Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-05-19

"Give ME a mountain ride always as
an appetizer" he said obligingly, and
so ended the jest about name.
The orders for the dinner were given,
and the quartet sat back in their chairs
to await the coming of the soup. Gren-
fall was still wondering how she had
learned his name, and was on the
point of asking several times during
the conventional discussion Of the
weather. the train ard the mountains.
He considerably refrained. however,
unwilling to cmbarrass her.
Aunt Yvonne tells me she never ex-
pected to see me alive after the station
agent telcGraphed that we were COM
ng overland in that awful old carriage.
The agent at p says it Is danger
ous ro"d. at the very edge Of the noun
tain. lie also increased the compOsure
Of my uncle and aunt by telling them
that Il wagon rolled off yesterday, kill
ing man, two women and two horses.
Dear Aunt Yvonne. how troubled you
must have bcenw
"I'll confess there were times when
thought we were rolling down the
mountain" said Lorry, with a relieved
shake of the head.
Sometimes l thought we were soar
ing through space, whether upward or
downward | could not tell. We never
failed to come to earth, though, did
we?" she laughingly asked.
"Emphatically! Earth and little
gria," he said, putting his hand to his
head
Does it pain you?" she asked quick
~.
Not in the least. was merely feel
ing to see II 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 l soon convinced him
that it should be held" said the other
quietly.
"NIy husband spoke very harshly to
the poor man." added Aunt Yvonne.
But | am afraid, Caspar, he did not
understand a word you said. You were
very much excited" The sweet old
ladys attempts at English were much
more laborious than her husbands.
IF he did not understand my Eng
lish he was very good at guessing"
said her husband grimly.
He 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, l heard you say that you
would call him out" interposed his
wife, with reproving eyes.
Zach, God! l have made a mistake!
see it all! 1t was the other word l
meant-down, not out! l intended to
call him down, as you Americans say. l
hope he will not think challenged
him." He was very much perturbed.
81 think he was afraid you would"
said Lorry.
|
meet railroad conductor. Will you
please tell him could not so conde-
scend. Besides, dueling is murder in
your country, am told"
ut usually is, sir. Much more so than
i'm Europe" The others looked at him
inuuiringly. Il mean that in America
when two men pull their revolvers and
60 to shooting at each other some one
is killed-frequently both. In Europe,
as | understand it, scratch with q
sword ends the combat"
You have been misinformed," ex-
claimed Uncle Caspar, his eyebrows
elevated.
"Why, Uncle Caspar has fought more
duels than he can count" cried the girl
proudly.
"And has he slain his man every
time?" asked Grenfall smilingly. glanc-
ing from one to the other. Aunt Yvonne
shot reproving look at the girl, whose
face paled instantly, her eyes going
quickly in alright to the face of her
uncle.
"Godw 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 forbidden
topic had been touched upon.
"He has fought and he has slain," he
thought as quick as fash. "He Is no
butcher, no gardener, 10 cobb.er. Thafs
certainw
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. He somehow felt as If scene
from some tragedy had been repro
duced 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.
1--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 I 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 l returned to
our car. Your aunt and l looked every
where. You were not anywhere.
sent Hedrick ahead to summon the
conductor, but he had hardly left us
when the engine whistled sharply and
the train began to slow up in 1erky
fashion. l rushed to the platform
meeting Hedrick, who was as much
alarmed as 1. He said the train had
been tagged and that there must be
something wrong. Your aunt came Out
and told me that she had made
strange discovery"
Grenfall observed that he was ad
dressing himself exclusively to the
young lady.
"She had found that the gentleman
In the next section was also missing
While we were standing there in doub'
and perplexity the train came to
standstill and soon there was shouting
AII H,,~nrc