The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-07-21
CHAPTER III.
Across the Aisle.

No solution Offering itself, I went
back to my berth. The snorer across
mad apparently strangIed, or turned
over, and so after a time l dropped
asleep, to be awakened by the morn
ing sunlight across my face.
felt for my watch, yawning pro
digiously. I reached under the PILLOW
and failed to find it, but something
scratched the back OF my hand. l sat
up irritably and nursed the wound,
which was bleeding a little. Still
drowsy, l felt more cautiously for
what l supposed had been my scarf
pin, but there was nothing there.
Wide awake now, | reached for my
travelling bag, on the chance that /
had put my watch in there. l had
drawn the satchel to me and had my
hand on the lock before I realized
that it was not my own
Mine was of alligator hide. l 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 a 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
curtain and be obseQuious. But Pull
man porters can and do.
NO" l snapped. st 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 tmpor-
tant papers in that grip"
Porter" called a feminine voice
from an upper berth near by. Porter,
am to bangle here all day."
Let her dangle," said savageIy.
You find that bag of mine"
The porter frowned. Then he
looked at me with injured dignity. u
brought in your oyercoat, sir. You
carried your own valise."
The fellow was right! In an 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. l was simply
victim of the usual sleeping car rob-
berry. l was in lather of perspira,
ton by that time: The lady down the
car was still dangling and talking
about it; still nearer a feminine voice
vas 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
knees. He was yisibly 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 if you find it," l
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 a hook at the
foot Of my berth. From the coat they
travelled, dazed, to the soft-bosomed
shirt beside it, and from there to the
collar and crayat in the net hammock
across the windows.
"a hundred" the porter repeated
showing his teeth. But 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,
Gray" could not believe even his
confederation of my own eyes. But
my clothes were blue" The porter
was amused; he dived 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 l 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 throush (
the turned over collar was gaudy
red. 1t took a full minute for the real
import of things to penetrate my
sazei intelligence. Then l gave
vindictive kick at the offending en-
Semble. .Y
THEY'RE not mine, any OF then'
snarled. They are some other le
.ow's, III sit here until take Foo' !
,esore | Pot them on