gave me a place, and even upon the grim official
behind the window, who smiled encouragement, and gave me the tickets,
while the _gendarme_ stormed. I stepped out again, conscious only of the
wish--strong as a prayer--that we were safe again in Lucerne, or--some
other place of peaceful rest.

Wedged in among the crowd, we saw one trunk after another weighed and
removed, while ours remained untouched. I pulled the sleeve of a porter.
My hand held my purse. The suggestion was enough. In a moment our trunks
were weighed, and the little paper ticket corresponding to our "check"
safe in our possession. I turned, conscientiously, to reward the
porter; but we were jostled by a score of elbows, each encased in the
sleeve of a blue blouse. Which was the one I sought? I could not tell.
Each answered my glance of puzzled inquiry with one of expectation.
Diving to the depths of my purse, I found it to contain one solitary
centime--nothing more. I slipped it into the hand nearest, and from the
start of surprise and delight was immediately convinced that it was the
wrong man. However, it did not matter. There was no time to explain. The
doors opening upon the platform, which remain locked until the last
moment, were thrown open, and we hurried away, found places upon the
train, and sank back upon the cushions exhausted, but happy. For ten
hours at least, nothing could happen to us. The guard passed the window,
examining the tickets, and slamming the doors, making our safety doubly
sure. A moment more, and with a noiseless motion we were off. Hardly had
the train started before it stopped again. One after another our
companions left us--for we were not alone in the compartment. "Strange,"
we said, yet too thoroughly exhausted to be curious. It was still more
strange when, after a short time, they each and all returned. They began
to whisper among themselves, pointing to us. "What _can_ be the matter
_now_?" we queried, suddenly mindful that life is a warfare, and roused
to interest.

Our fellow-travellers proceeded to enlighten us in chorus, and in the
confusion of the outburst, we caught--by inspiration--at their meaning.
We had crossed the frontier into France, and the baggage was examined
here. We hastened out and into the station. All the trunks but our own
had been checked. With his hand upon one of these, an official demanded
the key, upon our appearance. Remembering an episode in its packing, we
demurred, and proffered the ke