The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-08-11
p III.
Across the Aisle.

No solution offering itself, ! went
back to my berth. The snorer across
had apparently strangled, or turned
asleep, to be awakened by the morn
ing sunlight across my face.
/ felt for my watch, yawning pro
~digiously. / reached under the pillow
and failed to find it, but something
scratched the back of my hand. / sat
up irritably and nursed the wound,
which was bleeding a little. Still
drowsy, | felt more cautiously for
what ] supposed had been my scarf
pin, but there was nothing there,
Wide awake now, / reached for my
travelling bag, on the chance that !
lad put my watch in there. l had
drawn the satchel to me and had my
hand on the lock before / realized
that 1t was not my own!
Mine was of alligator hide. l had
killed the beast in Florida, after the
expenditure of enough money TO have
bought a house and enough energy to
have built one. The bag l held in my
uduu was a DldCh OIlCt StulShihr L
think. The staggering thought of
what the loss Of my bag meant TO me
put my finger on the bell and kept 1t
there until the porter came.
did you ring, sir?" he asked, polk
ing his head through the curtains OBJ
sequiously. Mcknight objects that
nobody can poke his head drought
a curtain and be ~obsequious. But Pull
man porters can and do.
NO." / snapped. 1T rang itself.
What in thunder do you mean by ex.
changing my valise for this one?
You'll have to find 1t If you waken the
entire car to do it. There are impor,
tant papers in that grip"
Porter" called a feminine voice
from an upper berth near by. Porter,
am / to dangle here all day."
Let her dangle." | said savagely,
You find that bag of mine"
The porter frowned. Then he
looked at me with injured dignity. Il
brought in your overcoat, sir. You
carried your own valise."
The fellow was right! In an excess
of caution | had refused to relinquish
my alligator bag, and had turned over
my other traps to the porter. II was
clear enough then. | was simply a
victim of the usual sleeping car rob.
berry. / was in a lather of perspira.
ton by that time: The lady down the
car was still dangling and talking
about it; still nearer a feminine voice
was giving quick orders in French,
presumably to a maid. The porter
was on his knees, looking under the
berth.
Not there, sir" he said, busting his
knees. He was visibly more cheerful,
having been absolved of Responsible
ty. Reckon 1t was taken while you
was ~wanderin' around the car last
night"
"T1l give you $50 If you find It," ]
said. "A hundred. Reach up my
shoes and I'll"
! stopped abruptly. My eyes were
ike In stupefied amazement on a
coat that hung from a hook at the
foot OF my berth. From the coat they
travelled, dazed, to the soft-bosoled
shirt beside 1t, and from there to the
collar and cravat in the net hammock
across the windows.
"A hundred" the porter repeated,
showing his teeth. But / caught him
by the arm and pointed to the foot of
the berth.
"What-what color's that coi.t?"
asked unsteadily.
Gray, sir" His tone was una of
gentle reproof.
"And-the trousers?"
He reached over and held up one
creased leg. Gray, too" he xrinned.
Gray could not believe even his
confederation of my own eyes. But
my clothes were blue!" TIE porter
was amused; he dived under the cur.
tains and brought up a pair of shoes.
Your shoes, sir" he sai5 with a
flourish. Reckon you've been dream
ing. sir"
Now. there are two things | always
avoid In my dress-possib,y an lido
syncracy OF my bachelor existence.
These tabooed articles ara red neck
ties and tan shoes. And net only were
the shoes the porter liftsd from the
floor of a gorgeous shade of yellow.
but the scarf which was run through
the turned over collar was a gaudy
red. 1t took a full minnie for the real
import of things to penetrate my
dazed intelligence. Then i gave a
vindictive kick at the offending en-
semble.
They're not mine. n of Them" /
snarIed. "They are some other lei.
!. AsS. I'll sit hero until | take root
before | PIT them on"