Harrowtown?" he inquired, stopping the busy
conductor.

"We get there at half past eight."

Another question was upon Mr. Randal's lips, but the conductor had
hurried on. He looked around as if to appeal to some one else, but
turned back, talking to himself. "Not get there till into the
evening," he said, "and pitch dark, for there's no moon now. I shan't
know where to go." The poor old man was sorely troubled.

Presently the conductor came back, and as he passed his seat, he
stopped him again.

"Mr. Conductor, how shall I know when to get out? I've never been to
Harrowtown, and I don't want to get out at the wrong place."

"Give yourself no concern," was the polite reply. "I'll tell you when
we come to Harrowtown. I won't forget you."

Soothed by this assurance, Mr. Randal's mind grew tranquil, and he
finally went to sleep.

In the seat behind him sat a tall, handsome boy. His name was Albert
Gregory. He was bright and intelligent, but his well-featured face was
spoiled by a wicked-looking eye and a hard, cruel mouth.

He saw the aged passenger fall asleep, and nudged his seat-fellow.

"Look there, John. By and by, I'll play a joke on that old country
greeny, and you'll see fun."

On rushed the swift express; mile after mile was passed; daylight
faded and the lamps were lit in the cars, and still the aged man
slept, watched by his purposed tormentor, and the other boy who waited
to "see fun."

At length the speed of the train began to slacken, coming near a
stopping-place. Albert sprang up and shook Mr. Randal violently.

"Wake up! Wake up!" he called, sharply, putting his mouth close to his
ear. "This is Harrowtown. You must get off here."

The old man, thus roughly roused, started from his seat and gazed
around him, bewildered. The change from day to night, the unaccustomed
waking on a moving train, the glare of the lights, added tenfold to
his confusion.

"Wh--what did you say boy?" he asked helplessly.

"This is Harrowtown. The place where you want to stop. You must get
off. Be quick or you'll be carried by."

The noise of the brakes, and the distracted attention of the
passengers on reaching a new station, possibly ignorance of the real
locality on the part of those near enough to have heard him, prevented
any correction of the boy's cruel falsehood. Mr. Randal knew it was
not the conductor who had aroused him; but, supposing Albert to be
some employee of the road, he hurried to the car door w