Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-09
Continued from Yesterdays starr


We acted at once on my proposal
We hurriedly pulled down the blinds
of the compartment and turned off the
light. Then Rehmy cautiously open
ed the outer door. Castor slipped
onto the footboard, then Beatrice. then
myself, while Rehmy followed last
We shuff1ed along in the pitch dark
ness, clinginS to the window ledge of
the carriage. Our own train was
meanwhile creeping forward at
walking pace and the maneuver was,
therefore, comparatively simple.
One by one we dropped off and
stood on the track between the two
trains. Then, with the utmost eau
ton, we followed CASTOR, who CROPPED
his way along the line of stationary
trucks, which were on our left. Pres
emily he stopped and whispered to me
to come forward. | moved to his
side and he motioned me to bend
down. He planted a. foot on either
shoulder and l slowly raised myself
again until l stood erect, pressing
myself against the side of the truck.
He sprang off my back after Wig
orous effort or two and disappeared
into the blackness above our heads.
A moment later / felt his outstretched
hand as he leaned down toward us.
Mile. Harvel next" he whispered.
Rehmy and | picked up Beatrice
and hoisted her heavenward till
CASTOR could get hold of her Shout
derS. Once she was safely in, Rehmy
climbed up and then he and CASTOR
leaning over, succeeded in pulling me
after them.
We found ourselves in an open
truck filled with baulks of timber
We felt our way along and discovered
that they were not the same length
as the truck. but some three feet
shorter. and space was thus left at
one end between the baulks and the
side Of the truck sufficient TO contain
our party. The sides of the truck
We're higher than a mans head and
we We're thus entirely shielded from
observation, except from directly
above US. We settled down as com
fortably as we could and, after what
seemed hours of waiting, we heard
the train which we had just left gath
Ell speed and, with grinding of
wheels, move off again into the night.
We had no idea of the destination
of the goods train or even whether it
had an engine, but our doubts on that
score We're soon dispelled, for, with
many groans and jerks, we started
off in the direction in which we had
previously been travelling.
l do not think | need attempt TO
describe the miseries of the journey.
We rumbled on right through the
night, stopping for long intervals. 1t
was bitterly cold and damp, and we
had no cover over our heads. Beatrice
lay for all that time in my arms and
did my best to keep her warm.
l., ND Il Il
ding together for comfort. We did
not dare to smoke or talk, for we
were mortally afraid that some Off
cial, during one of our frequent halts,
might take it into his head to walk
down the line and inspect the trucks.
At about 8 O'Clock it ceased raining
and the clouds rolled away, revealing
a watery sun. The first light of day
saw Rehmy, whose devotion to duty
no hardship could destroy, examining
as well as he could the portfolio which
CASTOR had stolen from Fritz. and /
noted that his face grew continually
graver as he scanned the papers which
it contained.
Nothing untoWard occurred until
about II O'Clock in the morning. when
the train came to what was evidently
a final halt, and we heard a babble
of voices and footsteps on the ground
below us.
| remember wondering desperately
whether / should be able to summon
up the wits or make the effort to
struggle with a further crisis Gas
ton, however had already risen stiff1y
from the floor of the truck and
Rehmy had the stern set look that l
had come to recognize as his charac-
teristic expression when going into
action. He took command at once
motioning me to be still and whis-
pering to CASTOR to mount cautiously
on his shoulder in order to recon
hotter.
CASTOR slowly drew himself to the
top of the baulks of timber where for
a few moments he lay stretched, tax
ing a cautious survey of the scene.
Suddenly, while we waited below
him in silent suspense, he sprang to
his feet and, standing on the top of
the timber, began shouting in French
like a mailman. We all three thought
he had gone crazy until he called
down TO us eXcitedly
iIt's portmund. my friends, We