River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-26

pressed down over a deeply wrinkled
forehead He was always In hurry, .
and his life was rendered burdensome BY
the questions or nervous travellers. He
eyed Miss Norfolk-Stanley sharply---sole
occupant of the ladies' carriage, sitting
with leather bag carefully held upright
on her knee
ssYou have no doga" demanded the
surly guard, peering about the floor sus-
pieiously.
Certainly not, said Miss Norfolk
Stanley, blushing at the tib which she
uttered in alarm for Ler pet
Then the surly guard banged the door,
departed, and the train actually started
at last. Bijou skipped out OF his prison, |
executed wild but barkless dance over
the seats, stood on his hind legs with
great apparent enjoyment, ate biscuit,
and was refreshed with water from the
cup of his own tiny travelling flask.
The tram wendell its way toward the
Alps; one by one snow peaks detached |
themselves from the mountain rampant
dividing France and Italy, and stood out
boldly AGAINST the blue sky; the atmos-
phere grew keen. Down in the valleys
weather-beaten little hamlets were hud- !
died together in a cluster Of steep roofs
the river foamed in silvery ripples; the |
peasants worked in the blooming fields.
Within the railway carriage Miss Nor
tolk-Stanley INDUCED in her own medi- |
tations, and Bijou capeTed about ut pleas
urc. The lady made her plsns, with
slightly compressed lips. She would so
to Paris, and thence direct to London.
| Nephew Dick might well look 10 him
self
The train paused. Iii, Bijou Miss Nor
folk Stanley had scarcely time To restore
her pet to the bag pocket when the oppo
site door flew open, and the surly guard
thrust in his head. Her heart failed her.
Ii the surly guard had seen Bijou, he had
the right to carry the dog off in triumph
to the baggage van, and impose ON herself
| the ignomIny of fine. Instead he ex
planned that two ladies must be admitted,
as the cigar smoke of their carriage made
them ill. Again that long, yellow hand
CROPPED upward for the door handle, and
the two women in cloaks invaded Miss
Norfolk -Stanley's territory. She resign
| ed herself, with sigh, TO the inevitable
After all, these ladies were only trihe
peculiar and foreign looking, mere harm
/ lNNH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ANA IllNh 81
ready enjoyed two hours of freedom.
Miss Norfolk SANKEY'S first impulse was
/ 10 throw herself on their mercy to the eX-
tent Of releasing her dog. In travel she
had never yet encountered another woman
who did not assist in smuggling Biiou
with the delight in contraband warfare of
| any kind peculiar to the sex. A second
| glance at those yelled and mufiled figures
deferred her. The strangers with muir
INJURED apology in French for the intru
sion, sank into their places at the other
/ extremity Of the carriage, and remained
| rs silent as statues. They carried no bags
or parcels of any kind. The yellow hand
/ produced a smelling-bottle of cut steel,
aud d pungent odor diffused itself gradu-
| ally, as the windows were closed to ex
/ clude the smoke.
/ Now the tunnels were gained which
! form the threshold Of Mont Gents on the
Italian side, and which are immcsurably
more black and oppressive.
A rush of steam, a shrek OF the loco
motive, and the train was In the first of
| the three long tunnels. The gas burned
! in tiny star in the roof of the carriage.
/ Horrible darkness and dense smoke like
| an opaque wall against the window sash
| Bijou's mistress unfastened her collar
/ and sought her fan. AT the other end OF
the carriage the yellow hand was deity
| opening the owners cloak, while a pair
| of glttering eyes were turned on the un-
! conscious Miss Norfolk Stanley from the
folds of the veil. The smelling bottle OF
| cut steel had vanished.
/ A rush of steam shrek of the locomo-
/ live, and the train plunged into the sec
ond tunnel Behold the companion of
the traveller with yellow hands quietly
christening her CLOAK, and producing her
smelling bottle, this one slender vial
\ or colorlcss glass, which she retained be-
! tween her fingers instead of using
/ A rush of steam,a shrek of the locomo-
/ tive, and the train passed into the third
/ tunnel Silence reigned in the ladies'
/ carriage
/ After this there was pause, and Miss
| Norfolk Stanley opened her window to
inhail the pure mountain air, while each
4 link of the train was tested before the
I trial OF the great tunnel. Then Mont
Gents opened her great mouth, aud re-
/ ceived the human freight, the feeble
atoms of an hour, into its rocky heart
Thirty minutes Miss Norfolk Stanley
opened her watch Much may happen
| in thirty minutes. She had turned TO
the window, which had been again closed,
when her head was seized, nervous hand
was pressed over her mouth she was
| forced TO inhale chlorofnrm, and cloak
enveloped her, effectually sitting the
! faint cry, scarcely more than sigh,
which escaped her. The victim speedily
lost consciousness, and the leather bag
rolled from her lap to the floor.
Biiou fell on his head Aston ished at
such treatment, he crept out Of his pock-
et-of which the strap had not been re-
fastened when the surly guard brought
the other occupants Of TIE carriage so
unexpectedly-and hid beneath the folds
of his nistresss dress Mark the wisdom
of this little dog, and explain ii by any
law short of reason, actual presence of
mind, If you can. He was afraid, and
concealed himself, trembling in every
limb. He knew something dreadful had
happened.
The two women, Invested of their
cloaks, stood over Miss Norfolk Stanley.
Much can be done in thirty minutes of
outer darkness. lost III the heart of Mont
Gents.
''Do not Kill her. Discovery would he |
awkward" whispered the elder, a keen,
yellow face appearing out of the veil |
which had previously concealed it,
Her accomplice remove the bottle from |
the nosuils Of Miss Forfolk Stanley, aud |
lifted the cloak from her face. The lat |
ter did not move. Then the yellow claws |
took the watch and chain, rings, probed |
every pocket, nimbly sifted the contents |
of the rack above for vaIuables, and raised |
the leather bag, Buou's house, in hopes
ofits containing jewel box.
"Now open the other window. The
carriage must not smell Of chIOroform
when we reach Modane. | will give her
another dose before throwing away the
bottle"
sit was such a rare chance Only if |
we should be detected at the frontier" |
murmurcd the younger woman.
Attend, ma chere have planned all, " |
retorted the elder, with an evil smile
"She will recover, be stupid wheh we ar
rive at the French coustom house and
wait for her maid. Roll together the
cloaks ana the wells in this canvas cover;
our dresses and hats have not been seen
on the train. When we descend, | join
Adolph, and lean ON his arm; you 90 with
the bows and sneak German We knew