The daily Alaskan., 1905-02-11
TIE OPIUM CIGARETTE
[originaLl

" AAl AhhooAAAH
 Don't know, sir. He's some big man in his country. These people are to see him off, sir. He's going home"
 stepped into the compartment where I had engaged seat. There found two elderly women with several children, all of one party, Beyond, by window, sat young woman whose appearance interested me at once. Never have I seen such an expression on any human face. The only descrip- ton can give of 1t is that 1t reminded me of a picture I had once seen of an 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. It was impossible for her to conceal mental restlessneSs that showed itselr 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 have been trying to describe in the com partment
 "Thank heaven" she said to me in contralto voice, they are gone! l am sure you will not object to my smoking a cigarette in this compartment, IA ts not n Srt,nFarh
 "Certainly not. madam"
 You speak FrenchY" she asked fin that language.
 I assured her that I did, and after that we cOnversed in the French Ian Suage. l took out some cigarettes and lighted one to keep her company, but she insisted on my smoking one of hers, which, she said, had been made expressly for her from a recipe fur nished by a member of the suit of the sultan of Turkey. I threw mine away and took one of hers. knew at once that it contained opium, but how much or what other drugs 1 did not know. One thing I did know. l was rapidly passing into a delightful trance, which every whiff seemed to make still more delightful. I saw the woman watching me. and when she was satisfied that l was powerless she opened hand bag beside her and took out something rolled in brown paper, opened 1t, took out wedge shaped piece of wood and, seizing my chin, opened my mouth and gagged me.
 This done, she took out a timetable, which she scanned, looked at her watch. cast a glance out of the win dow. then momentarily gave way to a terrible depression. l judged that she was obliged to wait for something, and on the eve of some move-one involv- ing life and death, for instance-there Is nothing like delay to break one down. noticed that we were passing through a thickly settled district and that as soon as we had passed again into the country she nerved herself and prepared for something she was about to do.
 Her first act was to disrobe. But in- stead of displaying the undergarments of a woman she lay bare mans out CT clothing. Her woman's attire was merely a covering, which she threw out of the window. Next she took a glass globe about two inches fin diam eter from her satchel, and the satchel followed the clothing. Then she-or rather he, for by this time had made up my mind that the person was a young man-cast q glance at me which seemed to satisfy him, took another look at his watch, peered out at the passing landscape and after casting up his eyes and muttering a prayer climbed out of the window and let him self down on the footboard.
 Had not been under the influence of opium I should have been profoundly moved by all this. As 1t was 1t seem ed but a part of my dream, and the moment the singular being passed out of it he was forgotten. remember be- ing jarred by an explosion, but did not at the time connect 1t with the young man.
 Whatever occurred was hushed up. When we reached Folkestone a guard was obliged to carry me on to the channel boat. and did not come to myself again before we reached BouIogne. I did not get an oppor- tunity to interview any of the paSsen- gers, and the wholeraffalr was to me something of a mystery. Indeed l fan cied I had dreamed it under the inhu- ence of an opium cigarette. If bomb was really exploded with view to kill ing the Russian official in another com partment, it failed. My theory, based on the view that It was real occur renee, was that the assailant dropped the bomb before he was ready to ex- plode it in or under the compartment occupied by the Russian.
 Two years afterward ' was in St. Petersburg standing in crowd watch ing for the emperor to pass on his way to review some of his troops. Among the members of his staff saw face that astonished me. I never forget faces, and l certainly could never for get this one. It was the face of the young man who had drugged me on the train between Boulogne and Folke- stone. Happening to glance down upon me, he caught my astonished glance, which doubtless helped him to recog- nize me. The cavalcade passed on, and returned to my hotel.
 That night I was trying vainly to