The next moment it bumped gently into Car No. 312, holding the
Director (I wondered whether he had my berth), the woman with the dog,
and her maid.
The gateman paused until the train came to a dead standstill, waited
until the last arriving passenger had passed through an exit lower down
along the fence, slid back the gate, and I walked through--alone! Not
another passenger either before or behind me! And the chocolate
gentleman told me the car was full! The fraud!
When I reached the steps of Car No. 312 I found a second gentleman in
chocolate and poker-chip buttons. He was scrutinizing a list of sold and
unsold compartments by the aid of a conductor's lantern braceleted on
his elbow. He turned the glare of his lantern on my ticket, entered the
car and preceded me down its narrow aisle and slid back the door of
Number Four. I stepped and discovered, to my relief, my small luggage,
hat-box, shawl, and umbrella, safely deposited in the upper berth. My
night's rest, at all events, was assured.
Pages:
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257