Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-09-24
CHAPTER III,
The SjSter.jn.iaw.

T\HE garde listened to his de-
mand for separate compart-
ment with the detection Of a
- capable French attendant who
is ever ready with joint commisera-
ton and obduracy. No.. he was com:
PEELED to inform monsieur the Ameri-
can ito the dismay of the pseudo Eng
lishmaD it would be impossible to ar
range for another compartment. The
train was crowded to its capacity.
Many had been turned away. No, a
louis would not be of avail. The Deep
est grief and anguish filled his soul to
see the predicament of monsieur, but
there was no relief.
Brooks miserable affectation of the
English drawl soon gave way to sharp.
emphatic Americanisms. It was after
8 o'clock and the train was we'll under
way. The street lamps were getting
fewer and fewer, and the soft, fresh
air of the suburbs was rushing through
the window.
"But. hang it all, 1 can't sit up all
night!' growled Brock in exasperated
flnality.
"M'sieur forgets that he has berth.
It IS not the fault Of the compagnie
that he Is without a bed. Did not
m'sieur book the compartment himself :?
Tres bieny'
As the result Of strong persuasion
the garde consented to make 1.-THE
grand tour Of the train de luxe in
search of berth. 1t goes without
saying that he was intensely mystified
by Brooks incautious remark that he
would be satisfied with IAN upper If
he couldn't do any better" For the
life Of him monsieur the garde could
not comprehend the situation. He
went away. shaking his head and look
ing at the tickets. as much as to say
that an American is never satisfied
not even with the best
Brock lowered window seat in the
passage and sat down, staring blankly
and blackly out into the whizzlng
night The predicament had come upon
him so suddenly that he had not until
now found the opportunity to analyze
1t In its entirety. The worst that could
come of it, Of course, was the poor com
fort Of night in q chair He knew
that it was train Of sleeping coaches.
All! He suddenly remembered the lug
gage van! As last resort he might
find lodging among the trunks.
And then, too, there was something
Irritating in the suspicion that she had
laughed as If it were huge joke. Per
haps even now she was doubled up in
her narrow couch sitting the giggle
that would not be suppressed. 49,.
When the garde came back with
the lugubrious information that moth
ing. positively nothing, was to be had
it is painful to record that Brock swore
in a manner which won the deepest re-
spect Of the trainman 49,.
AT o'clock in the morning, m'sieur,
an old gentleman and his wife will get
out at Strassburg, their destination.
They are in this carriage, and you may
take their compartment If m'sieur will
not object to sleeping in a room just
vacated by two mourners who toda,
buried beloved son in Paris. The,
have kept all Of the flowers in their
-Four O'Clock! Good Lord, what an
to do till then?" groaned Brock, glar
ing with unmanly hatred at the doc
OF the Medcroft compartment.
Perhaps madame may be willing t,
take the upper ventured the guart
timorously, but Brock checked hin
with a peremptory gesture. He pro
posed, instead, the luggage van. where
upon the garde burst into a psalm Of
utter detection. 1t was against til,
rules. irrevocably.
Then guess III have to Dit here al