New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-05

tween him and Inc, ana ClOSeu tnelh asaiu WV"
supreme indifference. 1t was reserved for me IN the
lack Of more serious employment TO study ana pass
muster upon the newcomer.
/ have said she was young woman. and repeat
it that is to say, she could not certainly have
been over TWENTY-FIVE. aud there are good many
charming ladies of my acquaintance who lnslst on
calling themselves young and yet who will never
see TWENTY-FIVE again-in this world at least.
have also said that she was pretty, and that too,
notwithstanding subsequent developments, L VIII
stick to until my dying day. She was rather TALL
and was dressed in travelling robe which, though
falling nearly to her feet, od not entirely conceai
the very graceful figure inside of IT. The only
cOquettish feature in her toilet was launty
Partisan bonnet. perched saucily back of wealth
OF wavy raven hair parted at one SIDE ana falilhg
partially over her forehead If to match IFS black
with that Of lheicIear flashing eyes-eyes 'hal
flashed all the more brilliantly by reason oil the 'ou
checks aud rosy lips that kept them constant com
pany. Though travelling alone, she seemed not !"
the least abashed. Before could tender assistance
she had put her bag away ia the rack above se"'o"
herself with u good naturee smile midway between
the copnis-roya0clr and the old lady. and AFTER Il
rand survey snch as only woman can take Oh any
new componv in which she finds herself are" "
hook from her pocket and cOmposcdly settled her-
self down to read.
Since that day have often in leisure moments
,vorod 20 ,ec.II the many triaing and then ap-
parently nnimportant details conhecteu WIN VI
leading M 10 the events that followed recoliegV
that half an hour after we sta1teu on Irom
Lamothe the coIams.rOyagew suddenly WOKE up'
yawned and looked about him with the air Oh
man vim reouired a few moments in order to ascer
tain where he was and how he had got there Ap-
narently he had not before the newcomer but
haro - fnr a
he sat up straight in his place and after one or to
Intellectual attempts to begin conversation with
me relapsed into silence. l didn't particularly
like his looks, / remember.
AT Monceux, where we had half an hour to wait.
all of us except the young woman got ont, the ola
couple evidently not TO return, for they TOOK all
their traps with them and great fuss they mace
in doing So had Il glass of beer and sandwich
IN the buffet afterward smoked cigarette, and
then climbed up again to my place in the wagon
The cOnmiS-rOydgcW was there before me- put ne
had taken one OF the now vacant corners at the
further end while the young woman-l was very
glad of lt-had Planted herself IN the scat opposite
nine. She looked pleasantly up from the book
recollect it was Zolas DAssomrnolr las got H.
and then she went on reading again.
began to think that. notwithstanding our new
acouislton the ride bade fair to he as stupid as
before when suddenly my riS-d-riS looked up and
pointing to the window inquired: Would mon
sieur mind having the glass OPEN Just little Od !
"Not in the least answered, AMI let the WIN
dow pane half way down. "Will that answer
aPerfectly." she said | am veIy much obliged
indeed" and then with a bewltchIng smile she
added: "Does monsieur travel far 7"
"Only few hours beyond the frontier" l an
swered. sAnd yOu mademoiselleP
She colored slightly. pardon, am Madame
-, ;In
am going TO Madrid"
u don't envy you the journey" said l. 4" do you
not dislike to travel such distance alone r
"Unduubtedly," she answered with shrug.
MATS 0ue rOales rOus II can't be helped. My
Door husband has been taken suddenly Ill there,
and his physicians have telegraphed for me to come
Immediately"
could not help looking at her novel and reflect
ing that she was taking the matter very cOOlly
en- route But then what philosophers these French
women can De about such things!
81 have never travelled alone before" she con-
tinued "Can monsieur tell me at what hour we
pass the frontierT
"About 2, l think They open the baggage at
Irun."
Fortunately have but little with me to be
examined" she replied. "but | AIN so unused to
travel and dread these Spanish officials"
"You have no occasion for uneasiness, madame"
said 1t is simple fOrnality, an everyday affair."
and you will have no trouble, imagine"
a hope not she said thoughtiully for if
dd"-and she hesitated "I-l-am all alone, and
TO whom should turn T.
1t was said very innocenty indeed Perhaps
was too compassionate What man can be other
wise to a pretty woman in distress, whether real or
pretended | recOllect it flashed throu 2h my mind
that she had the look of either adventures
neous: "You will have no trouble madame. but in
case you should, call on me-"
She modestly murmured Mcrci.' and then she
fell to talking about other things. Did | know
Arcachon7 What lovely place it was! She had
been stopping there at the Legallas for month to
get the sea air, while her husband was away in
Spain. Had she any chIdrenl Oh, yes-twO, but
they were with their grandma at Paris. All that
dear Paris how she had regretted leaving it even
for only month or two. If the bon Diea would
only grant that they might all he back there TO-
gether by Toussaint-and so she ratified on in the
prettiest Partisan French, at minute going into
childish ecstasies over the heavenly blue of her
little Paurs eyes, the next eXclaiming with vehe-
mence against the ennm of life in the provinces,
then defending her favUrite lola against the mani
fold assaults of his criticism short the woman
talked anu talked entertainingly and yet 30 in
cessanty that I finally resigned myself willing
captive to her conversational charms. What a
guileless little creature she My commits
royageur. / thought a cold-bloOded sort of
chap. He didn't even listen to what she was say
ing; if he did it was with his eyes shut and with
all the outward appearance Of one who. having
large debit account to settle with the god of SUM
ber was doing his level best TO balance the books.
And SC passed the now ileeting hours until we
reached Irun. where we all alighted to 90 through
tty nfO al cd
trunks for inspection by the Spanish officials Our
sounolent fellow voyager darted out first, leaving
myself and madame together. What was more
thnL aLnull mon To ascist L.r