
his collar, unbuttoned his waistcoat, and pulled his head
down upon the seat. Crash went one of his heels through
the carriage window, but I contrived to sit upon his
knees while I kept hold of his two wrists.
Pages:
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109