Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13


splendid looking young man, well over SIX feet
in height; but so finely proportioned that one
did not realize his great stature till one COM
pared him with others-myself, for instance:
stand full six feet in nv socks. but he lowered
above me. | encountered him first by bump
ing right into him, as l turned from buying
some cigarettes. He accepted my hasty apollo
gies with an distracted smile and half salute
and passed on.
That in itself was sufficiently unusual. An
ordinary Russian officer, even one of high rank,
as this mans uniform showed him to be- would
certainly have abused me for my clumsi
ness, and probably have chosen to regard it as
deliberate insult.
Before l boarded the sleeping car looked
back across the platform. and saw the tall man
returning toward the train, making his way
slowly through the crowd somewhat noisy
group of officers saluted him as he passed, and
he returned the salute mechanically, with a
sort o. preoccupied air.
They looked after him, and one of them
shrugged his shoulders and said something that
evoked chorus of laughter from his com
panions. heard it, though doubt if the man
who appeared to be the object of their mirth
did Anyhow, he made no sign. There was
something curiously serene and a1oof about
him.
wonder who he isl" thought, as l sought
my berth and turned in at once for dead
tired.
l slept soundly through the long hours while
the train rushed onward through the night, and
did not wake till we were nearing the grim old
city of Konigsburg. l dressed and made my
way to the buffet car, to find breakfast in full
swing and every table occupied, until / reached
the extreme end of the car, where there were
two tables, each with both seats vacant.
HAD scarcely settled myself in the nearest
seat, when my shoulder grabbed by an
excited individual, who tried to haul me out of
my place. vociferating a string of abuse, in
mixture of Russian and German.
manded an explanation. l had to shout to
make myself heard. He would not listen, or re-
lease his hold, while with his free hand he gesti
culated wildly toward two soldiers, who, now
saw, were stationed at the farther door of the
car. In an instant they had covered me with
their rifles, and they certainly looked as if they
meant business. But what in thunder had l
done?
At that same moment man came through
the guarded doorway, the tall officer who had
interested me SO strongly the last night. He
paused and evidently took in the situation at a
glance.
Release that gentleman" he commanded
sternly.
My captor obeyed, SO promptly that nearly
lost my balance, and saved myself from an
ignominious fall only by tumbling back into
the seat from which he had been trying to eject
me. The soldiers presented arms to the new
conner, and my late assailant, all the spunk gone
out of him, began to whine an abject apology
and explanation, which the officer cut short
with gesture.
was on my feet by this time, and, as he
turned to me, said in French. II offer you my
most sincere apologies, monsieur. The other
tables were full, and l had no idea that these
were reserved"
They are not" he interrupted courteously.
"At least they were reserved in defiance of my
orders, and now beg you to remain, monsieur,
and to give me the pleasure of your company"
l accepted the invitation, of course, partly
because, although it was given SO frankly and
unceremoniousy, it was with the air of one
whose invitations were in the nature of COM
mands, and also because he now interested me
more strongly than ever. / knew that he must
be an important parsonage, who was travelling
incognito though man of such physique could
not expect to pass unrecognized. Seen in day
light, he appeared even more remarkable than
he had done under the sizzling arc lights of the
station. His face was as handsome as his
figure: well featured, though the chin con-
cealed by short beard, bronze co1ored like his
hair, and cut to the fashion set by the present
Car. His eyes were singularly blue, the clear,
vivid Scandinavian blue eyes, keen and far
sighted as those of eagle, seldom seen save in
sailormen who have Morse blood in their veins.
l wonder now that l did not at once guess his
identity, though he gave clue to it.
When he ascertained that was an American,
who had travelled considerably and was now
bound for Russia, he piled me with shrewd
questions which showed that he had a pretty
wide knowledge of social and political matters
,~I 111 /, 4