Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-11-30


point Of asking several times during
the conventional discussion Of the
weather. the train and the mountains
lie CONSIDERABLY refrained. however.
unwilling 10 cmbarrass her.
aunt Nvonne tells me she never ex-
pectcd 10 see me alive after the station
agent telegraphcd that we were COM
Ing overland In that awful old carriage
lie agent at p says il is danger
Gus road, at the very edge Of the noun
tain. lie also Increased the composure
Of my uncle and aunt by telling them
that a wagon rolled off yesterday. kill
Ing a man. two women and two horses.
Dear Aunt Yvonne, how troubled you
must have been"
III confess there were times when
thought we were rolling down the
mountain said Lorry. with relieved
shake Of the head
Sometimes / thought we were soar
ing through space. whether upward or
downward could not tell We never
failed TO come to earth, though, did
WEI she lauEhingly asked.
"Emphatically! Earth and little
grief" he said, putting his hand to his
head.
Does it pain you?" she asked quick
ly.
Not in the least. l was merely feel
ing 10 see If the cut were still there
Mr.-Mr. Guggenslocker, did the con-
ductor object to holding the train?" he
asked. remembering what the conduc-
tor had told him of the old gentleman's
actions
AT first. but | soon convinced him
that it should be held" said the other
quietly.
MY husband spoke very harshly to
the poor man," added Aunt Yvonne.
But | am afraid, Caspar, he did not
understand word you said. You were
very much excited" The sweet old
lady's attempts at English were much
more laborious than her husbands.
IF he did not understand my Eng
fish he was very good at guessing"
said her husband grimly.
lie told me you had threatened to
call him out" ventured the young man.
call him out? Ach, railroad con-
ductor" exclaimed Uncle Caspar in
fine scorn.
"Caspar, | heard you say that you
would call him out" interposed his
wife, with reproving eyes.
"Ach, God. | have made a mistakol
see it all! II was the other word
meant-down, not out! / intended to
call him down, as you Americans say.
hope he will not think | challenged
him.' He was very much perturbed.
Il think he was afraid you would"
said Lorry.
He should have no fear | could not
meet railroad conductor. Will you
please tell him | could not so conde-
scend. Besides. dueling is murder in
your country, am told"
1T usually is, sir. Much more so than
in Europe" The others looked at him
inquiringly. II mean that i'm America
when two men pull their revolvers and
40 to shooting at each other some one
is autobiography both In Europe.
as | understand 1t, a scratch with a
sword ends the combat"
You have been misinformed." ex-
N'''''''' bhNiS NdNpdis Ills eNeDTOWS
elevated
why, Uncle Caspar has fought more
duclS than he can count" cried the girl
proudly.
And has he slain his man every
since asked Grenfall smilingly. glanc-
Ing from one TO the other. Aunt Yvonne
shot a reproving look at the girl. whose
face paled instantly, her eyes going
quickly in alright to the face of her
uncle.
Cod Lorry heard the old gentle
man mutter. He was looking at his bill
of fare, but his eyes were fixed and
staring. The card was crumpling be-
tween the long. bony fingers. The
American realized that a forbidden
topic had been touched upon.
He has fought and he has slain" he
thought as quick as a flash. HE is no
butcher, no gardener, no cobbler. That's
certain
Tell us, Uncle Caspar. what you
said TO the conductor" cried the young
lady nervously.
Tell them, Caspar. how alarmed we
were, added soft voiced Aunt Yvonne.
Grenfall was silent. interested spec
tator. lie somehow felt as if a scene
from some tragedy had been repro
duccd in that briefest of moments
Calmly and composedly, a half smile
now in his face. the sOldierly Caspar
narrated the story of the trains run
from one station TO the other.
We did not miss you until we had
almost reached the other station. Then
your Aunt Yvonne asked me where you
had gone. | told her / had not seen
you. but went into the coach ahead to
search. You were not there. Then /
went on to the dining car. Ach. you
were not there. In alarm returned to
our car. Your aunt and / looked every
where. You We're not anywhere. /
sent Hedrick ahead TO summon the
conductor, but he had hardly left us
when the engine whistled sharply and