Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-24

open but the air which filtered through it was
hot and oppressive.
AS she lay there unable to sleep and reflect
ing on this final torture by the high gods or low
devils the result of her journey to the south
west in midsummer, she heard Stephens voice
asking the porter to bring the steps and mo-
ment later the curtain rustled he crept into
his upper berth. For some reason the near
presence of the successful heritor infurated her
and she reflected that one might cheerfully sup
port the intense discomforts OF the night with a
old-filled valise secured to ones person by a
chain.
Presently she drifted into an unrestful sleep
but awakened toward midnight by what
seemed to crashing and battering of the car
and fine spray upon her face
She discovered then that the train appeared
to be caught up in a cyclone while the roar up
on the roof of the car was as though it were
passing under cataract. The porter hur
redly closing the windows and ventilators and
the train had slowed its speed
Now" thought Claire, I'VE shall quickly
suffocate and that will be end to it." She al
most regretted when the porter requested per-
mission to close her own and instead Of the cool
ing spray there the sodden smell of wet
bedding.
Some cyclone, ma'am," said the negro. II
reckon done pitched into cloudburst.'
Claire presently dropped off again, but this
time her sleep fraught with troubled
which had broken down and was drifting to-
ward a maelsrom. Then suddenly it reached
the brink of this and she felt it plunge down
into the vortex.
"All is over" thought Claire with sort Of
resigned relief, and at that moment there came
a most terrific sense Of falling accompanied by
rending, splitting sound and eliminating in an
appalling crash.
She woke suddenly and flung up her hands.
They struck hard, smooth surface which
slanted down across her and completely blocked
her exit from the berth. The car was keeled
over at slight angle to the other side and the
air was filled with mufled shreiks and shouting
and the roar of waters. Terror stricken, Claire
reached for her light, only to find 1t extinct
She thrust up the curtain Of her window but the
darkness without was impenetrable and there
seemed to be flood pouring down the glass.
She was imprisoned in triangular space and
Immediately guessed that the chains supporting
the upper berth had parted and that it had
fallen to leave aperture of not more than six
inches on the aisle Of the car. Through this
she shreked wildly for help.
"One minute" shouted a vibrant voice. Il
get you OUT
The cries and screams seemed growing faint
er. and from little distance came a smashing
splntering sound. She heard the man beside
her roaring for help to raise the berth, which
had jammed, but there no response. Then
presently, he struggled, it seemed to yield
Lie on your back and shove straight up
with your arms when I count three" he said
Claire obeyed and they seemed to gain two or
three inches.
''Its jammed against the partition" he pant
ed. Don't be frightened. I'll get you out"
She suddenly found herself alone. There
were more sounds Of human presence nor
crushing fabrics but torrent of water seemed
cascading over the roof Of the car as a river
flows over dam. with swirling. sucking gurgles
Then to her horror, Claire felt a warm trickle
about her. and thrustng her arm through the
aperture felt the flood up to the very edge of
her berth
In those few terrible seconds she was able