Part 36 (2/2)
The woman who had but a few days before been released from prison was destined to complicate matters and bring about startling and unexpected meetings, as the future will reveal.
When night fell d.y.k.e Darrel found himself yet hundreds of miles from the goal of his hopes and fears.
CHAPTER XXIV.
A RACE FOR LIFE.
As may be supposed, Professor Ruggles was deeply stunned at the coup de main that had deprived him of his fair charge.
Who had robbed him? This was the question that at once suggested itself to his mind, and he found it not difficult to frame an answer, although, until this moment, he had supposed that Madge Scarlet was still in prison.
”It must be her,” he muttered, as he gazed madly at the vacant seat.
”I'm sure it was HER,” said the old man who had first spoken. ”A queer, wrinkled old woman, too, she was.”
”Did she say anything?”
”Not a word.”
Mr. Ruggles pa.s.sed into the next car, hoping to find Nell and the strange old woman there.
He went the whole length of the swift-moving train, only to learn that his fair captive had been spirited away completely.
At first rage consumed the man's senses, and he scarcely realized the dangers of his position.
”I will not give up to such a sneak game,” he muttered at length.
”Madge Scarlet has shadowed me for this very purpose, it seems. Can it be possible that the friends of Nell Darrel have employed this hag to rob me of my prize? I will not believe it, for it isn't in the nature of Madge Scarlet to do a good action, not even for pay. No; it is to gratify her own petty scheme of vengeance that she has stolen a march on me; but she will not succeed. I will get on her track and wrest the girl from her hands.”
A minute later Professor Ruggles stood before the conductor.
”When does the next train pa.s.s going west?”
”It pa.s.ses Galien in an hour.”
”Galien? Do you stop there?”
”Yes.”
”Soon?”
”Within five minutes.”
When the train slowed in at the station, Professor Ruggles left the car and entered the depot. Here he would have to wait nearly an hour before the New York train west would pa.s.s. It was a tedious wait; but he could do no better. With his hand satchel clutched tightly he paced up and down like a ghost of the night.
He was glad indeed when the train came at length thundering up to the station, He had purchased a ticket for the station from which the abductress had boarded the cars and stolen Nell.
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