Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-05

cheek and van1shed-''t va xNp p9 lIt. unvarnished truth, and 1t happened 4t l told you-whilst we wore souodl1 along through this Infsfno-like day1sE| ness. just as the train is dcing now #
 But man without head" ! voatl. tured to expostulate. And to enter ak moving train--in tunnel! Tho thln9EI is impossible. you know, impossiblel''R
 Tt happened two years ago. and \ was going then Gas I am going noWltI to Luvinci, small station just out-5 side of this tunnel on the Italian stde.1 At that time was connected with ~ Franco-Itanan firm of jewellers and as the samples carried were extremerl ly valuable, made 1t point when travelling by train to always engage an entire compartment and have the guard lock me in securely. was, therefore, quite alone when the affair of which am about to tell you oc- cured. was, moreover, unusually careful on this particular occasion. and kept loaded revolver lying upon the seat beside me. Some four monthA previously, fellow commercial trav- eler, who had the misfortune to re-s' semble me very closely indeed. nad been murdered in a compartment ofl the Lyons express, and his murderer. who was most fortunately captured. < confessed that he had mistaken the man for me.
 "On the morning prior to my start. . ing upon the journey of which ann now telling you, this murderer hadl been guillotined in Paris, and thersp was a full account of the execution inil all the evening papers, La PresGe ius. particular giving very graphic de1{ scription of it. I think read t quite; a dozen times that night and . doSsui more the next morning, and l wasi reading 1t again when the train 1 whizzed suddenly into this tunnel. The horrible droning of the wheels. com-i bined with the gloom and, perhaps. tho i, grewsomeness of the thing had been,i reading. got on my nerves and when1 heard the door behind me-the} locked door!-open and close with q bang, I fairly bounded from my seat.i As I faced around. my heart hammers ing against my ribs as though 1t would, beat it's way out of me, saw standing I before me the shape of a man with, a great scoop cut out of his coat and; shirt where the collar should have ! been, a slim, red line running round his throat, and above that line gray. white dead face with shut eyes and hanging lips
 "Ach! Lieber Gott."
 heard the words quaver out from the Germans corner. but could not see his face, for the thick vapor which the opened window had let in doated between us, humid, yellow. reeking of sulphur. l looked round at the Cor nishman, every fiber of my being ttng. ling, and something creeping up my neck.
 Co on," said faintly. You arc sure it wasn't nerves?
 "As sure as am that you arc sitting here beside me this minute" he ro- piled. Nerves may often make ( man fancy that he sees things. but they, can't make those things talk"
 And he talked?"
 "Yes. As I faced round and saw him, his dead lips said quite distinct- ly: Good evening. comrade. We travel far and fast. It may be morn ing to you. but it is evening to me- for ever!' And then, with 8 wave of the hand, inviting me to resume my seat, he sat down in the corner near the window and turned his dead faco me, his eyelids never once. lifting. and his head. jarred by tho of the train, rocking un-- steadily upon his shoulders Once ho put up his hand to steady 1t. and as his fingers touched that red line about. his throat, The trademark of Nonel sieur de Paris, he said, with . shastly; of the lips which, in q lfvS ing man, would have been . su1loA He guillotined me at dawn this mornJ ing"
 The Cornishman stopped short ana [ saw his eye travel to the window.
 Along the vapor-smeared surface o9 the glass a faint glow of light wa light which presentlyr burst into the compartment with suehp a fierce and binding glare that for an instant could see nothing. Theo q became conscious that we wero ont o4 the tunnel, and that the German waGf still sitting huddled up In his eoFne1 with gaping lips and widespread syso
 The Cornishman rose. nftsd hi4 out of the rack, looke1t down at me and-winked.
 sI reckon I've won that nvepoun4 note hands down." he said, with ap laugh. "Our friend from the Ehthor< land never slept a wink. nor snored e suore, the whole way through"
 well. I'm dashed!" I manassd to gasp at last and pulled my purss infoI view. N
 No. don't pay it to me" hs saa4 hastily. I've won it, know. but--s ,end it as a donation to Dr. Barnardo'o| nome: it will do some good there. q nm sure I can trust you to do 1t: youI were SO willing to pay up like c man- One last word-don't make rash bofnS n future; you will always find come body ready to take you up Good-bys.~
 -Cood-bye." l answered. e leaneG
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