The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-14

! dIaT ana Sall'
 T don't like the looks of this thing.
 Be thankful to be under cover,'
 said I, for storm is coming surely.
 But Pirani sniffed the air of the m terior, piked the straw about as if eX
 pecting to find dead mice, pointed an
 grily to the nails half driven and made
 the old Jew understand by Italian ges
 lures that this coach was miserable
 old wreck, unfit for the honor of carry
 ing Italian and American artists. For
 tunately the driver spoke German and
 so we settled the affair-ten rubla each
 was in advance and drink money.
 Hesitation being overcome by dread of | the storm, we took our places With
 some anxiety. Our two large trunks
 were hoisted to the top of the coach and
 we started. The roads in the city were
 slushy and rough, snow having evil ] dently not fallen for some time, and so
 our old coach bobbed up and down in
 the uneven paths and gave us lively
 notion of the time to come. At the bridge we were to pay our ten rubla,
 and at the stop Pirani alighted and
 again examined, superciliously, the out
 side of the coach.
 This is the post sleigh, nicht Wahr?"
 he asked.
 "Da, da!" replied the owner in the affirmative.
 "Is 1t safe?"
 "Da, da1' again and with this nlea- ger result of his question Pirani was forced to be content. Our agent had assured us that the post was reliable and that no danger was to be appre- hended.
 Darkness settled over the forest. The snow storm soon piled the road with tender carpet, over which our coach selid smoothly. A silence enveloped us, the driver now a boy of about eighteen years dhe old Jew left us after the ten rubla were paid). Pirani and I. The woods lined each side of the road with out a break, as far as the eye could reach. I dislike having coach front without a window, to bar the sight of what is ahead, and after four hours of silent travel my eyes and thoughts piercing the forest for signs of wolves, I began to think our uneventful trip was an assured thing. Every once in while we heard a yell from our driver, sound which startled my tightly strung nerves and gave me a severe shock, I never took my hand from my nice little six shooter, and my feet were warm inside the immense newly-sti felt boots so proudly worn as q proof of forethought.
 Pirani remarked that the pistol was in my left inside cape pocket, and would be out of reach in case of need; but I was becoming scared by the si- lence and the darkness and had forgot ten which was my left hand and so made no change At this point Pirani told story about the brigands in Italy | who stop wagons and murder the pas sengers for their money. I think he | saw I was scared, and, feeling secure | with his revolver and practiced aim he | felt justified in laughing at my years. 1 In the midst of his awful tale we heard | a dreadful yell from the driver, other harsh voices, and the crunch of the snaw under several pairs of feet and | then, to my horror and Piranis conster- nation we felt our coach lifted on one side.
 I screamed lost my head and my grip on my pistol Pirani held his re- volver at the window of the rising side.
 More yells sickenipg and gradual rise on my side of the coach, and in less time than it takes to tell we rolled over nto shallow ditch in which the water was not yet frezen and the window on Pirani's side rested on the muddy bot om, while the only thing that prevent d a foot of water in the coach was my sitting position in the window opening. The other window showed us the snowy lky and Pirani was hanging in this ,ptning to ease his weight upon my hest
 All the tales of wolves and brigands ushed quickly through my mind. Within the overturned coach all was darkness.
 Keep calm" said Pirani, and then by , he way of assurance, two horses are town" "Oh, let me up-only let me up," I $ 'elled; "the horses-the horses--if they ( -et scared we're lost! I can't move! f let US outl Ohl ohl" Prani clamhered out of the top win , ow and talked fluent Italian to the f neducated Russian peasant, but left no ' oom for doubt of his intention with his | rmly grasped revolver and his muscu- 7 1T left fist. I was within, seated igno- | in water, Frightened out of z ny wits, listening to the raised voices z nd thanking God that the snow was , DO deep for the horses to run with the r coach. After a few minutes a form appeared i { the opening above, and the whole l GOT was pushed out Then a hand r cached mine, and I arose. But the V istance to the window above was just V bout my height, and there was noth- f lg upon which to stand, the seat being f ow in a vertical position, and I de- il paired of getting out before something n The stupid driver tried to o it me, but American flesh is as heavy S 5 any and his efforts were in vain, h Finally Pirani cried: Don't be f. fraid. There is no danger Remain a uiet while these peasants lift the q 1ach.' All very well to keep calm in 9 stal darkness, a foot of water weigh g down my skirts and impeding eve S / movement.
 I listened. Pirani's voice said: W "Dree rouble, dree! help!" which a