The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-03


BE careful Of that man, dearie,"
Mrs. Fosdick Kissed out Of one side
OF her mouth. He's a very strange
character
Her husband was infected with her
own terror. He asked. huskily: What
do you think he is?"
"a detectivei I'm sure he's watch
ing US. He followed you right in
here"
Wen be very cautious-tiu We get
to Utah"
The old clergyman, a little fuzzy in
brain from his debut in beer, contin-
ued innocently TO confirm the appear
ance of detective by drifting aim
lessly about. He was looking for his
wife, but he kept glancing at the I'M
easy Fosdicks. He went TO the door,
opened ii, saw Mrs. Wellington finish
ing cigar, and retreated precipitate-
ly. Seeing Mrs. Temple wandering in
the corridor. he motioned her to
chair near the Fosdicks and she sat
by his side, wondering at his hlmy
eyes.
The Fosdicks, glancing uncomfort-
ably at DR.. Temple, rose and selected
other chairs further away. Then
Roger Ashton sauntered in, his eyes
searching for a proper companion
through the tunnel.
He saw Mrs. Wellington returning
from the platform, just tossing away
her cigar and blowing out the last OF
its grateful vapor.
With an effort at sarcasm, he went
to her and offered her one of his own
cigars, smiling: Have another"
She took il, looked it over. and
parted his irony with a formula she
had heard men use when they hate
to refuse a gift-cigar: Thanks. I'll
smoke it after dinner, If you don't
mind"
"Oh, don't mind" he laughed, then
bending closer he murmured: They
tell me we are coming to a tunnel, a
nice, long, dark, dismal tunnel"
Mrs. Wellington would not take a
dare. She felt herself already eman-
cipated from Jimmie So she answered
Ashton's hint with a laughing chal-
lenge:
How nice of the conductor to ar.
range it,"
Ashton smacked his lips over the
prospect
And now the porter, having noted
Ashton's Impotence to reach the tun.
mel, thought to curry favor and a
quarter by announcing its approach.
He hustled in and made straight for
Ashton just as the tunnel announced
itself with a sudden swoop OF gloom,
a great increase of the train-noises
and a far-off clang of the locomotive
bell.
Out Of the Egyptian darkness came
the unmistakable sounds Of OSCILLATION
in various parts of the room. Doubt
less, it was repeated in other parts OF
the train. There were numerous COO
ing sounds. too, but nobody spoke ex.
cept Mrs. Temple, who was heard to
murmur:
"Oh, Walter, dear, what makes your
breath so funny"
Next came little yowl of pain In
Mrs. Fosdick's voice, and then day.
light flooded the car with a rush, as
if time had made an instant leap from
midnight to noon. There were inter.
esting disclosures.
Mrs. Temple was caught with her
arms round the doctors neck, and
she blushed like spoony girl. Mrs.
Fosdick was trying to disengage her
hair from Mr.. Fosdick's scarf-pin. Mrs.
Whitcomb alone was deserted. Mr..
Ashton was gazing devotion at Mrs.
Wellington and trying to tell her
with his eyes how velvet he had
found her cheek.
But she was looking reproachfulIy
at him from chair, and saying, not
without regret:
Il heard everybody kissing every.
body, but l was cruelty neglected"
Ashton's eyes widened with unbe.
lief, he heard a smoker at his elbow,
and whirled to find the porter rub
bling his black velvet cheek and
writhing with pent-up laughter.
Mrs. Wellington glanced the same
way, and a shrek Of understanding
burst from her. 1t sent the porter
into a spasm of yah-yahs till he
caught Ashton's eyes and saw murder
in them. The porter fed to the plat
form and held the door fast, expect
ing to be ly1ched.
But Ashton dashed away in search
of concealment and soap.
The porter remained on the plat
form for some time, planning to leap
overheard and take his chances rather
than fall into Ashton's hands, but at
length, finding himself unpursued, he
| peered into the car and, seeing that
Ashton had gone, he returned to his
| duties He kept a close watch on
| Ashton, but on soberer thoughts Ash
| ton had decided that the incident
/ would best be consigned to silence
| and oblivion. But for all the rest OF
! that day he kept rubbing his lips
| with his handkerchief.
| The porter, noting that the train
! had swept into a granite gorge like
| an enormously magnff1ed aisle in a
! made-up sleeping car, recognized the
| presence of Echo Canyon, and with
| it the entrance into Utah He fastened
/ to impart the tidings TO Mr.. Fosdick
! and held out his hand as he extended
/ the information
| Fosdick could hardly believe that
! his twelve-hundred-m exile was
! over.
We're in Utah?" he exclaimed.
"Yassah," and the porter showed
/ his palm into view. Fosdick filled il
( with all his loose change. then
Hhirled to his wife and cried: