The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1915-06-03
A Change
OF Garments
BY JOHN C. LARNED

railway train at Naples by her IN
Their and mother, who babe her good
by with many kisses. She was going
to Rome 30 visit an aunt The com
partment she entered was occupied by
one person only-a man. He was small
and clean shaven, and the train had
not gone far into the country when he
began TO notice Lita, as II taking note
Of her height and weight Presently
he said:
"Signorina. Will you please take of
your hat and give It 10 mer'
Lita looked at him as II she did not
comprehend his meaning. The man
jerked her hat OF her head and put
his own 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 he pull
ed a veil down over his face.
"When we make a stop he said, Il
will get out-that Is, unless I see dam
ger. II you betray me WI kfll you.
I am a bandit have been making q
rich haul in Naples The police got
on to my being there, and am sur
prised that they have permitted me
10 get out of the city. Indeed, I sus-
pect some game on their part and ]
should not wonder II they were on the
lookout for me-"
Lita was thoroughly oowed Ipdeed,
Il was all she could DO TO keep from
limiting But she kept up till the train
reached the first stop. hoping then 70
be relieved Of him When the train
pulled up at the station the man look
ed out but drew back Immediately,
and Lfta saw that she would pot be
rid OF him The conductors came % the
door Of the compartment and put a
woman into It Lita noticed that she
tipped him for finding her seat The
newcomer was a comfort TO the poor
girl, though she wished she had been
O man. She noticed, however, that
The woman wac big and strong, while
the bandit was small, though wfry.
The train had scarcely pulled out Of
the station when the new passenger
began to look scrutinfzingly at Lta.
AS for the man, he leaned back In q
corner with the veil over his face. and
DO one would have had reason TO eus-
pect that be was not a woman
Where are you going, signorT ask
ed the woman Of Lita IN a coarse
voice
TO Rome, signora"
he ne ha
girl evidently being somewhat mys-
tiled at her appearance and especially
at 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 RomeT
The only reply was snore.
Lita would have warned the woman
that the person she addressed was 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 woman 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
q woman"
Lita made no reply. The man in the
corner snored on. The woman turned
her attention to the sleeper.
"Signoray'
The man stirred, then asked what
was wanted in a feigned voice.
eat what hour does this train reach
Rome2"
81 do not know"
whats the matter with your voice2
Have you got cold?"
Pardon me. l am sleepy. have
been up very late every night for a
week."
"Was there man In this compart-
ment when the train left Naples2"
eyes; the young gentleman opposite
you"
"She,s not man; she's woman"
well, have nothing to do with
that, nor do 1 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 It a
cooked revolver, with which she COW
cred the bandit
Throw up your hands. Andrea
Carpiy'
The hands went up at once. The
woman leaned forward and snatched
away the veil.
'You are very smart. Signor Carpi,
l,,t xro,, co,st fool uo coro binoara oil