The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1908-06-26
Was 1t to Rob Him
OF Money or a Kiss?
IOriginal.1

standing In railroad
station, a woman had never seen be-
fore surprised me by approaching me,
putting her arms about me and giving
me a kiss. Then she went away, look
ing back at me admiringly and smiling
as though we'll satisfied both with her
self and me. | confess her reason for
what she did was a mystery to me,
and 1t has been something of mys-
terry ever since. The incident has moth
Ing to do with this story unless 1t may
serve for material on which to base an
opinion In a similar case.
Fletcher lie Roy had been graduated
from college and was making a tour
abroad. One day he was travelling
through Switzerland In one Of those
railway coaches they have abroad
which are nothing more or less than
string Of stagecoaches modernized and
built together. lie Roy was hand
some fellow, with reddish curly hair,
blue eyes and exquisitely curved lips,
which he did not cover by mustache.
In other words, he was tempting to
woman, though to do him Justice he
was perfectly unconscious Of his man.
" beauty and nothing disturbed him
more than to have 1t remarked upon
In his hearing.
In the compartment with him were a
man, a girl Of fourteen to sixteen and
young woman. The man and the girl
sat on the same side with LIE Roy, the
young woman opposite. 1t suddenly
occurred to lie Roy that he might not
again reach point where He could get
more. After glancing at his fellow
passengers to satisfy himself that he
might safely examine his funds before
them he took out his pocketbook and
counted a number of new crisp notes
he had drawn in Paris. He had de-
termined the amount and put the bills
back into his portemonnaie and the
portemonnaie into the left breast peck
ct Of his coat when the train dashed
into a tunnel under the Alps.
Not more than twenty seconds had
elapsed after this entry when lie Roy
felt hand on his right and immediate
| ly another on his left breast. Some
one who could not see him was feeling
to find out where he was. He grasped
both hands. They were soft and small,
| like woman's. In another moment
he felt face against his cheek and a
pair of lips were pressed to his mouth.
There was no beard on the face. For
perhaps ten seconds those lips were
glued to his, then they were with
drawn, and their owner made vigor-
Gus attempt to get away. Both hands
were held In lie Roy's grip. In vain
the woman-if she were a woman
struggled, only to be held the tighter.
For time LIE Roy never doubted that
what he had experienced was an at
tempt to rob him. But the kiss-what
did 1t mean? Was the person he held
the young woman who sat opposite or
the girl beside him? She might be
either. The man beyond the girl might
have educated her to such methods
she being an accomplice. He was. more
inclined to suspect this couple than
the young woman opposite, for while
counting his bills he had glanced re
peatedly at the latter, and she hai
never once taken her eyes off bool
she was reading. Lastly, 1t occurred
to him that for some reason he cOul(
not understand she might have.desiret
to kiss him.
These thoughts flashed sne.fafter tn,
other In his mind while the train wa
speeding through the tunnel. lie Ro,
/ held the two hands In his despite fran
tic efforts to get them away till thi
last supposition occurred to him. Thel
suddenly he released his grasp.
In ten or fifteen seconds more tn
train shot out Of the tunnel. LIE Ro,
at once examined the faces Of his fel
low passengers. The man was lookin
out of the window, with his back turn
ed, SO that his features were mot Wis
BILE. The girl looked trife clustered
though not so much so but that lie Ro
{ thought he might have attributed he
, appearance to his own Imagination.
The young woman opposite sat wit
her book on her lap and raised 1t tn
moment the train ran out into tn
! light. She seemed to be breathin
quickly. but lie Roy was not sure bu
Il
this. too. was an appearance create
by his Imagination. He turned hi
I gaze from one to the other in uncel
: tainty. The train rolled on; the ma
continued to look out of the window
the girl leaned her head back In
cushioned corner and closed her eyps
the young woman opposite turned pa,
0 after page. LIE Roy was so intereste
In watching and studying them tb,
4 for time he forgot to feel tor |,
pocketbook. When he did bra four
that 1t was safe. and glance assure
:, him that the bills were ms de
D In perhaps ten minutes after The +
II cident the train entere the outskir
4 of town. The youD, woman opposi
glanced out of the ,indow shut nm h
. book, put 1t In a satchel and prepar,
20 'eaSe .ne car. AS she passed lie R,
e 70 allent sne accidentally grazed h
# nnee' anu he said In a soft volt
!, Pardon, monsieur"
A'.er a few minutes stop the ira
,ohev out of the station on Its we
&c AZ the car in which LIE Roy sat pass
I. alto the open he saw from his windt
!, the woman driven in a victoria on