River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-04-25
CHAPTER TX.

Shortly before midnight the tri-
weekly train from Constantine to Al
giers pulled up over an hour late at
the town of El-Guerrah. 1t took up a
single passenger, discharged nona, and
presently Numbered on westwards,
rocking and Earring over a road-bed
certainly no better than 1t should have
been. Such, at least, was the passep-
gers criticism, as, grooming in an
ticipation of the long night of discom-
fort ahead of him, he disposed himself
and his belongings about the cushions
of the first-class compartment which
he occupied IN solitary grandeur.
O'Rourke had no intention of leav-
ing anything undone that might tend
to mitigate the terrors of the journey.
Five days had elapsed since that
morning in the oasis. In the interval
he had again dared the danger of the
desert. returning to Biskra alone by
route more direct than that which had
brought him up with the flying col
umn. Discharging the guide with
gratuity larger than his ebbing means
warranted, he had proceeded to Ell
Guerrah by the first daily train, and
SO now found himself on the direct
line of communication with Algiers
and the Governor-General.
His chiefest concern now lay with
the future and the Pool of Flame;
both bulked large upon the horizon
and were at once the architects and
the nuclei of a thousand different
plans of action.
So far, the affair had worked
smoothly; he anticipated little trou-
BILE.
So thinking he drowsed, and In the
course of time lulled by the hammer
ing Of flat-wheel at the forward end
of the coach, fell asleep. He waken-
ed suddenly after nap of some two
hours or So to confusion of impress
sions: that the train had stopped;
that some one had invaded his COM
partment; that a cold blast was blow
ing across his wrists. Bewildered and
not half master of his senses, he start
ed up and fell back with a thud, as
sisted to resume a recumbent position
by heavy blow upon his chest, deliv-
cred by some person for the moment
unknown. simultaneously he was
aware of clicking sound, followed by
the sensation of being unable to move
his feet; and then, the clouds clearing
from his understanding, he realized
that the cold upon his wrists was that
of steel. With handouts also on his
ankles, he lay helpless, unable even
to protest because of a cloth wadded
tightly into his mouth and a firm hand
that prevented election.
Other hands were rifling his peck
cts, swiftly but after bungling fash
ion. The train, having paused briefly
at Setif Che afterwards located the
station by conjecture), began to
move again. was presently In
full laundering flight. Abruptly the
examination of his person-which
was so thorough that 1t included
the opening of his shirt to as
sure the thieves that he carried MOTH
ing in the shape OF a money-belt-
was concluded and the adventurer
was roughly jerked into a sitting po-
sition. At the same time his gag was
removed
He gasped, blinked. coughed, and
rolled a resentful eye around the COM
partment. BE the powers!" he said
huskily; and no more. At first glance
it became apparent that he had mis-
calculated the audacity and resource
of the yicomte and Mr. Glynn They
had literally caught him mapping.
The Honorable BERTHE, O'Rourke dis
covered kneeling in the act of turning
the adventurer's travelling gear inside
out; at least, he seemed to be try
ing to do so. Monsieur le Vicomte
des Trebes on the contrary was seat
ed at ease, facing O'Rourke, a revolver
on the cushion beside him, his in
terest concentrated not upon his cap
tive, upon his collaboration. O'Rourke
remarked an expression on the French
mans face, a curious compound OF
eagerness, triumph and apprehension.
without noting the Irishman's ejec-
ulation, he addressed Glynn: Find
ft?"
"No--worse luck!" grumbled the
Englishman, rising and kicking the
handbag savagely. There isn't so
much as scrap OF paper anywhere
about him"