Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-09-25

he sat on every window Seat in the
carriage; he nodded and dozed and
groaned and laughed at himself in the
deepest derision all through the dismal
night. Daylight came at T.. He saw
the sun rise for the first time in his
life. He neither enjoyed nor appre-
ciated the novelty. Never had he wit
messed anything SO mournfully depress-
ing as the first gray tints that crept up
to mock him in his vigil. Never had
he seen anything so CHASTITY as the soft
red glow that suffused the morning
sky.
I'll sleep all day if l ever get into
that id bed" he said to himself, BIT
terry wistfui.
The customs officers had eyed him sus-
piciously at the border. They had evil
IDENTIFY been told Of his strange mad
ness in refusing to occupy the berth
he had paid for. Their examination Of
his effects was more thorough than
usual. 1t may have entered their heads
that he was standing guard over the
ASpoSN VI q al uSSOLlpllCC. 1ueN ASK
ed so many embarrassing and discon-
certing questions that he was devoutly
relieved when they passed on, still sus.
picious.
The train was late. and at 5 o'clock
he was desperately combating an i'm
pulse to leave it at S%trassburg, find
lodging in a hotel and then. refreshed,
set out for London to have it out with
the malevolent Medcroft, The disem-
barking Of the venerable mourners,
however. restored him to a degree of
his peace of mind. After all. he re-
viewed. it would be cowardly and base
to desert a trusting wife. He pictured
her as asleep and securely confident in
his stanchness. No. he would have it
out with Medcroft at some later day.
He was congratulating himself on
the acquisition Of a bed-although it
might possess the odor of a bed Of
tuberoses-when all Of his pleasant
calculations We're upset by the appear
ance Of a German burgher and his
family. 1t was then that he learned
that these people had booked lie COM
partement from Strassburg to Mu-
Mich.
Brock resumed his window seat and
despondently awaited the call to break.
fast. He fell sound asleep with his
monocle in position, nor did it matter
to him that his hat dropped through
the window and went scuttling off
across the green Rhenish fields. When
next he looked at his watch it was 8
o'clock. A small boy was standing at
the end Of the passage staring wide
eyed at him. Two little girls came
piling, half dressed. from a compart-
ment, evidently in response to the
youngsters whispered command to
hurry out and see the funny man.
Brock scowled darkly, and the trio
darted swiftly into the compartment.
He dragged his stiff legs into the
dining car at Stuttgart and showed
them under a table. The car was
quite empty. AS he was staring blank
ly at the menu the conducteur from
his car hurried in with the word that
madam would not breakfast until 8.
She was still very sleepy. Would NJ.
Medcroft be good enough to order her
coffee and rolls brought to her COM
partment at that hour? And would he
mind seeing that the maid saw to it
that Raggles surely had his biscuit and
a walk at the next station?
"Raggles?" queried Brock, passing
his hand over his brow. The other
c1,r,1rro1 Ii, cho,,1Iorc orl 1ooI-oJ
askance. 'Oh. yes; 1 understand"
murmured the puzzled one, recovering
himself. For the next ten minutes he
wondered who Raggles could be.
He had eaten his strawberries and
was waiting for the eggs and coffee.
resentfully eying the early risers who
were now coming in for their coffee
and rolls. They had slept He could
tell by the complacent name in which
their hair was combed and by the in
terest they found in the scenery which
he had come. by tedious familiarity.
to lOathe and Scorn.
The actions Of two young women
near the door attracted his attention.
From their actions he suddenly gather
ed that they were discussing him-and
in a more or less facetious fashion at
that. They whispered and looked shy
and grinned in a most d~isconcerting
manner He turned red about the ears
and began to wonder fiercely why his
eggs and coffee were so slow IN COM
ing. Then. to his CONSERVATION, the
young women. plainly Of the serving
class. bore down upon him with abash.
ed smiles He noticed for the first
time that one of them was carrying n
very small child in her arms. AS she
came alongside. grinning sheepishly.
she extended the small n toward the
astounded Brock. and said In excellent
old English
Good morning. Mr. Medcroft" Then,