第53章 HOW A SATCHEL DISAPPEARED.(2)

The train was only half full and for the time being Caven and Malone kept themselves either in the smoking compartment or in the dining car.It was dark when they took their seats,and soon the porter came through to make up the berths for the night.

"I must confess I am rather sleepy,"said Maurice Vane.

"So am I,"returned our hero."I am sure I can sleep like a top,no matter how much the car shakes.""Then both of us may as well go to bed at once."So it was arranged,and they had the porter put up their berths a few minutes later.Maurice Vane took the lower resting place while our hero climbed to the top.

Although very tired it was some time before Joe could get to sleep.He heard Maurice Vane breathing heavily and knew that his employer must be fast in the land of dreams.

When Joe awoke it was with a peculiar,dizzy feeling in his head.

His eyes pained him not a little and for several minutes he could not remember where he was.Then came a faint recollection of having tried to arise during the night but of being held down.

"I must have been dreaming,"he thought."But it was exactly as if somebody was keeping me down and holding something over my mouth and nose."He stretched himself and then pushed aside the berth curtain and gazed out into the aisle of the car.The porter was already at work,turning some of the berths into seats once more.Joe saw that it was daylight and consulted the nickel watch he carried.

"Eight o'clock!"he exclaimed."I've overslept myself sure!Mr.

Vane must be up long ago."

He slipped into his clothing and then knocked on the lower berth.

He heard a deep sigh.

"Mr.Vane!"

"Eh?Oh,Joe,is that you?What time is it?""Eight o'clock."

"What!"Maurice Vane started up."I've certainly slept fast enough this trip.Are you getting hungry waiting for me?""I just woke up myself."

"Oh!"Maurice Vane stretched himself."My,how dizzy I am.""I am dizzy too,sir.It must be from the motion of the car.""Probably,although I rarely feel so,and I ride a great deal.Ifeel rather sick at my stomach,too,"went on the gentleman,as he began to dress.

Joe had just started to go to the lavatory to wash up when he heard his employer utter an exclamation.

"Joe!"

"Yes,sir!"

"Did you see anything of my satchel?"

"You took it into the berth with you."

"I don't see it."

"It must be somewhere around.I saw it when you went to bed.""Yes,I put it under my pillow."

Both made a hasty search,but the satchel could not be found.

The dress-suit case stood under the seat and Joe's was beside it.

"This is strange.Can I have been robbed?"

"Was there much in that satchel,Mr.Vane?"

"Yes,those mining shares and some other articles of value.""Then we must find the satchel by all means.""I'll question the porter about this."

The colored man was called and questioned,but he denied having seen the bag.By this time quite a few passengers became interested.

"Has anybody left this car?"asked Maurice Vane.

"The gen'men that occupied Numbers 9and 10,sah,"said the porter.

"When did they get off?"

"'Bout three o'clock,sah--when de train stopped at Snapwood.""I haven't any tickets for Snapwood,"said the conductor,who had appeared on the scene.

"Then they must have had tickets for some other point,"said Joe.

"That looks black for them."

The porter was asked to describe the two men and did so,to the best of his ability.Then another search was made,and in a corner,under a seat,a bottle was found,half filled with chloroform.

"It's as plain as day to me,"said Maurice Vane."Joe,I was chloroformed.""Perhaps I was,too.That's what gave us the dizzy feeling.""And those two men--"

"Must have been Caven and Malone in disguise,"finished our hero.