Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-05
HI THE TUNNEL
Copyright, laU, by Joseph 3. Bovlss.)
ay !. ". MANsatw

to do the thing, but the fact remains 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 audi bly: I'll bet a flyer that fellow Is asleep before we reach the tunnel, and will snore 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 four of us in all--a mummified Italian who kept his nose in book, hour in and hour out; the fat German who had sat blinking like an owl every time I opened my eyes during the night, and had only had two waking intervals fsiRce the day broke; and somewhat sallow-faccd individual who looked like Frenchman, and spent the time jotting things down on a pocket writ 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 lef. 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 l un- thinkingly broke the silence in the manner recorded. It came, therefore, as somewhat startling surprise when the man whom had long ago decided as a French commercial traveller mak- ing up his accounts en route, glanced round at me and said, with as fine an accent as ever came out of Cornwall: "No-o, think not. He is pretty good at the game, I 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 nod in the direc- tion 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"
 T am we'll aware that he hasn't. Thinks he would make it too agree able for other people if he did. But he understands English we'll enough to 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 1t for friend"
 Not he. If I know anything. l know the human mule when I see him; and if that fellow hadn't been too far gone when 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 can't trust man with a mouth and chin like his to let you win anything if he can prevent 1t"
 glanced over at the sleeping Ger man and laughed.
 Are you a family connection of Sherlock Holmes'?" 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 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 a curious sort of intent ness.
 Ever been through the Cenis tun- nel?" he asked.
 No, never. This Is my first experi- ence," I replied. ''Is the sensation as uncanny as I have been told?"
 Tt would require a second Poe to do justice to it. As for me" He lifted the strap of the window, and could see that his hand shook nervous ly. T always liken the passage through it to six-and-twenty minutes In hell, and l never fail to i'll my eyes and my memory with the picture of green trees and bright sunlight before 1 am swung into the place. But then. mine was such an awful. such an un- earthly experience
 A sudden crash cut in upon his words. The window strap had slipped from his hand. and the sash shot down with a bang that made the sleeping man beside 1t start up with an ex- cited "Ach. Lieber Gotti" and the | reading Italian turn for the first time l from his book And. at the same mo- | ment. light and air and landscape were licked up and swallowed, swirl of 1 darkness swooped down and struck | our eyes, a sulphurous blast gripped l our threats and stank in our nostrils. and the whole world seemed to have plunged back suddenly into a roaring, rocking chaos.
 We were in the tunnel
 T beg your pardon" said the Cor nishman, looking over his shoulder and addressing the scowling German as the tiny spark of light in the dish