Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-06-30

huddled together in cluster of steep
roofs; the river foamed in silvery rip.
Piles the peasants worked in the fields.
Within the railway carriage Miss Nor
folk-Stanley INDUCED in her own medi-
tations, and BIou capered about at
pleasure. The lady made her plans,
with slightly compressed lips. She would
go to Paris, and thence direct to Lon
don. Nephew might we'll look to him
self.
The train paused. Hi, Bijou? Miss
Norfolk Stanley had scarcely time to re-
store her pet to the bag pocket when the
opposite door flew open, and the surly
guard thrust in his head. Her heart
failed her. If 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 explained that two ladies
must be admitted, as the cigar smoke of
their carriage made them i'll. Again
that long, yellow hand groped upward
for the door handle, and the two women
in cloaks invaded Miss Norfolk -Stanley's
territory. She resigned herself, with a
sigh, to the invetable, After all, these
ladies were only trife peculiar and
foreign-looking, mere harmless fellow
creatures, and Bijou had already enjoyed
two hours of freedom. Miss Norfolk
Stanley's first impulse was to throw
herself on their mercy to the extent of
releasing her dog. In travel she had
never yet encountered another woman
who did not assist in smuggling Bijou
with the delight in contraband warfare
of any kind peculiar to the sex. A sec.
ond glance at those mufled figures de-
tered her. The strangers. with mur-
INJURED apology in French for the intru-
sion, sank into their places at the other
extremity of the carriage, and remained
as silent as statues. They carried no
bags or parcels of any kind. The yell
low hand produced a smelling bottle of
cut steel, and pungent odor diffused
itself gradually.
Now the tunnels were gained which
form the threshold of Mont Gents on the
Italian side, and which are immeasur-
ably more black and oppressive.
A rush of steam, shrek of the loco
motive and the train was ingulfed in the
first of 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 unfas-
tened her collar, and sought her fan.
At the other end of the carriage the
yellow hand was deftly opening the
owners cloak, while pair of glittering
eyes were turned on the unconscious
Miss Norfolk Stanley from the folds of
the veil. The smelling bottle of cut
steel had vanished.
A rush of steam, shrek of the To-
comotive, and the train plunged into a
second tunnel. Behold the companion
of the traveller with yellow hands quiet
ly unfastened her cloak. and producing
her smelling bottle, this one a slender
vial of colorless glass, which she
retained between her fingers instead of
using.
A rush of steam, shrek of the loco
motive, 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 inhale the pure mountain air, while
each link of the train was tested before
the trial of the great tunnel. The Mont
Gents opened that great mouth, and re-
ceived the human freight, the feeble at
oms of an hour, into its rocky heart
Thirty minutes Miss Norfolk Stanley
opened her watch. Much may be done
in thirty minutes. She had turned tC
the window, which had been again clos
ed, when her head was seized, nervous
hand was pressed over her mouth. sh'
was forced to inhale chloroform, and ;
heavy cloak enveloped her, effectually
sitting the faint cry. scarcely more thar
a sigh. which escaped her. The victim
speedily lost consciousness, and the lea
ther bag rolled to the floor.
Bijou fell on his head. Astonishec
at such treatment, he crept out Of hi
pocket-of which the strap had not beel
refastened when the surly guard brough
the other occupants of the carriage s
unexpectedly-and hid beneath the fold
of his mistress dress. Mark the wis
dom of this little dog, and explain it b
any law, short of reason. actual presenc
of mind, if you can. He was afraio
and concealed himself trembling in e,
cry limb. He knew something dreadfl
had happened.
The two women, divested of the
cloaks, stood over Miss Norfolk -Stanlc,
e Much can be done in thirty minutes
outer darkness, lost in the heart of Nor
e Gents.
= "Dont kill her. Discovery would
f awkward, whispered the elder, kee