Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-08
CHAPTER III.
Across the AIsIer

felt for my watch, yawning pro-
digiously. reached under the pillow
and failed to find it, but something
scratched the back of my hand. sat
up irritably and pursed 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 I
had put my watch in there. / had
drawn the satchel to me and had my
hand on the lock before realized
that it was not my own
Mine was of alligator hide. had
killed the beast in Florida, after the
expenditure of enough money to have
bought house and enough energy to
have built one. The bag held In my
hand was 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, polk
ing his head through the curtains OBJ
sequiously. Mcknight objects that
nobody can poke his head drought
q curtain and be>obsequious. But Pull
nan porters can and do
No. l snapped. at 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-
ant papers in that grip
Porter" called feminine voice
rom an upper berth near by. Porter,
am l to dangle here all day."
Let her dangle," I said savagely.
you find that bag of mine"
The porter frowned. Then he
looked at me with injured dignity. II
brought in your overcoat, sir You
carried your own valise.'
The fellow was right! In an excess
Of caution l 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 a lather of perspira-
ton by that time: The lady down the
car was still dangling and talking
about II: Still nearer feminine voices
was giving quick -orders.sin 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 it was taken while you
was wanderin' around the car last
night
"I'll give you $50 IL you find it," ]
said. "a hundred. Reach UP my
shoes and I'll
stopped abruptly. My eyes were
fixed in stupefied amazement on a
coat that hung from hook at the
foot q my berth. From the coat they
Travelled, dazed, to the soft-bosomed
shirt beside it, and from there to the
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 trousers?"
He reached over and held up one
creased leg. Gray, too" he grinned.
Cray" 1 could not believe even his
corroboration of my own eyes. But
my clothes were blue!' The porter
was amused; he diyed under the cur.
tains and brought up pair of shoes.
your shoes, sir" he said with a
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
the turned over collar was a gaudy
red. 1t took full minute tor the real
import of things to penetrate my
dazed intelligence. Then / gave a
vindictive kick at the offending en-.
semble.
They're not mine. any of them"
snarled. They are some other fel-
lows. I'll sit here until take root
before put them on"
They're nice lookin' clothes,'' the
porter put in, eying the red tie with
appreciation. "Ain't everybody would
have left you anything,
Call the conductor" said short
Iy. Then a possible explanation DC
CURED to me. "Oh, porter-what's
the number OF this berth?"
Seven, sir. If 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 II 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
night. That's all. SIR It was clear
t;1it ne ;;:sssts ::1ssa been =: ling
drew = long breath OF course.
that was the explanation. This was
number seyen's berth. that was mis-
MT this HIS umbrella, shia cot.
his bag. My rage turned 20 Irritation
Il myoon. s. Is :.
the porter went to the. next berth