The Opelousas courier., 1892-12-24

German IfOnCIeT. linen my would nav
to get out anyhow, because of customs
inspection. "Tickets, if you please"
II have already given up my ticket. +"
"To whom2'
ITO a guard who came in here q mo-
meut ago. I protested, but it was of no
! use."
"Impossible. There has been no guard
here before me-"
An immediate outcry bewildered the
guard. Everyone talked as loud and as
fast as he could, accompanying his em-
phatic declarations with energetic gest-
ures. as is the amusing custom with
foreigners. The guard looked SUSPECT
ously at them all. This was evidently a
plot-a new dodge. He must have
tickets or money, he said. Those who
had given up their tickets told him to
find the other guard if he wanted the
tickets. It was not likely, they added,
that they were going along q shaky foot
board on a night express to search for
him. The guard went to the next com
partment, advising those he was leaving
to have their tickets ready by the time
he returned.
In the next compartment and the
next, he found the same state of things,
and at last it occurred to him that a
whole train-load of passengers, native
foreign, could hardly have entered into
aticket suppressing conspiracy. The Eng
lishman had been particularly insulting,
and experience told the guard that it is
the man who is lying and trying to
cheat that is always polite. The man in
the Wrong cannot afford to use bad Ian
guage. The guard thought that per-
haps his co.laborer at the other end OF
the train had suddenly gone crazy and
collected tickets along the whole line of
carriages, instead Of combining himself, as
usual, to the rear half. Getting out
once more on the foot board he worked
his way along toward the rear of the
train. He had gone about half way
when he met the other guard.
"Have you been collecting tickets in
my half on the tralna'
"That is just the question I was 60.
ing to ask you. Some one in uniform
has been through the rear halfpnd every
thing is in confusion. l Vaave seen
nothing of him" Ii
"Nor have I. Perhaps he is in the
sleeping car"
"No, he has not been there at all, but
in every other carriage" s
"He cannot have escaped. He may be
on the engine"
"Well, you go forw ard and see. Til
go to the rear and keep a lookout"
The guard did not think much of the
crew on the engine. The driver was an
Italian, a sWarthV brigandish- blocking
man, who never satisfactorily accounted
for his desertion of his native country,
where he claimed to have driven the
Rome Naples express. Why should a
man in such a position leave it to take a
place on a slow local train, as Partenza
had done before he was promoted to the
Bale expressa
Still no one claimed he was not a good
engineer. The fireman was a compatriot
Of the guard, but he stammered fearfully.
This natural defect was looked upon with
suspicion by the guards and minor Off
GERS Of the line. There must be some
thing evil in a man who had an impedi-
ment in his speech.
The stammering stoker was on the
tender shoVeling down coal when the
guard reached the engine. He was asked
If anyone was on the engine except the
two who should be there, but before the
mar could stutter out either q negative
or affirmative the guard lost patience
and Working mis- way over tho quivering
machine, he mounted the cab where
Partenza, with his hand on the lever,
was peering ahead into the darkness.
"Has there been anyone on the engine
since you started9"
ssNo,n answered the Italian in a surly
tone; awho should be with us2a
.sThere is someone on the train n
cealed. / thought he might be here.
He is dressed like a guard and has taken
up a quarter of the tickets-perhaps
more"
The engineers hand dropped from the
lever and he started at the guard with
eyes SO wide and with such a CLEAN of
insanity in them that the other stepped
involuntarily back from him. The Ital-
ian drew the back of his griiny hand
across his black perspiring brow.
sMy Godr" be cried huskily, 1.-THE
Death Guardl"
"What do you mean2o
uHe was on my train before-on the
Naples express that was wrecked. He
has followed me here. I will not take
this train to Bale.n
Before the guard could reply the
stoker came tumbling down over the
coal, wild to speak, but unable to make
q sound.
nHe has seen him." cried the guard.
nHe has seen something, what is it,
you foola"
The fireman, realizing his helplessness,
sprang forward and attempted to pull
the lever.
ssNone of that, you suffering idiot.
Don't interfere with what you don't
understand, and the italian struck him a
staggering blow that knocked him
against the side of the cab and at the
same time seemed to break the bonds
that imprisoned his speech.
1.-THE red lightl' he shrieked 'tYou
have passed it,
The engineer with an oath threw him
self on the lever and flung on the air
brake, that instantly checked the flying
train like a blow. Right ahead the
guard saw the rear lights of the forward