Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-08-27

protection. But 1 can appreciate now what a satisfaction, and what !
torment too, it must have been to that woman when she saw that the
bag opened without a key.
"While we were crossing the mountains I had felt rather chilly
and had been wearing a light racing coat, But after the lamps we're
lighted the compartment became very hot and stufy, and 1 found the
coat uncomfortable. So I stood up, and, after first slipping the strap
of the bag over my head, I placed the bag in the seat next me and
pulled off the racing coat. I don't blame myself for being careless;
the bag was still within reach Of my hand, and nothing would have
happened if at that exact moment the train had not stopped at Aries
1t was the combination of my removing the bag and our entering ths
station at the same instant which gave the Princess Itchy the chance
she wanted to rob me.
IL needn't say that she was clever enough to take it. The train
ran into the station at full speed and came to a sudden stop. / had
just thrown my coat into the rack, and had reached out my hand for
the bag. In another instant l would have had the strap around my
shoulder. But at that moment the Princess threw open the door Of
the compartment and beckoned wildly at the people o the platform.
Natalie? she called, Natalie! here I am. Come here! This wayv
She turned upon me in the greatest excitement. My maid! she cried.
fShe is looking for me. She passed the window without seeing me.
Go, please, and bring her back She continued pointing out of the
door and reckoning m with her other hand. There certainly was
something about that woman's tone which made one jump. When she
was giving orders you had no chance to think of anything else. So 1
rushed out on my errand of mercy, and then rushed back again to ask
what the maid looked like.
I'm black she answered, rising and blocking the door of the
compartment. All in black, with a bonnet!
"The train waited three minutes at Aries, and in that time 1 sup
pose l must have rushed up to over twenty women and asked, Are
you NatalieT The only reason [ wasn't punched with an umbrella
crazy.
"When 1 jumped back into the compartment the Princess was
seated where I had left her, but her eyes were burning with happiness.
She placed her hand on my arm almost affectionate]y, and said in a
hysterical way, You are very kind to me. I am 81 sorry to have trou-
bed YOU
II protested that every woman on the platform was dressed in
black. .. f~MHtlNlrN
"Indeed 1 am so sorry she said, laughing; and she continued to
laugh until she began to breathe so quickly that 1 thought she was
II can see now that the last part of that journey must have been
a terrible half hour for her. She had the cgarcase safe enough, but
she knew that she herself was not safe. She understood if I were to
npon INV hr aop or }o Loot ,3-,+o ,J ,;c, +La.,,o r -1J1 -.
positively that she had taken it had placed the diamonds in the bag
at the very moment she entered the compartment, and no one but our
two selves had occupied it since. She knew that when we reached Mar
settles she would either be twenty thousand pounds richer than when
she left Paris, or that she would go to jail. That was the situation as
she must have read it, and [ don't envy her her state of mind during
that last half hour. 1t must have been hell.
81 saw that something was wrong, and in my innocence [ even
wondered if possibly my cognac had not been a little too strong. For
she suddenly developed into a most brilliant conversatonaist, and
applauded and laughed at everything 1 said, and fired off questions at
me like a machine gun, so that | had no time to think of anything but
of what she was saying. Whenever l stirred she stopped her chatter
ing and leaned toward me, and watched me like a cat over a mouse
hole. [ wondered how [ could have considered her an agreeable travel
ling companion. [ thought | would have preferred to be locked in with
a lunatc. / don't like to think how she would have acted if I had made
a move to examine the bag, but as / had it safely strapped around me
again, l did not open it, and I reached Marselles alive. As we drew
into the station she shook hands with me and grinned at me like 9
Cheshire cat.
Il cannot tell you,' she said, how much I have to thank you for.
What do You think of that for ~impudence?
II offered to put her in a carriage, but she said she must find
Natalie, and that she hoped we would meet again at the hotel. So
drove off by myself, wondering who she was, and whether Natalie was
mother keeper.
81 had to wait several hours for the train to Nice, and as I wanted
to stroll around the city I thought 1 had better put the diamonds il
the safe of the hotel. As soon as I reached my room I locked the door
placed the hand bag on the table and opened it. I felt among the
things at the top of it, but failed to touch the cigarcase. I showed my
hand in deeper, and stirred the things about, but still I did not reach
it. A cold wave swept down my spine, and a sort of emptiness came te
the pit of my stomach. Then I turned red-hot, and the sweat sprung
out all over me. I wet my lips with my tongue, and said to myself
Don't be an ass. Pull yourself together, pull yourself together. Take
the things out, one at a time. It's there, of course it's there. Don't b
an ass
$50 | put a brake OF my nerves and began very carefully to pnl
out the things one by one, but after another second I could not stanc
it, and 1 rushed across the room and threw out everything on the bed