Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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fXC?SEMF! ^RUPERT HUGHES ^ COMEDY OF TUE SAME tM- T T T ILiVSTOATED FPQH pnoTcxi?APHS or THE PLAY AS P?ODUCED ^nENrar W. LAVAGE-. < I I * cofrmoMx b4i gb Arc.rxv co CHAPTER XIV. Tho porm I to ry on Wheel* Of til mm she :klng tnstitutlotts tn Isamaa history, the sleeping cor It ths ?lost shocking?or would he, fcf we Hfi not so used to It. There can be mo doubt that we are the most noral sntitfoti on earth, for we admit It our ?err es. Perhaps wn prors It, to), by tie) Arcadian proaporlty of those two story hotels on w a eels, where mts> ?oaisaooous travelers dwell In com? plete promiscuity, and sleep almost setae by side, la siartmants. or oom eurtmesjta? separatsd only by a plank at t curtain, and guarded only by an? slesiy neajro After the fashion of the famous ejcuntry whoso Inhabitants earned a *? anger tsjatioauii by taking In each sjtbeTs washing. sc> tn nisontng Oar* jataia wo attain ? meager reujocta %fHCF by everybcdye chapertxdng ?isjjusdy eiaa. to tc?xjp*torvlcd. Indeed, are our gsrerfctia, oasoe wo am aboard a train, that the stateroamt' eiono are rugaruV ed wtth Buaplcloo; wo question tho lauotfiea of those who must have a vooen to thexnselveo: ?a room wtth a real door! that locks] ! And, now* ocj this Bleeping car. pret? tily named "SWwd rop," scenos wore saoe*1ng that woohl hr.ro thrown otr sjreut-e^admothors Into fits?ecensa which. If wo found thorn In France, or \ Jhpan, wo should stow with alarm ae . almost unmenticTnablo evidence of too' moral obliquity of those nations. But this was our own country*?tno part of It which admits that It It tho heut part?the moraleot part, tho staunch msddfe west. This wat lllv nola. Tot dosons of care were N hold? ing similar Immodesties In chiatost Illinois, and all over tho Drap, thou-' sands of people. In hundreds of cars, were permitting total strangers to vlow preparations which have always, hitherto, boon reserved for tho moat intimate and legalised relation* Tho porter was deftly trans fa>-m log tho day-coach Into a narrow lazo en Itraty surrounded by draperies. Behind ?met of the pcvtleree. fluttering tn the lightest breeso, and perilously follow, tag tho hasty passer-by, homey of*' Bode were being enacted. The popu? lation of this little town was going to bod. The porter was putting thorn to sleep as If they were children In a aojeery. end he a black mammy. ? The frail vails of little sanctums ware bulging with tho bodies ol poo* pie disrobing in the aisle, with noth? ing between thorn and the beholder's ore but a clinging curtain that ex? plained whet It did not reveal. From apertures hero and there disembodied feet wore protruding and mysterious hands were removing shoee and other 1 things p Women in risky attire were scoot? ing to one end of the car, and men in shirt sleeves, or loss, were hastening to the other -?*.?**??. v t>Wben Mallory returned to the' ''Snowdrop,'* hie ear waa gros tod by tho thud of dropping shoes. Ho found Marjorle being rapidly immured, liks ^0*'*? prisoner, In a jail of closing' wslls. ^*ria*.He^-*??-? mmm^mmmm J ?he was unspeakably ill at ease, and by the Irony of custom, tho one person on whom aha depended for pro taction waa the one person whose contiguity waa most alarming?and all for lack of a brief trlalogue, with a clergyman, ae tho tertlutn Quid. When Mallory a careworn face ap? peared round tho edge of tho partition now erected between her and tue abode of Dr ant Mrs. Temple, Mar Jorle shivered anew, and asked with ail anilety: "IHd you find a minister?** Perhaps the Recording Angel over? looked Mallory'e answer: "Not e damn minister." When he dropped at MarjoriWe side she edged away from him, pioadtng: "Oh. what shall we do7" He answer* d dismally and inef? fectively: Well hove to go on pro? tending to bo?lust friends." "Hut everybody thinks we're mar ried " That's so!" be admitted, with the Imbecility of fatigued hope They sat a while listening to the porter slip* ping sheets Into place and thumping pillows Into cases, a few doors down ths street. He would be randy for them st sny moment. .-Hornethln|; must bo done, but vfcatl what? CHAPTER XV. A Prematura Divorce. Suddenly Marjories heart save s leap of Joy. tihe was having anothei idea. "I'll tell you. Harry. We II pre? tend to qusrrel and then?" "And then you can leave me In htgr dudgeon." The ruse struck him as a trifle tin convincing. "Don't you think 1) lookt kind of Improbable on?on?sich ai occasion?" Msrjoiie bluahed, and lowerod het eyee and her voice: "Can yoj sug greet anything betterr* "NO, out?" "Then, well have to quarrel, dart Ha yielded for lack of a better Idea: "XU right, beloved. How shall we begin?" On close approach, the Idea did teem rather Impossible to bar. "How oouM I ever quarrel with you, my love?" aba cooed. Ha gated at bar with a rush of lovely tenderness: "And how could 1 ever speak croeely to your "We never aball bava a harsh word, ?ball war aba resolved. "Never!" he seconded. Bo that resolution passed the house unani mously. They held hands In luxury a while, then she began again: "Still, we must pretend. Ton atarflt, love." "No, you start It," be pleaded, "You ought to," she beamed, "You got me Into this mess." The word slipped out Mallorj started: "Mess! How is It my fault? Good Lord, are you going to begin chucking It up?" "Well, you must admit, darling." Marjorie urged, "that you've bungled everything pretty badly." It wan so undeniable that he could only groan: "And I suppose I'll bear of this till my dying day, dearest" Marjorie bad a little tamper ail her own. So she defended It: "If you are so afraid of my temper, love, perhaps you'd better call it all off before it's too lato." "1 didn't say anything about your temper, sweetheart." Mallory insisted. "You did, too, honey. You said I'd chuck this up till your dying day. As If I had such a disposition! You can stay here." She rose to her feet. He pressed bar back with a decisive mo? tion, and demanded: "Where are you going?" "Up in the baggage car with Snoozleums," she sniffled. "He's the only one that doesn't find fault with me." Mallory was stung to action by this [ crisis: "Walt," be said. He leaned out and motioned down the alley. "Porter! Walt a moment, darling. Porter!" The porter arrived with a half-fold- , ed blanket In his hands, and bis usual "Yassah!" Beckoning him closer, Mallory mum? bled In a low tone: "Is there an ex* tra berth on this car?" I The porter's eyes seemed to re? buke his ears. "Does you want this , upper made up?" "No?of oourse not" "Ex?excuse me. I thought?" "Don't you dare to think!" Mallory ! thundered. "Isn't there another low? er berthr The porter breathed hard, and gave*' I this bridal couple up as a riddle that followed no known rules. He went to find the sleeping car conductor, and 1 returned with the information that the diagram showed nobody assigned to number three. j 'Then I'll take number three," said , Mallory, poking money at the porter. ftHl the porter oould not under? stand. "Now, lemme onderstan' you-aJl," he stammered. "Doea you both move over to numba three, or doea yo'?yo' I lady remain heah, while jest you pre ambulates?" "Just I preanibulate, you black hound!" Mallory answered, in a ' threatening tone. The porter could \ understand that, at least, and he bristled away with a meek: "Yessah. Numba three Is yours, sah." The ?.roubled features of the baf? fled poiter cleared up as by magic toben he arrived at number three, lor fhere he found his tyrant and tor? mentor, the English Invader. He remembered how indignantly Mr. Wedgewood had refused to show his ticket, how cocksure he was of his number, how he had leased the porter's services as a sort of private nurse, and had paid no advance roy? alties. And now he was sprawled and snor? ing majestically among bis many lug? gages, like a sleeping lion. Revenge tasted gaud to the humblo porter; it tasted like a candied yam smothered In 'possum gravy. He smacked his thick lips OJVar this revenue. With all the Inaolanca Of a servant In brief authority, he gloated over his prey, and prodded bun awake. Then mur? mured with hypocritical deference: "Ex< use me, but could 1 see yo' ticket for yo' seat?" "Certainly not! it's too much trouble." grumbled the half asloeper. "Confound you!" The potter hired him on: "Is you sJstt' you got one?*1 Wed go Weed wan wide awake DOW* and surly as any Kngllshman In-fore brenktast: "Of cawso I'm shaw. How dare you?" "Too bad. but I'm bleeped to MM you to ginnno a peek tit it." ?This Is an outrage!" "Yassah, but 1 Just narhelly got to see it." Wcdgcwooi gathered hlmsotf to getner, and ransacked his many pock? ets with increasing anger, muttering under his breath. At length he pro? duced the ticket, and thrust it at the porter: "Thah, you idiot, are you con | vlnced now?" The porter gazed at the billet with : Ill-concealed triumph. "Yassah. I s convinced," Mr. Wedgewood settled ; back and closed his eyes. "I's con , vlnced that you is in the wrong berth!" "Impossible! 1 won't believe you!" the Englishman raged, getting to his feet in a fury. 1 "Perhaps you'll believe Mista Tick? et," the porter chortled. "He says numba ten, and that's ten across the way and down the road a piece," "This is outrageous! I decline to move." "You may decline, hut you move Just the same," the porter said, reach? ing out for his various bags and car? ryalls. "The train moves and you move with it," Wedgewood stood fast: "You had no right to put me in here in the first place." The porter disdained to refute this slander. He stumbled down the aisle with the bundles. "It's too bad, it's autt'nly too bad, but you sholy must come along." Wedgewood followed, gesticulating violently. "Here?wait?how dare you! And that berth Is made up. 1 don't want to go to bed now!" "Mista Ticket says, 'Go to bald!'" "Of all the disgusting countries! Heah, don't put that thah?heah." The porter flung his load anywhere, and absolved himself with a curt, "I's got otha passengers to wait on now." "I shall certainly report you to the company," the Englishman fumed. "Yassah, I p'sume so." "Have I got to go to bed now? Real ly, I?" but the porter was gone, ana the irate foreigner crawled under his curtp.ins, muttering, "I shall write a letter to the London Times about this." To add to bis misery, Mrs. Wbit comb came from the Women's Room, and as she passed him, she prodded bim with one sharp elbow and twisted the corner of her heel into his little toe. He thrust bis head out with his fiercest, "How dare you!" But Mrs. Whitcomb was fresh from a pro? longed encounter with Mrs. Welling? ton, and she flung back a venomous glare that sent the Englishman to cover. The porter reveled in his victory till be had to dash out to the vestibule to give vent to hilarious yelps of laughter. When he had regained com? posure, he came back to Mallory, ana bent over him to say: "Yo' berth ia empty, bah. Shall 1 make it up?" Mallory nodded, and turned to Mar- ! Jorie, with a sad, "Good night, darl? ing,." The porter rolled his eyes again, and turned away, only to be recalled i by Marjorie's voice: "Porter, take this old handbag out of here." ? The porter thought oi the van? quished Lathrop, exiled to the smok? ing room, and he answered: 'That be? longs to the gemman what owns this berth." , "Put It in number one." Marjorle commanded, with a queenly gesture. The porter obeyed meekly, wonder- 1 ing what would happen next. He had no sooner deposited Lathrop's valise among the incongruous white ribbons, than Marjorie recalled him to say: "And, porter, you may bring me my own baggage." . "Yo what?missus?" "Our handbags, idiot," Mallory ex? plained, peevishly. I "I ain't seen ho handbags of you alls," the porter protested. "You-all didn't have no handbags when you got on this can." Mallory jumped as If he had been BhoL "Good Lord, I remember! We leit 'em in the taxicab!" i The porter cast his hands up, and walked away from the tragedy. Mar? jorie stared at Mallory in horror. "We had so little time to catch the train," Mallory stammered. Marjorle leaped to her feet: "I'm going up in the baggage car." "For the dog?" "For my trunk." And now Mallory annihilated her completely, for he gasped: "Our trunks are on the train ahead!" Marjorle fell back for one moment, then bounded to her feet with shrill commands: "Porter! Porter! I want you to stop this train this minute!" The porter called back from the depths of a berth: "This train don't st(Tp til] tomorrow noon." Marjorle had strength enough tor only one vain protest: "Do you mean to say Unit I've got to go to Ban Fran? cisco in this waist?a waist that has seen a whole day in Chicago?" The best consolation Mallory could offer was companionship in misery. He pushed forward one not too im? maculate cuff. "Well, this Is the only linen I have." j "Don't speak to me," snapped Mar? jorle, beating her heels against the floor. "Hut, u\y darling!" I "Go away and leave me. I bate you!" Mallory rose up. and stumbling Gown the aisle, plounced Into berth number three, an allegory of despair. About this time, Littlo Jlmmlo Well? ington, having completed more or less chaotic preparations for Bleep, found that ho had put on his pyjamas hind aide foremost. After vain efforts to whirl round quickly and get at his own back, he put out a frowsy bead, and called for help "Say, Porter, l'orter!" "I'm still on the train," answered the porter, coning into view. "You'll have to hook me up." The porter rendered what aid and correction he could in Wellington's hippcpotamine toilet. Wellington was just wide enough awake to discern the undisturbed bridal-chamber. He whined: "Say, porter, that rice-trap. Aren't they going to flop the rice-trap?" The porter shook his head sadly. "Don't look like that flopper's a'goin to flip. That dog-on bridal couple is done divorced a'ready!" CHAPTER XVI. Good Night, All! The car was settling gradually into peace. But there was still some mur? mur and drowsy energy. Shoes con? tinued to drop, heads to bump against upper bertha, the bell to ring now and then, and ring again and again. The porter paid little heed to It; be was busy making up number live (Ira Lathrop'B berth) for Marjorie, Who was making what preparations she could for her trousseau ? hus bandless, dogless first night out. Finally the Englishman, who had al? most rung the bell dry of electricity, shoved from his berth his indignant and undignified head. Once more the car resounded with the cry of "Paw tan! Pawtah!" I The porter moved up with notice? able deliberation. "Did you ring, aahr' "Did I ring! Paw-tah, you may draw my tub at eight-thutty in the maw ning." "Draw yo'?What, fshT** the porter ! gasped. "My tub." "Ba-ath tub?" "Bahth tub." "Lawdy, man. Is you allowln* to take_a ba-ath In the mawnin'?" "Of course Ixam." "Didn't you have one befo' you 1 Btahted?" 1 "How dare you! Of cawse I did." . "Well, that's all you git." j "Do you mean to tell me that there , is no tub on this beastly train?" : Wedgewood almost fell out of bed - with the shock of this news. "We do not carry tubs?no, sah. , There's a lot of tubs in San Fran? cisco, though." "No tub on this train for four days!" Wedgewood sighed. "But whatever does one do in the meanwhile?" "One just waits. Yassah, one and all waits." "It's ghahstly, that's what It Is, ghahstly." "Yassah," said the porter, and mumbled as he walked away, "but the weather is gettin' cooler." He finished preparing Marjorie'B bunk, and was just suggesting that Mallory retreat to the smoking room while number three was made up, when there was a commotion in the corridor, and a man In checked over? alls dashed Into the car, , His ear was slightly red, and he held at arm's length, as If it were a venomous monster, Snoozleums. And he yelled: "Say, whose durn dog is this? He bit two men, and he makes so much noise we can't sleep in the baggage car." Marjorie went flying down the aisle to reclaim her lost lamb in wolf's clothing, and Snoozleums, the returned prodigal, yelped and leaped, and told her all about the Indignities he had been subjected to, and his valiant struggle for liberty. i Marjorie, seeing only Snoozleums, stepped Into the fatal berth number , one, and paid no heed to the danglln" ribbons. Mallory, eager to restore himself to her love by loving her dog, crowded closer .to her Bide, making a hypocritical ado over the pup. Everybody was popping his or her face out to learn the cause of such clamor. Among the bodiless heads suspended along the curtains, like Dyak trophies, appeared the great mask of Little JImrale Wellington. He had been unable to sleep for mourn? ing the wanton waste of that lovely Vice-trap. I When he peered forth, his eyes hardly believed *iiemselves. The elusive bride and groom were actu? ally In the trap?the hen pheasant and the chanticleer. But the net did not fall, lie waited to see them sit down, and spring the infernal ma? chine. But they would not sit. In fact, Marjorie was muttering to Harry?tenderly, now, since he had ' won her back by his efforts to con? sole Snoozleums?she was muttering tenderly: "We must not be seen together, i honey, do away, I'll see you in the morning." And Mallory was Baying with bit? terest resignation: "Good night?my friend." And they were shaking hands! This Incredible bridal couple was ?] Jtlnp' hands with Itself?disintegrating! | Then Wellington determined to do at least hi: duty by the 6acred rites. The griping passengers saw What was probably the largest pair of pa? jamas in Chicago They saw Little Jlmmie, smothering back his giggles like a schoolboy, tiptoe from his berth, enter tho next berth, brushing tho porter aside, climb on the seat, and clutch the ribbon that pulled the stopper from the trap. Down upon the unsuspecting elop? ers came this miraculous cloudburst: of Ironical rice, and with it came Lit? tle Jlmmie Wellington, who lost what little balance he had, and catapulted Into their midst like the offspring of an iceberg. it was at this moment that Mrs. "Wellington, hearing the loud cries of the panic-stricken Marjorie, rushed from the Women's Room, absent mind edly combing a totally detach.si sec? tion of her hair. Sho recognized fa? miliar pyjamas waving in air, and With one faint gasp: "Jlmmie! on this train!" she swooned away. Sho would have fallen, but seeing that no ono paid any attention to her. she recov ered consciousness on her own hook, and vanished into her berth, to medi? tate on the whys and wherefores of her husband's presence In this car. Eh-. Temple in a nightgown and trousers; Roger Ashton, in a collar less estate, and the porter, managed to extricate Mr. Wellington from his plight, and stow him away, though it was like putting a whale to bed. Mallory, seeing that Marjorle had fled, vented his wild rage against fate 1n general, and rice traps in particu? lar, by tearing the bridal bungalow to pieces, and then he stalked into the smoking room, where Ira Lathrop, homeless and dispossessed, was sound asleep, with his feet in the chair. He was dreaming that he was a boy in Brattleboro, the worst boy in Brattleboro, trying to get up the cour? age to spark pretty Anne Gattle, and throwing rocks at the best boy in town, Charlie Selby, who was always at her side. The porter woke Ira, an hour later, and escorted him to the late bridal section. Marjorle had fled with her dog, as soon as she could grope her way through the deluge of rice. She hop? ped into her berth, and spent an hour trying to clear her hair of the mul? titudinous grains. And as for Snoozle ums, his thick wool was so be-rlced that for two days, whenever he shook himself, he snew. Eventually, the car quieted, and nothing was heard but the rumble and click of the wheels on the rails, the creak of timbers, and the frog like chorus of a tew well-trained snorers. As the porter was turning down the last of the lights, a rumpled pate was thrust from the stateroom, and the luscious-eyed man whispered; "Porter, what time did you say wo crossed the Iowa state line?" "Two fifty-five a. m." From within the stateroom came a deep sigh, then with a dismal groan: "Call me at two fifty-five a. m.," the door was closed. Poor Mallory, pyjamaless and night shirtless, lay propped up on his pil? lows, staring out of the window at the swiftly shifting night scene. The state, of Illinois was being pulled out from under the train like a dark rug. Farmhouses gleamed or dreamed lampleas. The moonlight rippled on endless seas of wheat and Indian corn. Little towns slid up and away. Large towns rolled forward, and were left behind. Ponds, marshes, brooks, pastures, thickets and great gloomy groves flowed past as on a river. But the same stars and the moon seemed to accompany the train. If the flying witness had been less heavy of heart, he would have found the reeling scene full of grace and night beauty. But he could not see any charm in all the world, except his tantalizing other self, from whom a great chasm seemed to divide him, though she was only two windows away. ? He had not yet fallen asleep, and he was still pondering how to attain his unmarried, unmarriable bride, when the train rolled out in air above a great wide river, very noble under the stare. He knew It for the Mis? sissippi. He heard a faint knocking on a door at the other end of the car. He heard sounds as of kleses, and then somebody tiptoed along the aisle stealthily. He did not know that an? other bridegroom was being separated from his bride because they were too much married. Somewhere in Iowa he fell asleep. CHAPTER XVII. Last Call for Breakfast. It was still Iowa when Mallory awoke. Into his last moments of heavy sleep Intruded a voice like a town crler's voice, crying: "Lass call for breakfuss in the Rin Ing Rar," .and then, again louder, "Lass call for breakfuss In Rinin rar," and, finally and faintly, "Lass call breakfuss ri'rar." Mallory pushed up his wlndow puade. The day was broad on rolling prairies like billows established In ttie green soiL He peeked through his curtains. Most of the other passen? gers were up and about, their beds hidden and beddings stowed away be? hind the bellying veneer of tho upper works of the car. All the berths were made up except his own and number two, in the corner, where Little Jlm mie Wellington's nose still played a bagpipe monody,g^nd one other berth, which he recognized as Marjorie's. His belated sleep and hers had spared them both the stares and laughing chatter of the passengers. But this bridal couple's two berths, standing liko towers among the seats, had provided conversation for every? body, b^d already united the casual group of strangers into an organized goFslp-bee. Mallory got into his ?hoes and as much of his clothes as was necessary for the dash to the washroom, and took on his arm the rest of his ward rolnv Just as he issued from his lonely chamber, Marjorle apiwared from hers, much disheveled ? and heavy-eyed. The eride and groom ex? changed glances of mutual terror, and hurried in oppotdte directions. Tbe spickest and spannest of lieu? tenants soon realized that ho was re? duced to wearing yesterday'! linen as well as yesterday's beard This was intolerable. A brave man can endure beartbreaka, lo^s of love, honor and place, hut a neat man cannot abide the traces of time in hi:: toilet Lieu? tenant Mallory had seen rough Berv? Ice in camp and on long hikes, when he gloried in mud and disorder, and ho was to see campaigns in the Phil? ippines, when he should not take oft Iiis shoes or his uniform for three days at a time. Hut that was tho Held, and this car was a drawing room. In this crisis in his affairs, Little I Jlmmie Wellington waddled into the men's room, tloundoring about with every lurch of trie train, like a cannon loose in the hold of a ship. He fum? bled with the handles on a basin, and made a crazy toilet, trying to rind some abatement of his fever by filling a glass at the ice-water tank and emptying it over bis head. These drastic measures restored him to some sort of coherency, and Mallory appealed to him for help in the matter of linen. Wellington ef? fusively offered him everything he had, and Mallory selected from his store half a dozen collars, any one of which would have gone round his neck nearly twice. Wellington also proffered Ms safety razor, and made him a present of a virgin wafer of steel for his very own. With this assistance, Mallory was enabled to make himself fairly pre? sentable. When he returned to his seat, the three curtained rooms had been whisked away by the porter. There was no place now to hide from the passengers. He sat down facing the feminine end of the car, watching for Marjorie. The passengers were watching for her, too, hoping to learn what un? heard-of Incident could have pro? voked the quarrel that separated a bride and groom at this time, of all times. To the general bewilderment, when Marjorie appeared, Mallory and she rushed together and clasped hands with an ardor that suggested a desire for even more ardent greeting. The passengers almost sprained their ears to hear how they would make up such a dreadful feud. But all they heard was: "We'll have to hurry, Marjorie, If we want to get any breakfast." "All right, honey. Come along." Then the Inscrutable couple scur? ried up the aisle, and disappeared in the corridor, leaving behind them a mighty riddle. They kissed in the corridor of that car, kissed in the ves? tibule, kissed in the two corridors of the next car, and were caught kiss? ing in the next vestibule by the new conductor. The dining car conductor, who flat? tered himself that he knew a bride and groom when he saw them, es? corted them grandly to a table for two; and the waiter fluttered about them with extraordinary considera? tion. They had a plenty to talk of In pros? pect and retrospect. They both felt sure that a minister lurked among the cars somewhere, and they ate with a zest to prepare for the ceremony, ar? guing the beet place for it, and quar? reling amorously over details. Mal? lory was for one of the vestibules as the scene of their union, but Marjorie was for the baggage car, till she real? ized that Snoozleums might be unwill? ing to attend. Then she swung round to the vestibule, but Mallory shifted to the observation platform. Marjorie had left Snoozleums with. Mrs. Temple, who promised to bide him when the new conductor passed through the car, and she reminded Harry to get the waiter to bring them a package of bones for their only "child." so far. On the way back from the dining car they kissed each other good-bye again at all the try sting places they had sanctified before. The sun was radiant, the world good, and the very train ran with jubilant rejoicing. They could not doubt that a few more hours would see them legally man and wife. Mallory restored Marjorie to her place in their car, and with smiles of assurance, left her for another p?T Bon-hunt through the traja. She wait? ed ?for him in a bridal agitation. He ransacked the train forward in vain, and returned, passing Marjorie with a shake of the head, and a sour countenance. He went out to the ob? servation platform where he stumbled on Ira Lathrop and Anne Gattle, en? gaged In a conversation of evident intimacy, for they Jumped when he opened the door, as if they were guilty of some plot. Mallory mumbled his usual, "Ex? cuse me," whirled on his heel, and dragged his discouraged steps back through the Observation Room, where various women and a few men of evi? dent unclericality were draped across arm chairs and absorbed in lazy con? versation or bobbing their heads over magazines that trembled with the mo? tion of the train Mrs. Wellington was busily writing at the desk, but he did not know who she was, and he did not care whom she was writing to. He did not ob? serve the baleful glare of Mrs. Whit comb, who sat watching Mrs. Welling? ton, knowing all too well who she was, and suspecting the correspond? ent?Mrs. Whiteomb was tempted to spell the word wtth one "P." Mallory stumbled into the men's portion of the composite car. Here be nodded with a sickly cheer to the sole occupant, I>r. Temple, who was looking less ministerial than ever in an embroidered skull cap. The old rascal waa sitting far back on his lumbar vertebrae. One of his hands clasj>ed a long glass filled with a liquid of a hue that resembled some? thing stronger than what it was? mere ginger ale. The other hand toyed with a long black cigar. The smoke our led round the old mans head like tho fumes of a sultan's narghile, and through the wisps his face was one of Oriental luxury. Mallory's eyes were caught from this picture of beatitude by the en? trance, at the other door, of a man Who had evidently ewung aboard at the most recent Stop?for Mallory had not seen him. His gray hair was crowned with a sott black hat, and his spare frame was swathed in a frock coat that had Been better days. His soft gray eyes seemed to search timidly the smoke-clouded atmos? phere, and ho had a bashful air which Mallory translated as one of diffidence in a place where liquors and cigars were dispensed.