The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-07-22
MGI@CWEsEsANX
THE. TI,REH NA11Es.
CONCEUDED,

- 70 CONCLUuED. IS ~. VI sT
Pierre all this time had been nudging
me in the side, and now, shaking me
gently, says. quite loudly, that the other
gentemmanais m dgoigg. oReipg q unable to
feign sleep any longer under such treat
see that Mr. Bolt is looking at me-, a..By
Jovet No! 8 in force" laughs that gen.
tleman, pointing at mo and then at Mr..
Firth, who thereupon pretends to see me
for the first time.
"Mr. Hay, too, he says, il feigned
surprise. "Dear me, have you been
here long?"-asking this in the most in
nocent tone.
"Why, nearly an hour answer, as
if it was the strangest thing in The world
that we should have been 80 near one
another for SO long and not have found
it out.
The next minute we are all stand
ing together, no one knowing how to
get away first or how to stop behind.
But Pierre puts an end to any manmu-
wiring by saying that if we wish to get to
Chamouni in time for the table d'hote,
we must start ut once. We can't say
that we don't wish to be there in time
for the table d'hote, so we look hopeless
~ at one another, as the three guides
start off together; and then we three
follow, also together, but in silence.
Mr.. Bolt is the first to speak. cit
seems" he says, 'that we are not to be
separated" Well! fate is fate; and as
we have, likewise, walk of about five
hours before us, it is nonsense to be
snappish and surly. There isn't much
conversation at first, just O remark about
the scenery or word about climbing;
but it creeps on little by little We be-
gin to talk more freely and to say what
we think. We avoid speaking about No.
8, or anything connected with it, for
some time, till Mr. Bolt asks me why I
didn't bring my dog. He claims an &C
quaintance with it, that was not aware
of; and that makes me think better of
him directly. We pass "Les Egralets,"
but not without Mr.. Bolt nearly killing
himself, and get we'll upon the glacier
The crevasses are nothing, and we walk
abreast. [ begin 10 think. as we go
along, that Mr.. Firth is not bad fell
low, and that there is good deal of fun,
after al, in Mr.. Bolt. 1 find their con-
versation more pleasant than the guides,
with his lnterminable story about Jean
and Alphonse. We actually get to
laugh about the little Frenchman, and
about our all meeting. and, somehow.
tunate occurrence. I begin to wish that
I hadn't changed my hotel, and, while I
am thinking about it. Mr.. Firth asks if
I didn't think the very full last
night.
Eyes, and too much dress. One
doesn't care for that sort of thing here,
you know"
."No, you don't. In fact, changed
this morning to the -" naming one
equally good, but quicker, and more fire.
quented by regular pedestrians.
"You went there! AS Mr.. Bolt says,
we are not to be separated I changed
there this morning, too.'
"Simply because the other was too
crowded." he says, with a smile.
'eThats the only reason why you left
it, suppose?" I answer
Then we both laugh, but promise,
nevertheless, to look out for one another
at the table d'hote
''And I shall be left alone with the
Frenchman." says Mr.. Bolt, with mock
seriousness.
"No, come and dine with us, replies
Mr.. Firth.
"And bring the Frenchman," I add.
I0Then we can have q rubber afterwards.
BE will be sure to play"
Who'll euo tiuo lOT Uue ruDDer comes,
we find that he does play, and first
rate hand into the bargain. Before he
leaves US he makes little speech. We
are in room by ourselves, so he stands
up and drinks our healths, and then says
that it is the happiest day in his life, for
he has made us friends forever.
We cannot persuade him to join us on
our next days excursion, for which the
three of us start together instead of
meeting halfway. That excursion is
followed by another, and that by an
other, and so on. for fortnight, till we
reach Aosta, and are there forced to
part.
Since then we have all met again at
No. 8. But the three names are no
longer the same on the doorway. Mr..
Friths alone remains. Mr.. Bolt and I,
however, often go there; and it was only
the other ni0ht tint wa wnra making or.