The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-08-17
CHAPTER III.
Across the Aisle.


had apparently strangled, or turned
over, and so after time l dropped
asleep, TO be awakened by the morn
ing sunlight across my face.
felt for my watch. yawning pro
digiously. I reached under the pillow
and failed to find it. but something
scratched the back of my hand. l sat
up irritably and nursed the wound
which was bleeding little. Still
drowsy, felt more cautiously for
what / supposed had been my scarf
pin, but there was nothing there
Wide awake now, I reached for my
travelling bag. on the chance that
had put my watch in there. l had
drawn the satchel to ME and had my
hand on the lock before l realized
that ii 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
hand was a black one, seaiskin,
think The staggering thought OF
what the loss of my bag meant to me
put my finger on the bell and kept ii
there until the porter came.
Did you ring, sir" he asked. pok
ins; his head through the curtains OBJ
sequiously Mcknight objects that
nobody can poke his head through
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 it il 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 I to dangle here all day."
Let her dangle," l 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. 1t was
clear enough then. | was simply a
victim of the usual sleeping car rob
berry | was in lather of perSpira
ton by that time: The lady down the
car was still dangling and talking
about it: still nearer feminine voice
vas 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
~. Reckon it was taken while you
was wanderin' around the car las,
night"
I'll give you $50 if you find it,"
said. "A hundred. Reach up my
shoes and Ill"
| stopped abruptly. My eyes were
fixed 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-bosomed
shirt beside II, 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
the berth.
"What-what color's that eoat?"
asked unsteadily.
Gray, sir" His tone was one OF
gentle reproof
"And-the trousers"
He reached over and held I'D one
creased leg. Gray. too" he grinned
Gray" could not believe even his
confederation 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 q
flourish. Reckon you've been dream
ing, sir"
Now. there are two things l 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 gorgeous shade Of yellow.
but the scarf which was run through
the turned over collar was a gaudy
red II took a full minute for the real
import Of things to penetrate my
dazed intelligence. Then | gave q
vindictive kick at the offending en-
Semble.
They're not mine, any of them"
snarled. They are some other fell
lows. III sit here until l take root
before I put them on"
They're nice lookin' Clothes" the
porter put in. eying the red tie with
appreciation. Amt verybody would
have left you anything"
Call the conductor" I said short
ly. Then a possible explanation &C.
CURED to me. oh. porter-what's
the number of this BERTH"
Seven. sir. II you CANT wear
those shoes"
Seven" In my relief almost
shouted it. Why, then. it's simple
enough. I'm In the wrong berth,
that's all. My berth is nine. Only
where the deuce is the man who be-
longs here"
Likely In nine. sir" The darky
was enjoying himself. You and the
other gentleman Just got mixed In the