The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-02-27

p6SSpOrC II 1OuDO, ne WlI0uESW. ~u"-
mings felt for his money. and 1t was
safe. He called to the policeman to
ask him for what the missing man was
wanted. but the guard slammed the
door, locked it. and the train moved on.
The next stop was Dover. Cum
mings while passing on to the Calais
boat asked certain railway officials he
met IL they knew Of what had &C.
Cured in his compartment. but none
Of them could give him any informa-
ton. Fortunately passports are not
needed In most European countries
nowadays unless called for specially.
and Cummings found no difficulty In
entering France without one. He
heard nothing from the one that had
been taken from him or the person
who had taken it. Indeed. no explana-
ton Of the matter came to him. There
was only the s%upposition that the
young man who had put him to sleep
was some n attempting to evade the
law. y "% -
Two years passed when by a singu-
lar freak Of fortune Cummings en-
countered the fugitive from the law
again. He was a globe trotter and
during the interval had been to Amer
lea but once and then only for a few
months. 1t is to be admitted that
travelling continually he vas far more
likely to meet any particular person
than if he remained in one place.
He was travelling northward from
Italy. Leaving Lugano one morning
for Lucerne, In the sAme compartment
with him was q lady twenty-five or
twenty-three years old. who the mo-
ment he looked at her attracted his at
tention. He was sure that he had seen
her before. though he could not tell
when or where, Then suddenly 1t
flashed upon him that she was the
counterpart Of the man who two years
before had stolen his passport. From
this he came very soon to the conclu-
sion that she was the same person. and
that person was not a man. but a wO-
man.
Now that he met her again and knew
her he had a great advantage. for she
didn't seem to know that she had ever
met him before. He looked at her
steadily. She looked away, rs any
lady would when being stared at. by a
man. but showed NJ embarrassment.
Not caring to let her know that be
recognized her, he turned away his
glance. He desired to satisfy his curl.
osity with regard to her and deter.
mined not to lose her.
She was evidently travelling alone.
There was a man in the compartment
besides Cummings and another wo-
man. The woman soon left the train.
There being no notice that smoking
was permitted in the compartment, the
man went to another to light q cigar.
leaving Cummings temporarily alone
with the lady. ,..
Madame or mademoiselle," he said.
do you object to smokingT" ,s
II do not g., .~s-... r-... - y
This is not q smoking compartment,
but If you don't object l will avail my
self Of your permission" @
10 SO, Dy ali MEANS. r
Cummings took q box Of cigarettes
from his pocket and handed it to the
lady.
Thank you very much. but l never
smoke"
You mean that you do not smoke
now. not that you have never smoked.
II l mistake not. I have had the pleas
ure of smoking with you and n of
your own cigarettes"
The woman gave him a piercing
glance. and her face became a shade
whittier.
1T was in a COACH he went on,
between London and Dover. The
cigarette you offered me was rather
heavily charged with opium or some
other drug. At any rate. it put me to
sleep. and when l awoke you were
gone. I have always been curious to
know how you left the train"
The young woman's gaze was fixed
upon Cummings without reply for
some time. She was evidently much
frightened, but as he proceeded ap-
peared to gather confidence. Presently
she said:
you are an American"
Yes. How did you know that?"
II should know it and not forget It.
Your passport saved me from arrest,
and arrest for me meant q return to
Russia, and that meant Siberia"
Then l am more than pleased"
HAD I known that you were an
American l would not have put you
to sleep with q cigarette. I would
have con8ded my situation to you
and asked you to help me. America,
as your national hymn says. Is the
''land Of the Free" and all oppressed
peoples may fnd sympathy, there"
"How did you leave the trainT'
II committed my soul to God and
jumped in the darkness. There was
no stop after I put you to sleep till
the train reached Dover. I must jump
or be arrested when I reached the
terminal. landed. fortunately. In q
ditch beside tho railr00d Or ShOul6