they not take another train? Why should they——” “Are we all here?” broke in an anxious voice. “Is anyone missing?” There was a moment’s counting, then a general sigh of relief. The number was found correct. From somewhere up the line a whistle sounded, and the state of the engine-driver’s nerves could be [Pg 30]inferred from the jerk with which he started—quite an American jerk. All the women who were standing, screamed and clutched at each other and swayed back and forth as if wrestling. Stewart found himself wrestling with the buxom woman. [Pg 30] “I cannot stand!” she declared. “It is outrageous that I should have to stand!” and she fixed glittering eyes upon the bearded stranger. “No American would remain seated while a woman of my age was standing!” But the bearded stranger gazed blandly out of the window at the passing landscape. There was a moment’s silence, during which everyone looked at the heartless culprit. Stewart had an uneasy feeling that, if he were to do his duty as an American, he would grab the offender by the collar and hurl him through the window. Then the woman next to the stranger bumped resolutely into him, pressed him into the corner, and disclosed a few inches of the seat. “Sit here, Mrs. Field,” she said. “We can all squeeze up a little.” The pressure was tremendous when Mrs. Field sat down; but the carriage was strongly built and the sides held. The slender girl came and stood by Stewart. [Pg 31] [Pg 31] “What’s it all about?” she asked. “Has there been a riot or something?” “There is going to be a most awful riot,” answered Stewart, “unless all signs fail. Germany is mobilizing her troops to attack France.” “To attack France! How outrageous! It’s that Kaiser Wilhelm, I suppose! Well, I hope France will simply clean him up!” “So do I!” cried her mother. “The Germans are not gentlemen. They do not know how to treat women!” “‘Kochen, Kirche und Kinder!’” quoted somebody, in a high voice.
Prev.
Back
Top