The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-17
CHAPTER XII.-Continued.

With deprecatory glance at, the
hurried off, and Beaumanoir. peered, out
of the window after him. The official
had gone to the assistance of a tall,
well groomed gentleman, who, with an
air Of irritable Importance, was fun
bling with the doorhandle of first
class compartment, some way along the
train. The traveller was Of the type
that secures the immediate respect OF
railway scrvants-dressed in brand
new creaseless clothes, every lmmacu-
late pocket of which suggested the jim
gle Of half sovereigns. A man carry
ing yellow hatbox and rug lurked
deferentially behind the magnate and
cast reproachful chances at the guard,
who was now thoroly alive to his OPP
portunities and opened the door with
a flourish. The tall man, whom Beau
MANOR took for a brother duke, or at
least director Of the line, stepped
with dignity into the compartment; the
and sought a ond-class carnage; the
guard waved his lamp and the train
moved on.
Beaumanoir withdrew his head and
sank back in his corner, catching just a
glimpse of the guard preparing to spring
into his van as it neared him. The sta
ton lights flashed past, and the long
darkness, the little diversion of the i'm
portant passenger leaving BeaQmanolr
amused and comforted. To the man
who had tramped his weary way along
the bowery to his So boardinghouse
within the month this exhibition OF
class privileges and distinctions was
breezily refreshing, seeing that he was
Immunity from danger thru four sub
urban stations had brought delicious
sense of calm, and as he leaned back he
thought how nice it would be to live the
life Of an English noble man, free from
all sordid cares and humiliations: And
if he could wake up at the end Of a
week and find that his ENHANCEMENT
was all nightmare, or, at any rate,
that Ziegler s bark was worse than his
bite, and that Senator Sherman had
safely deposited the bonds at the bank
well, in that improved state Of things
what was to prevent his asking Leonie
to share his new-found privileges?
Then, suddenly, the icy finger touched
his heart, again. AS the blue wreaths
jured up this alluring vision rolled
away he became conscious that his gaze
hitherto absorbed and preoccupied will
day dreams. was in reality riveted on {
material object under the opposite seat
A very material object indeed-no les
& At sight Of this disturbing elemen
Beaumanoir's sensations were Of
mixed order. First Of all, he could SCI
so little of the boot that he could no
be sure that there was a man ATTACHED
to it, tho the presumption was in favo
of that supposition, for he was quit
certain that it had not been there long
or he would have noticed it before. H
guessed, so alert had his mind becom
under stress of emergencies, that tn
wearer Of the boot had got into tn
eompartment on the off side while h
himself had been looking out of the wiz
dow in Elstree station. ....
But if so, and the man had invade
his privacy with sinister designs, VIII
/ should he have plunged at once into
& position of utter impotence? No ON
& hattened out under the low seat of
B frst-class railway carriage is capabl
+ of active violence without a preliminar
struggle to free himself, during whic
he would be at the mercy Of his IL
tended victim. The only design tina
z ,Beaumanoir could attribute to him wa
that he would presently wriggle to th
front and use pistol
He sat and eyed the motionless boo
Bile, seized him.
1 "Come out Of that, you beggarl'' b
cried; and, STOPPING down, he grippe
the boot, wondering whether he was
be rewarded with haul or whether l
ould have to laugh at himself for gra1
bing someone s discarded footgear. B,
the first touch told him that here ws
no empty boot. and, his fingers closin
1 strength and dragged it's wearer, sna
& ling and spluttering, out on to the ope
/ floor There was no sign of a pistc
but as a measure Of precaution Bea
MANOR pulled out his own Smith & We
son.
Get up and sit in that corner
the invader with curiosity. Open vi