New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-13

Then after fumbling bit. he pulled out cigar
Try this he managed to say.
This was shovelling Goals Of fire on my head
felt and thanked him heartily. feeling my graf
itude glowing warmer and warmer WIN each
Whit ! drew of the choicest and most fragrant
cigar ever put a light 10. II lasted through the
rest Of the crossing. and when we proposed 10 go
ashore was only too glad to have chance OF
obgng him in return. 10 fairly cramped
and helpless and ] had actually 10 lift him To
his feet and drag him on 10 the pier
DO YOU mind putting me into carnage NJ
asked Il am afraid to be left alone. .s
The guard found an empty compartment. ana
we laid him at length on the seat 1t was tn
express train To town and the guard took care
that no one should get I'm with US.
He wasn't a lively companion, lying cut imp
and speeches. opposite. but he was civil. Have
another cigar you'll like this one better than
the last If you don't mind rather fun 1aNor
He selected one out of a handful and offered II
me. then turned over on his side ana went l"
sleep
1t was curious tobacco certainly. or perhaps
my head was still 4 little queer from the pltch-
ing and tossing. | began 10 grow sieepy-drli-
ciousy seepy-with an odd. pleasant nuWhncss
stealing over every limb. That was ttr chang
from the battcring wind 10 the wa m stuiN
carriage | thought. 7 would have opened Inc
window. but my legs refused TO SIR. Ny sinali
portmanteau stood on the seat beside me. |
slid down sideways till my elbow rested ON IL
and my head on my hand. The smoke seemed u
get into my eyes and ears ana wrap me r"uhu
in "A comfortable woolly vapor: my head went
middle Modelling forward and the cigar slipped
from my lips. but made no EFFORT In eaten IL.
Presently was conscious that my felloW-uaVei-
Ter was up and about. What a fdsci he was TO
be sure. Closing that last inch OF window just
If there could h" any drauSht. He smut up
both ventilators and then stopped and looked at
me. shut my eyes tight to AVOID me iaisue
Of talking but opened them when he moved
away and lazily watched him. He was unscreW
ing a little brass box. which | recognized as
Lamp for heating curling irons. had seen II at
the hairtiressers Was he going To trim nj.
mustache what? Perhaps to brew hinsclt
some somehow.
He poured In the methyated spirit and lighted
1t. then carefully measured out of Il httl" bottle
some darksh stuff and dropped ii on The namr.
Holding the lamp at arms length. he placed IL
the portmanteau and showed ii toward my
face Did he want To fumigate me. and why?
With a sudden effort | managed TO TWIST my
face up to get view OF MIN lie was
shrinking into the furthest corner. holding his
handkerchief over his nose and mouth. felt
| must have this explained: hut meanwhile the
blue vapor from the lamp was drifting IN pare
clouds around me. filing every breath | took
with a sweet suffocating flavor altogether de-
liciOus something like the cigar. Only more
powerful. My limbs from being numb. grew
eaden / could not have stirred "A finger To save
my life. Still was not insensibc, though
drowsy dulness suffnsed my brain. one corner
of it--one tiny patch Of brain matter-feli alert
and watchful though poweress. knew when
the man in the corner began to stir. and saw
him bending over me. holding his handkerchief
over his mouth and nostrils. He rested one
hand on my forehead and lifted up my eyeid
with his thumb. did not resent il; was quite
Indifferent 10 what became of me-. Then he
carefully and deliberately felt me all over, my
breast and my sides TIL he came 70 my belt.
Round and round me went his fingers prodding
and rubbing till he found what he wanted |
couldn't lift an cyelid in prOtest-didnt want 10.
Luckily was. doubled up awkwardly for his
purpose and he could do nothing with one hand.
Besides | seemed TO see that in suite OF tn"
cover over his mouth. the NapOr was taking Ell
feet upon him. ana he swayed about dizzily lie
staggered back To his far corner and lowered In"
window for a moment only mon' M not long
enough to do me any good He then tied the
Handkerchief over his face. so as 10 leave both
hands at libe~ty and approached me again. This
time he lifted mo easily. and when ! tried 10
speak began to unfasten my waistooai-or |
thought he did. could not be sure. Black dark
ness closed in upon me. surginE up Tx" 4 sea
and swallowing me- was LOST was dead.
Then came a sound like thunder and shock
as Of "A pail Of iced water flung over me. sup
pose was the grinding - the hrak" a. IN"
train was brought to stand. and the Other
the rush Of night air into the carriag" when tn"
door opened
sa; up and blnked around. Nv fellow
traveller angrily "Np"siulatinE with IN"
guard PIG pardon sir heard the man say.
He slammed the door. but not TIL tall man
wearing a heavy black cloak had passed IN AMI
taken the seat opposite 10 min" HIS nat was
pu Jed over his eyes. and his collar turned up 50
that could not catch a glimpse 81 his face.
Either he OF | Knocked over the litt" lamp.
and IL rolled away under the seat
Ny fellow traveller stopped and picked II mp
without any attempt at concealment
Rather startling. that stoppag"." h" said.
smiling at me-. Some local swell or director
wanted to be picked NJ. us way tn'A nav"
on this line Glad it's nothing worse; thought
We had smashed something, startled YOU. too.
didn't ii?'
grimlv. Il had some queer dreams. don't
think that stuff you were burning Is whole
some"
My inhaler? I'm awfully sorry II you noticed
it, | have such hideous attacks Of asthma that
am obliged to use 1t at all sorts of times. 1t is
quite harmless. | believe"
But you were covering your face ana keeping
IL @
Il was holding my nose In the smoke as long
could stand it, he declared LOOKING angry
and astonishcd. Il beg pardon for placing 1t on
Your portmanieau. II wasn't steady on the
seat | turned your face away from it. You
must have been dreaming.
Perhaps II was a dream that FELT you punch
ing and poking all over me-" | retorted. I'll
swear you did,
He looked very serious.
81 see you mean to quarrel with me about some
thing ! declare most solemnly don't under
stand why. did nothing to YOU. unless
with augh-"it was in my sleep; have had
a misgiving about that last stuff got: ran
cied there was something unusual mixed with
II. opium soothing stuff That would account
for our dreams. would 1t not? Vel here II
goes" and he flung the flask out Of the window.
and then put the fumigator away in his bag
with such an open. honest air. that began To
mstrust my own senses.
little. He laughed. too got up and stretched
himself again in his corner
The newcomer had paid no attention to either
of us but sat upright and dark-a silent pres
ence | felt happier at having him there. and
began to cast about for something To say TO
him I'm naturally soclabc and generally get
on with the people brush up against in the
world: but whether II was sleepiness or that in
hang stuff not word would come out, and we
oil sat mute while the dark country outside
rushed past the stesmins windows with only
now and then the lights Of some small station
flashing by.
| felt ! was growing queer and nervous ana
jumpy sitting bolt upright before this dark
stranger. watching for movement, q CLEAN OF
his eyes the stir OF his breath in the
long white mustaChe that fell over his mouth
-anythng-iust show tina it was a man, and a
living man sitting opposite me.
My felow-traveller presently crossed over and
sat down at the other end OF tn" pOrtmanteau.
II owe YOU supper for those bad Dreams. he