The Jackson herald., 1910-08-25
CHAPTER III.
Across the Aisle.

NO solution OHeTluE llSeH, Ntht
oack to my berth The snorer across
bad apparently strangled, or turned
over, and so after time / dropped
asleep. to be awakened by the morn
ing sunlight across my face.
felt for my watch, yawning pro
tiigiously. ! reached under the pillow
and failed TO find 1t, but something
scratched the back of my hand. | sat
up iiritably and hursed the wound,
which was bleeding n 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
bad put my watch in there. i had
drawn the satchel to me and had my
hand on the lock before | realized
chat II was not my own!
Mine was of alligator hide. l had
sTilled the beast in Florida, after the
expenditure OF enough money to have
bought a house and enough energy TO
have built one. The bag held in my
hand was a black one, sealskin,
think The staggering thought of
what the loss of my bag meant to me
put my finger on the bell and kept it
there until the porter came.
Did you ring, sir?" he asked. pok-
ing his head through the curtains OBJ
scquiously. Mcknight objects that
nobody can poke his head throught
n curtain and be obsequious. But Pull.
man porters can and do.
NO" / snapped. 1T rang itself.
changing my valise for this one?
You'll have to fnd 1t II you waken the
entire car to do it. There are impor-
tnut papers in that grip"
Porter" called a feminine voice
from an upper berth near by Porter,
am I 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. 81
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
victim of the usual sleeping car rob
berry. | was in a lather of perspira.
ton by that time: Tho lady down the
car was still dangling and talking
about II; still nearer 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"
"rll give you $50 If you find It,"
said. "A hundred. Reach up my
shoes and III"
stopped abruptly. My eyes were
nxed In stupefied amazement on
coat that hung from a hook at the
foot of my berth. From the coat they
Travelled dazed, to the oftbosomed
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 l caught him
by the arm and pointed to the foot of
the berth.
''What-what color's that coat?"
asked unsteadily.
Gray, sir" His tone was one of
gentle reproof
"And-the trouseTs?"
He reached over and held up one
creased leg. Gray, too" he grinned.
Gray" could not believe even his
corroboration of my own eyes. But
my clothes were blue!" The porter
was amused; he dived under the cur.
tains and brought up a pair of shoes.
Your shoes, sir" he said with
flourish. Reckon you've been dream
ing, sir"
Now. there are two things | always
avoid in my dress-possibly an lido
syncracy OF my bachelor existence.
These tabooed articles are red neck.
ties and tan shoes And not only were
the shoes the porter lifted from the
floor of a gorgeous shade of yellow,
but the scarf which was run through
ahe turned over collar was a gaudy
red. 1t took full minute for the real
import OF things to penetrate my
dazed intelligence. Then gave a
vindictiye kick at the offending en-.
Isenble,
They're not mine, any of them" l
esnsrIed. They are some other fell
Rows. I'll sit here until | take root
Before / put them on"