North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-06

"Then it is an enigma he replied
"The only solution l can offer you is
that you have been mistaken for some one
else."
"Bon DieuIr l exclaimed "You have
undoubtedly hit the mark. have been
mstaken-and know for whom. Have
you not seen man in this town bearing a
striking resemblance to me?''
"No," was the answer.
"Well, my friend, have. The mo-
ment saw him, felt uncomfortable.
had presentiment of evil. You will
oblige me by letting me have your bill. !
shall go to Paris tonight. If stop here
another day, my life, which l left England
to fortify, will be snuffea out like eau,
dle."
| The hotel'keeper, seeing matters come
to point that affected his interests en-
endeavered to laugh down my thoughts.
He argued that the ball had received in
my hat might have been destined for a
| bird that it was the shot of some
wretched marksman, who had mistaken
nay hat for a crow.
--"That may all be very wel!,i I answer
ed "but suffer me to tell you that your
excuse only makes me more resolutc to
leave this place for of what value is a
mans life in district abounding with
sportsmen who can mistake hat for a
crow?"
A train Left for Paris at 2:35. 1t was
an express, and | found it to be due at
eight o'clock I dispatched my portm!n-
tcau by porter to the station, and having
twenty minutes before me, sat down to a
slight repast of cold fowl and ein ordiaaire
The position of my table enabled me to
get a view of the street. As the porter
strobe away with my luggage, | observed
man cross the road and accost him. Ia
reply to what was obviously question,
the porter, with the gesticnatioas Of a
iichchHidu, poihteu Will MS tbGh'b W
the hotel, and vigorously nodded hi. head.
The man crossed over again to the pA e.
ment, came on until hc was opposite the
hotel, caught sight Of me through the
window, and abruptly turning on his
heel, walked off in the direction taken by
the porter
| thought nothing of this. The man, |
conjectured, probably wanted the job |
had given to the porter. lie was a COM
mon-looking fellow, dressed in leather
CATERS, a blouse, slouched cap and a
belt There was nothing singular in his
face. He was dark, with 4 black beard
and moustache. He was a familiar type
of the middle-aged peasant of Southern
France.
Having discharged my bill, | walked to
the railway station. On the PLATFORM
there was much tumult, a train from Par
is having just arrived. But upon the
platform against which stood the train
that vas to bear me to the north | cCunt'
ed only FIVE people, exclusive Of porto@s
But had little time for observation.
The train would leave in three minutes
| saw my portmanteau slowed away in the
luggage van, procured myself a iirst-class
ticket and took my seat.
The shrill whistle of the guard sound
ed. The engine gave snort and the line
Of carriages clanked to their chains as
they frightened to the strain. Suddenly
several voices cried, "Stop! stopl Now.
then, quick Which class-frst? Let's
see your ticket. Right. Here you are
jump in ~ The door of my carriage was
opened, form bounded in, the door was
slammed, there was another shrill whistle
and off went the train.
looked at my companion. He was
the man whom | had noticed speak to the
porter and stare in the window Of my ho-
tel
A thrill passed over me. Ny recent es>
cape had greatly shaken my nervous sys-
tom and the apparition of the man
whom felt | ought to suspect, se,t Il
chill through my blood. As a peasant,
which he was-not expressed only in
dress, but in his hands, which were dirty,
rough and horny-what did he do in a
first class carriage? l would have given
something to have exchanged carriages.
But there was no COMMUNICATION with the
guard. Moreover, the train, as | have
told you, was an express, and did not stop
until run of sixty miles had been accom-
plished. We were now bowling away
with great rapidity.
The man sat, screwed up in a corner
away from me, immovable lie appeared
to be looking through the window at the
country as it whirled by; but there was
an distracted expression in his gaze which
indicated that he saw nothing. His arms
were folded upon his breast. Though he
must have been conscious of my scrutiny,
he never turned his eyes upon me. His
lips, saw, were tightly compressed, and
he breathed slowly, but deeply, through
his nose, the nostrils of which dilated to
the steady respiration.
began after little to regain my com
posure. | struggled to laugh down my
fears. What, | thought, had to fear
from man | had never seen---who had
never seen me? The thing was prepos
ferrous. l extracted paper from my
pocket and commenced to read. might
have spoken to him, only imagined that