Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-10-28
CHAPTER III.
Across the Aisle.

No eoiutiOn offering itself, | went
boot to nv berth. The snorer across
nd anDarently strangled, or turned
oror and so after time | dropped
oeIpen. to be awakened by the morn
ing sunlight across my face.
felt for my watch, yaWning pro-
5ioiorsIv, I reached under the pillow
and failed to find it, but something
scratched the back of my hand. l sat
m irritably and nursed the wound,
which was bleeding a little. Still
droVsv, I felt more cautiously for
what I supposed had been my scarf
min hit there was nothing there.
Wide awake now, I reached for my
travelling bag, on the chance that l
had nut my watch in there. | had
drawn ne satchel to me and had my
hand on the lock before / realized
that 1t was not my own!
Mine was Of alligator hide. I had
killed the beast in Florida, after the
expenditure of enough money to have
hougbt house and enough energy to
have built one The bag l held in my
hand was a black one, sealskin, l
think The staggering thought of
what the loss of my bag meant to me
mt nv finger on the bell and kept it
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 throught
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 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," l 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 All 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. 1 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
AneeS. He was Visibly more cheerful,
having been absolved of responsible
", Reckon it was taken while you
was wanderin' around the car last
night"
III give you $50 if you find it," I
SAID A hundred. Reach up my
shoes and III"
stopped abruptly. My eyes were
"Aeo In stupefied amazement on a
S'aI mat hung from a hook at the
,oo' OF my berth. From the coat they
"a'eIed. daZed, to the soft-bosomed
SURF beside it, and from there to the
.oiar and cravat in the net hammock
''FoSS the windows.
y h0ndred!' the porter repeated,
SDo"lns his teeth. But l caught him
y, " Ine arm and pointed to the foot of
the berth.
"hat-what color's that coat?"
ASKED uDsteadiIy.
Gray, sir" His tone was one of
gentle reproof.
And-the trousers?"
ne reached over and held up one
leased leg Gray, too" he grinned.
0ray! I could not believe even his
ooIIoooraton of my own eyes. But
Clothes were blue" The porter
80. aS amused; he dived under the cur
~ ,S,.S and brought up a pair of shoes.
sa ,ou' SHOES, sir" he said with a
ao0rish. Reckon you've been dream
Ing, sir" - -' ~
NOW. there are two things always
S,o'u IN my dress-possibly an lido
9Ty,ncfacy Of my bachelor existence.
, t1SSe tabooed articles are red neck
~ S ana ian shoes. And not only were
so,- s1oes the porter lifted from the
hwy, o' 0' gorgeous shade of yellow,
~. ."e scarf which was run through
- turned over collar was a gaudy
Inv, 1t TOOK full minute for the real
da SUII Oh things to penetrate my
go -sq intelligence. Then l gave a
semble.
1eE re not mine, any of Them"
Io ~, Iso, They are some other fell
has I'll sit here until | take root