Jerk, jerk, jolt and jump went the train around the mountain curves, till the various hats and wraps suspended from the hooks seemed about to tumble together. Suddenly something dropped through the curtains of the upper berth opposite and lodged there. Involuntarily extending his arm to catch it if it fell, our young traveler's eyes were riveted upon an object which he now felt inclined to catch, whether it fell or not. It was a small white shapely hand—a woman's hand; and the midnight tresspasser would have been less than human if he had not risen to a better view. There it was, just peeping between the heavy curtains, white and blue-veined, with tapering fingers and shell-like nails. How he longed to [pg 49] touch it! How tempting the rounded curve of the small wrist. [pg 49] A prolonged lunge threw him violently forward, when grasping the rod to save himself, his lips went plump against the coveted object. It was only momentary, but it thrilled him as with an electric shock. When he recovered his equilibrium the fair sleeper had withdrawn entirely out of sight, and her involuntary assailant addressed himself to the duty of disrobing. Long he pondered upon the "touch of a vanished hand," and at last fell into uneasy dreams wherein the world had come to an end, and he found himself at the gates of heaven, with five soft white fingers turning the key on the other side. "Last call for breakfast," shouted the porter next morning, and the confusion of voices mingled with the noisy folding of vacated berths. Parting his curtains, Hervey Leslie peered out, possibly to catch a morning view of the pretty hand. "By Jove! better still!" was his smothered comment, as he hastily turned away. What he had seen was the perfection of a French boot, buttoned high, and protruding modestly below the curtains. Then a soft voice called—"Porter, I should like to get down." [pg 50] [pg 50] The steps were adjusted, and as she gently fluttered down, the listener thought— "What a shame I didn't have a chance to exchange berths with her! To think of her being perched up there!"
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