Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-05-07


berth. and he's made a mistake. owing
TO his condition. You'd better take
nine. sir"
l did. with firm resolution that n
mines rightful owner turned up later
I should be just as Unavailable as the
man opposite. l undressed leisurely,
making sure of the safety OF the forged
notes. and placing my grip as before
between myself and the window.
Being a man of systematic habits,
I arranged my clothes carefully. put
ing my shoes out for the porter to
polish, and slowing my collar and
scarf in the little hammock swung for
the purpose.
At last, with my pillows so arranged
that l could see out comfortably. and
with the unhygienic-looking blanket
turned back have always a dlstrust
OF those much-used affairs-I prepared
to wait gradually for sleep.
But sleep did not visit me. The
train came TO frequent, grating stops.
and surmised the hot box again. I
am not nervous man, but there was
something chilling in the thought of
the second section pounding along be
hind US. Once. as I was doing. our
locomotive whistled a shrill warning
You keep back where you belong"
it screamed TO my drowsy ears. and
from somewhere behind came a chas-
tened "All-rightIwiIl"
grew more and more wide-awake
At Cresson I got up on my elbow and
blinked out at the station lights. some
passengers boarded the train there
and l heard a woman's low tones. a
southern voice. rich and full. Then
quiet again. Every nerve was tense
Time passed. perhaps ten minutes.
possibly half an hour. Then. without
the slightest warning. as the train
rounded a curve. a heavy body was
thrown into my berth The incident
trivial as Il seemed. was startling in
its suddenness. for although my ears
were painfully strained and awake.
1 had heard no step outside. The next
instant the curtain hung limp again;
still without a sound my disturber
had slipped away into the gloom and
darkness. IN a frenzy OF wakefulness,
7 sat up. drew on pair OF slippers and
fumbled for my bath robe.
From a berth across, probably lower
ten, came that particularly aggravat-
ing snore which begins lightly deli
cately, family soprano. goes down the
scale a note with every breath. and,
after keeping the listener tense with
expectation. ends with an explosion
that tears the very air. was more
and more irritable: sat on the edge
OF the berth and hoped the snorer
would choke TO death
lie had considerable vitality. how
ever; he withstood one shock after
another and survived to start again
with new vigor. In desperation I
found some cigarettes and one match.
piled my blankets over my grip. and
drawing the curtains together as
though the berth were still occupied. I
made my way 20 the vestibule OF the
car.
was not clad for dress parade. Is
Il because the male r. so restricted 20
gloom in his everyday attire that he
blossoms into gaudy colors in his pa
jamas and dressing gowns? IL would
take q Turk 60 feel at home before an
audience In my red and yellow bath
robe. q Christmas remembrance from
Mrs. Klopton. with slippers 20 match.
So, naturally. when I saw femi-
nine figure on the platform. my first
/ instinct was TO dodge The woman
however. was quicker than /; she gave
me a startled glance. wheeled and dis
appeared. with fash OF two bronze
colored braids. into the next car.
ln the other. leaned against the IN
certain frame OF the door and CARED
after her vanished figure. The noun
tain air tapped my bath robe around
my hare ankles. my one match burned
20 the end and went out, and still
stared. For ! had seen on her expires
sive face a haunting look that was
horror, nothing less Heaven knows
] am not psychological. Emotions
have TO be written large before l can
read them. But a woman in trouble
always appeals to me. and this woman
was more than that. She was In dead
ly fear
If had not been afraid OF being
ridiculous. ! would have followed her
But fancied that the spparition OF a
man In a red and yellow bath robe
with an unkempt thateh Of hair, walk
ing up TO her aud assuring her that
he would protect her would probably
put her into Mysteries. had done
that once before, when burglars had
tried TO break into the house. and had
startled the parlor Eaid into bed for
\ week. So I tried to assure myself
that had imagined the lady's distress
i-or caused IL, perhaps-and 70 dis
miss her from my mind. Perhaps she
was merely anxious about the un
pleasant gentleman Of the restaurant
I thought smugly that ! could have
told her all about him: That he was
sleeping the sleep OF the just and the
intoxicated in a berth that oHght, by
all that was fair and right. to have
been mine. and that II I were tied &c
a man who snored like that l should
have him anaesthetized and soft pal
ate put where 1t would never agair
Zap like a loose sail in the wind.
i We Oaggad Harrisburg az i stood