The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-02-16
IN THE TUNNEL
BY T. w. HANSHEW

I'D ~ luC lAilASy boS eAN ~~~>~
that, just as the train pulled away
from the dingy little station at MO-
dane. and the fat man in the corner
began to nod again, ! said quite auoi-
bly: "rll bet flyer that fellow is
asleep before we reach the tunnel ana
will snore like blessed pig the wnoie
way through it,"
did not address my remarks 10
any of the persons who shared the
compartment with me. Tnere were
four of us in ala mummihed ltahan
who kept his nose in book, nour III
and hour out; the fat German who mad
sat blinking like an owl every time !
opened my eyes during the night, ana
| had only had two waking Intervals
since the day broke; and a somewhat
sallow-faced individual who looked
like Frenchman. and spent the une
| jotting things down on pocket WIFI
ing block when he wasn't chewing the
end 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 lett
Paris-en route for Genoa-at nine
o'clock the previous evening; we mao
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 py
, any member of the party until 1 un'
, thinkingly broke the silence IN the
J manner recorded. 1t came. therefore,
as a somewhat startling surprise wnen
the man whom had long ago decloeo
az a French commercial traveller max
ing I'D his accounts en- route, glanced
round at me and said, with as nne an
accent as ever came out OF Cornwah'
Mo-, think not. He is pretty gooe
i at the game, l will admit; but FANCY
b he won't go as far as that" and iortn
) with showed his writing block into MI
4 pocket and edged along the seat unit
&c no was beside me.
:. IF you like to bet on losing naz
!, ards, that fellow will accommodate
YOU" he continued in carefully 10"
U cred tcne and with nod In the diret
le ton of the somnolent German n
In understands English.
Is How do you know that?" inquired
NJ He hasn't spoke syllable since q
H. came in here last night"
!. II am well aware that he hasn'
Thinks he would make 1t too agre'
~ able for other people If he did. 81
" he understands English well enoug
N to read 1t, II you will take the trouDl
in to notice that newspaper sticking OF
ne Of his coat pocket"
sb But that proves nothing. He ms
he have bought it for friend"
:. Not he. II l know anything,
know the human mule when l 81
IN him; and if that fellow hadn't been tt
re far gone when you offered to wag
In five pounds that he would snore u
iv whole way through the tunnel,
ev would have defeated you on gener
ee principles. You can't trust man wi
70 a mouth and chin like his to let "
win anything If he can prevent 1t"
I glanced over at the sleeping G<
man and laughed.
al Sherlock Holiness" l asked.
eu Not the slightest" he replied. wi
my a curious smile that lifted one corn
flu of his mouth half way up his chez
nj THAT is one of the few lines ha
,a,. never tackled as yet. But one new
knows what cards one may be call
upon to play before the end OF
game.
neo Ever been through the Gents t.
ne nel?" he asked.
ars' NO, never This is my first expe
be e--e." replied. is the sensation
ON. uncanny as have been told?"
1T would require second Poe
do Justice tn it. AS for me-"
.e.s lifted the strap of the window. an,
ieiu could see that his hand shook nervo
but ly. II always liken the pass;
son through it to six-and-twenty minu
the in hell, and never fail to fill my e.
con- and my memory with the picture
title green trees and bright sunlight Def
/ am swung into the place. But tn
mine was such an awful. such an
earthly experience"
A sudden crash cut In upon
rec' words. The window strap had clip
re- from his hand, and the sash shot dc
the with a bang that made the sleep
the man beside 1t start up with an
last cited "Ach! Lieber Gott!" and
a m reading Italian turn for the first t
90 from his book. And, at the same
80. ment, light and air and landscape "
20. licked up and swallowed. swirl
neo darkness swooped down and str
',0ot our eyes, a sulphurous blast grip
pple our threats and stank in our most
hich and the whole world seemed to b
dred plunged back suddenly into roar
nded reeking chaos.
- We were in the tunnel.
800. Il beg your pardon" said the
80 aishman, looking over his shou
Iaoie and addressing the scowling Ger
ase AZ the tiny spark of light In the
orld. shaped lamp in the ceiling begal
make its existence manifest Il
H.