The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-04-07
ON THE EXPRESS "'''''. .'''
 TO MARSEILLES.


 Marseilles, so thought myself in luck to have only one other passenger in the compartment with me. He was 2 stern, official-looking parsonage, and as he had nothing with him but port folio I knew that he would not travel far and I should soon have the com partment to myself.
 But, alas, I made too sure! Just as the train was going to start, I heard a discussion going on outside.
 "No, no, engaged q private compart- ment, and l must have it," said sil- very feminine voice.
 q cannot give it to you, madam, for there is not one on the train," replied the guard.
 But I wrote and ordered itn'
 Your letter was not received"
 Put on another carriage then"
 That is impossible we are just go- ing to start-be quick. There are two seats here"
 A small dark head appeared for an instant in the doorway of the compart- ment, and was suddenly withdrawn.
 
 There are two gentlemen in therel"
 "Very we'll madame, I cannot give you whole carriage to yourself"
 "Then I shall not go at all!'
 s"As you please. The train is just go- ing
 Wait wait. I am obliged to go now. As there is absolutely no other place, I-But can I have a private" compart- ment when I get to the next station?"
 Certainly madame
 You will telegraph for it?"
 "Yes, madame"
 The door opened and lady stepped into the compartment, a whistle blew, and we were off. She was breathless and flushed with indignation. A single glance at her face told me that she was younv and extremely pretty.
 It was very cold, and the fair trav- eler wrapped rug around her and gazed out obstinately at the wintry Landscapes; the other passenger took some official looking documents out of his portfolio and examined them, while I pretended to be absorbed in my news papers.
 At 11:3 we reached Laroche, and as soon as the train stopped, the gentle man gathered up his papers, rose, bowed and left us The lady went to the door and asked the stationmas- ter in an anxious tone: Have you been telegraphed from Paris for a pri- vate compartment?
 "Yes, madame, and I have already sent the order on."
 "Oh! What do you mean? l want it now
 Impossible, madame. We have no carriages here, but you can get one at Lyons" The train startde. 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. My fellow traveller was distractingly pretty, and I longed to enter into conversation with her. She was a lady, I knew, and I racked my brain for some appropriate and or iginal remark with which to break the ice. I was still wondering, when the train came to a sudden halt, and a guard called out: "Tonnerre! Twenty-Five minutes for lunch!"
 My vis-a-vis rose, put off her rugs, laid them on the seat, and got off the | train. She went to the buffet at the left side of the station, and I followed | her.
 I had leisure to admire her graceful | figure, which was clad in long cloak trimmed with otter; l observed also | thta she wore a gray felt hat on her very black hair, and that she had very smal! feet.
 I rushed into the restaurant with | the rest of the passengers. My fellow traveller was seated at a separate table, | drinking bouillon. As soon as I had | finished, I strolled about, and smoked | a cigarette. The allotted twenty-five | minutes were slipping by, and the pas sengers began to return to the train. I went to my place, and found that the lady had not yet come back, and on looking out of the window I saw her standing at a booksellers stall. Her back was toward me, but I recognized | the otter cloak, the gray felt hat, and the graceful figure.
 All the other passengers were in their seats; the time was up, the guards shut the doors noisly, yet she did not move She would be left behind! Madame, madame!" l cried; but the distance was too great, she could not hear me. There was hardly minute left
 Suddenly bright idea came to me. could not bear to think of her being left without her wraps in that bitter cold; poor little woman! I seized her satch- els, band-boXes and rugs in my arms and threw them out of the window, calling to a guard who stood near Give these to that lady over there." He picked them up and turned away, the train began to move, and at the same instant ther entered at the op- posite side of the train, breathless and hurried, my fellow traveller!
 Horror! I had made a mistake. The lady at the book stall was not the own CT of the luggage. Yet her figure, her cloak, her hat were the same-an ab- surd resemblance. What was to be done now? A pretty mess I had made of it! While l stood speeches., she reached her seat and immediately ex- claimed: "Where are my satchels? Some one has taken all my things!' Then for the first time she looked at