El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-08
BY OURNowsKY.

a the train approached Pont sur
a =Neuse, Robert Glassian regretted
for the twentieth time during
the last three hours that ne did not un-
derstand Russian. Not that he felt
any desire to read Tolstoy or Cork I'm
the original lang lage, for his position
as editor Of the sporting paper La Be
cane" left tim svery ut;'s lime for L.
erary studies but he would have liked
to have known what kind Of bad names
a couple sitting opposite him were call
ing one another. The man was bald
headed and undressing, while the
woman was a perfect beauty, fun Of
Life and with a pair Of most dangerous
eyes. They had entered the eompart-
ment at the frontier.
Wrapped up in his travelling rug, he
pretended to be reading very attentive
" a newspaper which he held so that
he just could get an occasional glimpse
Of his fellow travellers, who were talk
ing and gesticuIating furiously.
There is no doubt but that they are
husband and wife or they would not
carry on like that" he thought. They
have been quarreling since four o'clock
this afternoon. Once almost thought
he was going to box her ears. It is a
good thing for him that I don't speak
their lingo OF I would have told him
just what I think Of him. Good Lord
I bet he is at least Is years older than
she. Poor creature! She has been mar
ried soon enough. It IS surprising how
often you find that the most charming
q eft
bands"
The young man was rapidly losing
himself in the wilderness Of his
thoughts. when the waiter of the dining
car entered to ask the travellers Wheth-
er they wanted to eat at first or second
table
First table for madame ard myself, %
said the stranger in excellent French,
without the slightest accent
And YOU Monsieur GlassatnF' the
waiter asked.
Robert, who was known to all the
men on this route, travelling as he did
twice a week between Paris and Brus-
sells, replied In his 1OTial way:
Thank you, Baptiste, I shall not eat
until I get to Paris. I lunChed too
heavily at Brussels and am afraid Of
a catastrophe"
He had scarcely pronounced these
words when he thought he read in the
features Of the young wife an express
sion Of the sincerest gratitude.
why the devil Is she looking at
me sop he asked himself Have per
haps-"
GIassain knew himself to be very
good looking, but he was not cOnceitCd
enough to think that a woman would
fall in love with him on the spot mere
" for that reason. 1t was impossible TO
get any other impression, however, for,
when her husband stood up to take
something from a satchel on the shelf
above their heads the beautiful un-
known sent Robert a glance that set
his heart humping
How am I to manage to see her
alOne?" he asked himself
He thought Of a thousand impossible
schemes, but the lady herself or course
found the only simple and natural one.
When her husband arose to go to the
dining car, she refused to go with him.
A violent quarrel followed and, with
out understanding single word. Rob
ert still understood that she pleaded
some sudden indispOsiuOn. The hus-
band hesitated long between starving
and the risk Of leaving his wife alone
with a handsome stranger, but at last
went out seolding and Struggling his
He had barely closed the door be-
hind him when the lady turned toward
Robert, took both his hands and said
in most excellent French.
you have saved my life! I shall new
er forget thati No matter what you
ask of me I am ready to give it to you"
Glassain was speechless with sur
prise and the young lady went on:
1T is going to happen right away,
asn't it2"
Really, madame. I don't understand
what you mean"
"Oh, yes, you understand very we'll
need not tell you that I am countess
OkranOff and that my husband has
been sentenced to death by yours"
by mine?" Robert protested 81 as
sure you"
Don't try to deny 1t. I saw you
seeking the Shakharine on the platform
in Brussels, and fortunately my hus-
band did not recognize him"
"Sakharine is the correspondent Of
my paper in Brussels. did not know"
"Of course you do. You knew every
thing. You know that in a few mo-
ments, a few seconds perhaps, some
thing terrible is going to happen and
you came into our compartment to warn
me. I understood everything as soon
as you said the word catastrophe You
can't deny 7 am telling the truth"
Glassian began to suspect that the
woman must be insane. He decided to
laugh.
Believe me, madame" he said, "the