The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-09-18
A Change
Of Garments
BY JOHN c. LARNED

one morning Ltta GiucclOli, an Ital-
ian girl aged eighteen. was placed in
a railway train at Naples by her ia
ther and mother, who babe her good
by with many kisses. She was going
to Rome to visit an aunt. The. COM
partment she entered was occupied by
one person only-a man. He was small
and clean shaver. and the train had
not gone far into the country when he
began to notice Lita. us If taking note
Of her height and weight. Presently
he said:
"%Signorina, will you please take of
your hat and give it to me?"
Lita looked at him as If she did not
comprehend his meaning. The man
jerked her hat off her head and put
his W on hers. By this time she
was thoroughly frightened and made
no resistance. The man forced her to
exchange her outer garments with
him, and when this was done be pull
ed a veil down over his face.
when we make II STOP" he said, II
will get Out-that is. unless l see dan
ger. If you betray me l will kill you.
| am Il bandit. have been making a
rich haul in Naples. The police got
on to my being there, and l am IT.
pri>ed that they have permitted me
t o get ont of the city. Indeed. l sus-
pect ONE game on heir part. and l
should not wonder if they were on the
lookout for me-"
Lita was thoroughly cowed. Indeed.
1t WAS all she could do to keep from
fainting. But she kept up till the train
reached the first stop. hoping then to
be relieved of him. When the train
pulled up ut the station the man look
ell out, but drew back Immediately.
and Lita saw that she would not be
rid Of him. The conductor came to the
door Of the compartment and put a
woman into it. Lita noticed that h
tipped him for finding her a seat. The
newcomer was a comfort to the poor
girl. though she wished she had been
a man. She noticed, however. that
the woman was big and strong. while
the bandit was small. though wiry.
The train had scarcely pulled Il of
the station when the new passenger
began to look scrutinizingly at Lita.
AS for the man, he leaned back in a
corner with the veil over his face, and
no one would have had a to sus-
pect that he was not n woman.
where are you going, signor?" ask
ed the woman of Lita in a coarse
voice.
ITO Rome, signora."
The woman looked intently at the
girl. evidently being somewhat mys-
tilted at her appearance and especially
ut her voice. which was thoroughly
feminine.
when the train left Naples" con-
tinued the woman, was there not a
man in this compartments"
Lita, whose eye was fixed on the
bandit. saw his fingers twitching. She
interpreted it to mean that she must
reply in the negative.
''There was no one. signora. except
we who are now here"
There was a pocket in the woman's
dress, and Lita noticed that she kept
her right hand in this pocket. When
she asked the question she looked at
the figure leaning back in the corner.
apparently asleep.
"Signora," called the new passenger.
"can you tell me the hour this train
reaches Romeo"
7,,o univ ronlv wac a SnOro
Lita would have warned the woman
that the person she addressed vas a
man and a bandit and begged her to
let him alone. fearing that he would
murder them both. but she dared not
do so. The oma made no further
attempt to extract information from
the sleeper; instead she began to look
Lita over, her attention being riveted
on the girls figure that looked differ.
ent from a mans.
you're not a man." she said; you're
a woman"
Lita made no reply. The man in the
corner snored on. The woman turned
her attention to the sleeper.
"Signora!'
The man stirred. then asked what
was wanted in a feigned voice.
"At what hour does this train reach
Rome?'
II do not know"
"What's the matter with your voice?
Have you got a cold?"
"Pardon me. am sleepy. have
been up very late every night for a
week."
"Was there a man in this compart-
ment when the train left Naples?"
Eyes: the young gentleman opposite
you"
'She's not a man; she's a woman"
"Well. I have nothing to do with
that. nor do l care what she is"
This was said angrily, and the bandit.
losing control Of his voice, betrayed his
sex. Suddenly the woman's hand
came out Of her pocket and with 1t q
cooked revolver. with which she cov-,
cred the bandit
Throw up your hands. Andrea
Carpiw
The hands went up at once. The
woman leaned forward and snatched
>-,~- Az -~a1 aI HI. .-r