The Red Cloud chief., 1904-04-22
THE OPIUM CIGARETTE
IOriglnnl.l

I asked OF II railroad official at the
Charing Cross station, London.
"rhe Russian, sir"
"What Russians"
Don't know, sir. He's some big
man In his country. These people are
to see him of, sir. He's going home"
I stepped into the compartment
where I had engaged n G There l
found two elderly women with several
children. all Of M party. Beyond, by
a window, sat a young woman whose
appearance Interested me at once.
Never have l seen such an expression
on any human face. The only dcscrip-
ton I can give Of II IL that 1t reminded
me Of q picture l had once seen Of m
early Christian martyr who had nerved
herself to be buried alive. But this
gives only a vague idea Of the woman's
whole appearance. She was well
dressed. and her features and bearing
indicated one Of the highest class. 1t
was impossible for her to conceal q
mental restlessness that showed itself
especially In the eyes, which were
constantly moving.
The train made but one stop between
London and Folkestone. where the
party Of women and children got out,
leaving only me and the woman l have
been trying to describe In the com
partment.
"Thank heaven" che said to me In a
contralto voice, they are gonel am
sure you will not object to my smoking
a cigarette in this compartment,
though II IL not a smoker"
Certainly not, madam"
"You speak French7' she asked In
that language.
I assured her that I did, and after
that we convcrsed In the French Ian
guage. l tool out some cigarettes and
lighted one to keep her company. but
she insisted IN my smoking one Of
hers, which. she said. had been made
expressly for her from q recipe fur.
nished by a member Of the suit Of the
sultan Of Turkey. ! threw mine away
| and took one Of hers. ! knew Mt once
that 1t contained opium, but how much
or what other drugs I did not know.
| One thing I did know. I was rapidly
passing into a delightful trance, which
every Whit seemed to make still more
| delightful. I saw the woman watching
me, and when she was satisfied that l
was powerless she opened a hand bag
beside her and took out something
rolled In brown paper. opened 1t, took
out q wedge shaped piece Of wood and,
selling my chin, opened my mouth and
gagged me.
This done, she took out a timetable,
which she scanned, looked Mt her
watch, cast a glance out Of the win
dow, then ~momentarily gave way to q
terrible depression. l judged that she
was obliged to wait for something, and
on the eve Of some involv
ing life and death, for instance-thert
Is nothing like delay to break one
down. I noticed that we were passing
through a thickly settled district ant
that as soon as we had passed agair
into the country she nerved herself
and prepared for something she wal
about to do.
Her first act was to disrobe. But in
stead of displaying the undergarment'
of a woman she lay bare n mans out
err clothing. Her woman's attire wa
merely a covering, which she threw
out Of the window. Next she took
glass globe about two inches in diam
eter from her satchel, and the satche
followed the clothing. Then she-o
rather he, for by this time l had mad
up my mind that the person was
young man-cast a glance ut me whic
seemed to satisfy him. took anothe
look at his watch, peered out Mt tn
passing landscape and after casting u
his eyes and muttering n praye
climbed out Of the window and let hin
self down on the foOtboard.
Had l not been under the influence
opium l should have been profoundl
moved by all this. As 1t was 1t seen
ed but a part of my dream, and IL
moment the singular being passed o,
Of 1t he was forgotten. l remember b.
Ing Jared by an explosion. but did n
at the time connect 1t with the youI
man.
, Whatever occurred was hushed u
When we reached Folkestone n guar
was obliged to carry me on to Il
channel boat, and l did not come
myself again before we reacht
Boulogne. ! did not get an oppo
tunity to interview any Of the passe
gers, and the whole affair was to n
something Of a mystery. Indeed l ia
cied l had dreamed 1t under the inf
ence Of an opium cigarette. If a bon
! was really exploded with a view to Xxi
ing the Russian official In another col
!, partment. 1t failed. My theory, bas'
> on the view that 1t was a real occu
renee, was that the assailant dropp'
; the bomb before he was ready to G
. plOde 1t in or under the compartme
occupied by the Russian.
: Two years afterward l vas In
=. Petersburg standing I'm n crowd waite
Ing for the emperor to pass on his WI
y TO review some of his troops. Amor
the members of his staff ] saw a ia
t that astonished me. never forg
n faces, and | certainly could never IL