The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-09-25
SELECTED STORY.
On the Express Train,

knew tnaI ne would not travel far, and
| should soon have the compartment all
to myself.
But alas, l made too surel Just as
the train was going to start, heard
discussion going on outside.
"No, no, l engaged private COM
partment, and l must have it," said
silvery feminine voice.
L cannot give it to you, madame,
for there is not one on the train" re-
piled the guard.
9" But wrote and ordered it'll "
Your letter was not received"
"Put on another carriage, then"
"That is impossible; we are just
going to start--be quick There are
two seats here"
I'll thereP"
Yes, maaame."
Ga small, dark head appeared for an
instant in the doorway of the compart-
ment, and was suddenly withdrawn.
Then a startled voice exclaimed:
There are two gentlemen in therel"
every well, madame, cannot give
you whole carriage to yourself"
"Tben l shall not go at ALL
i" AS you please. The train is just
going"
"Wait, wait, am obliged to go now.
AS there is absolutely no other place, l
but can 1 have private compartment
when l get to the next station?
Certainly, madame"
"You will telegraph for it?"
Yes, madam !"
You promise9"
The door opened again, and the same
head appeared, surrounded by sort OF
halo of parcels, wraps, etc.; lady
stepped into the compartment, whistle
blew, and we were off. The other gen.
tleman politely rose and took the place
next to me, so as to leave the whole side
opposite us for the new. conner.
She did not vouchsafe glance to
either of US, however, for she was
breathless and flushed with indigna-
ton, and she was no sooner seated than
she began to arrange her satchels and
parcels with all the haste usually dis
played by people who have long jour-
ney before them. She had a satchel,
another satchel, and still another, and
bundle of railway rugs.
watched her proceedings out of the
corner of my eye, and single glance
az uCl law IOIu luO thob ohO WOO JOuhS
and extremely pretty. The discovery
pleased me not little; it is much more
agreeable to travel sitting opposite a
pretty woman than an ugly onel
1t was very cold, and the fair trav-
eler wrapped rug round her and gazed
out obstinately at the wintry land
scape; the other passenger took some
official-looking documents out of his
10, liz 7
pretended to be absorbed in my news
papers.
AT half-past eleven we reached Lar
oche, and, as soon as the train stopped,
the gentleman gathered up his papers,
rose, bowed, and left US. The lady
went to the door and asked the station
master in an anxious tone: "Have
you been telegraphed from Paris for
private compartment?
eyes, madame, and 1 have already
sent the order on"
con! what do you mean? l want it
now"
Impossible, madame. We have no
carriages here, bnt you can get one at
Lyons"
"What time will that be?"
Five-forty-fv
"The whole day l cannot stay in
this carriage until then-I cannot, and
l will not"
"Be careful, madame, the train is
starting!"
And the train started. She went back
to her seat indignant, and without look
ing at me. began reading my paper
again, but could not fix my thoughts
upon the news. 1 read the same line
over twenty times without knowing
what it contained; have no doubt that
held the paper upside down most of
the time. My fellow-traveler was dis
tractingly pretty, and l longed to
enter into conversation with her, but
did not know how to manage the mat
ter. She was lady, knew, and l
racked my brain for some appropriate
and original remark with which to
break the ice. 1t was all in vain. Moth
ing occurred to me except the weather,
and that l scorned.
was still wondering, when the train
came to a sudden halt, and a guard
called out:
"Tonnerre Twenty-Five minutes
for lunchl"
My vis.a-vis rose, put off her rugs,
laid them on the seat, and got off the
train. 1t was noon and she was prob
ably famished. She went to the buffet
at the left side of the station, and |
followed her.
had leisure to admire her graceful
figure, which was clad in long cloak
trimmed with otter; l observed also
that she wore a gray felt hat on her
very black hair, and that she had very
small feet.
/ rushed into the restaurant with the
rest of the passengers, disheveled,
dusty, excited throng, and began eating
whatever was put before me. My fell
low-traveler was seated at separate
table, drinking bouillon. As soon as l
had finished, l strolled about, and
smoked a cigarette. The allotted
twenty-five minutes were slipping by,
and the passengers began to return to
the train. went to my place, and
found that the lady had not come back,
A..N l. j. 4