The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-12-27
in THE
TUNNEL
ny I. W. HANSHfW

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tCopytight 1905. by Joseph B Bowlesl
| cannot conceive what impelled me
. do the thing, but the fact remains
hat. just as the train pulled away
rom the dingy little station at Mo.
lane, and the fat man in the corner
hcgan to nod again, said quite audi
Bliss "Tll bet a fiver that fellow is
5sleep before we reach the tunnel, and
will snoro like blessed pig the whole
way through it,"
| did not address my remarks to
any of the persons who shared the
compartment with me. There were
iour of us I'm ala mummined Italian
who kept his nose In book, hour in
and hour out; the fat German who had
sat blinking like an owl every time !
opened my eyes during the night, and
had only had two waking intervals
since the day broke; and somewhat
sallow-faced individual who looked
like a Frenchman. and spent the time
iotting things down on pocket writ
ing block when he wasn't chewing the
cud of his lead pencil and staring up
at the roof of the carriage in manner
Indicative OF deep thoughtfulness.
A more engaging set of animated
dead men IT had never been my mis-
fortune to travel with. We had left
Paris--en route for Genoa--at nine
o'clock the previous evening; we had
tumbled out AT Modane the next morn.
ing to pass the customs on the Italian
frontier. and during the entire IA
hours of our enforced association, not
one solitary word had been spoken by
any member Of the party until ! un'
thinkingly broke the silence In the
manner recorded. II came. therefore,
as a somewhat startling surprise when
the man whom had long ago decided
as a French commercial traveller max.
ing up his accounts EN- route, glanced
round at me and said. with as fine an
accent as ever came out of Cornwall:
Mo-, ! think not. He Is pretty good
at the game. ! will admit; but ! fancy
he won't go as far as that" and forth.
with showed his writing block into his
pocket and edged along the seat until
he was beside me.
"If you like to bet on losing haz-
ards. that fellow will accommodate
you" he continued in carefully low
cred tone and with a nod in the direc-
ton of the somnolent German. He
understands English"
How do you know that?" inquired.
He hasn't spoke syllable since he
came in here last night
II am well aware that he hasn't.
Thinks he would make II too agree
able for other people If he did But
he understands English well enough
10 read It, If you will take the trouble
to notice that newspaper sticking out
of his coat pocket"
But that proves nothing. He may
have bought II for friend"
Not he. If | know anything.
know the human mule when see
him: and II that fellow hadn't been too
far gone whon you offered to wager
five pounds that he would snore the
whole way through the tunnel. he
would have defeated you on general
principles. You cant trust man with
a mouth and cain like his to let you
win anything II nc can prevent It."
glanced over at the sleeping Ger
man and laughed.
Are you a family connection OF
Sherlock Holiness | asked
Not the slightest" he replied, with
a curious smile that lifted one corner
OF his mouth half way up his cheek
THAT is one Of the few lines | have
never tackled as yet. But one never
knows what cards one may be called
upon to play before the end Of the
game. Pardon me moment. We
shall be entering the tunnel presently
and / never fail to take a look at this
particular bit of landscape
He rose as he spoke and stood with
his hand upon the strap which con
trolled the window, and his eyes fixed
upon me with curious sort of intent
ness.
Ever been through the Cents tun
nel?" he asked.
NO, never. This Is my first expert
ence," | replied. rs the sensation al
uncanny as ] have been told?'
| III WOulu Icquie u ocCohu TUG "
do justice to 1t. AS for me-" He
lifted the strap of the window, and
could see that his hand shook nervous
ly. Il always liken the passage
through 1t to six-and-twenty minute,
in hell. and never fail to fill my eyes
and my memory with the picture o.
green trees and bright sunlight before
am swung into the place. But then
mine was such an awful, such an un
earthly experience"
A sudden crash cut In upon hi
words. The window strap had slipped
from his hand. and the sash shot dowI
with a bang that made the sleeping
man beside II start up with an ex
cited ZACH. Lieber Gott!" and tn,
reading Italian turn for the first tim,
from his book. And, at the same mo
ment, light and air and landscape wer,
licked up and swallowed, a swirl o
darkness swooped down and strucl
our eyes. sulphurous blast grippet
our throats and stank In our nostrils
and the whole world seemed to hav,
plunged back suddenly into roaring