San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-11-25

EngllShnal, speaking with tOIeraDle geIt
possession now that he had q man TO talk
to, ITO put up here for the night? The
weather is extremely inclement."
Il have asked already" said the Baron
testify; land they have but one bedroom"
Mine is perfectly at your disposal" cried
the youngster. mo. Really it isn't any
! thing. / have to start at five in the morn
ing, and ] shouldn't dream OF going TO bed.
shall get them TO give me Counterpart
here, and | shall sleep on the sofa. ! snail,
indeed, In any cas-"
You are too kind" responded the Baron
hesitatingIy; Il could not, really"
II assure you am not surreudering any
thing. 1 should not 20 10 bed ia any case.
| shall be quite comfortable here
I'm that case" said the Baron lingering
! ly. II am quite infinitely obliged to YOU"
he added in a hurry, rs if he feared the offer
might be withdrawn.
Perhaps it was not absolutely true that
the young Englishman would not, in any
case have gone to bed that night but he was
| quite rejOced to be able to surrender his
| room to this charming girl. He made an ex-
cuse, and slipping out Of the little salon,
| caught Fifine in the corridor
Monsieur the Baron and the young lady
will rest here for the night" he said. II
| have surrendered my rom 10 the young
| lady. You will give me cOunterpane and
| l shall sleep on the sofa. Put mademOiselle
into my room. 1t is the most comfortable
one in the house. You had better light
fire in the stove"
1t was far pieasantrr TO give up his room
to the young lady than TO the fat old Baron.
LET me thank you once more for your
obliging courtesy" said the Baron, when he
re-entered the salon. And permit me- Miss
Olivia JOhnstOne, my niece. Mr.. Arthur
Lawrence is the grandson of my old friend,
Olivia. My niece is so good Mr.. Lawrence,
as to permit that | smoke upon all Occa-
siOns."
He produced an enormous meerSchaum
and silken tObaccO-bag from the pockets
of his great coat, AMI having Invested him
self of that garment, sat down soemnly to
smoke. The Traveller turned to the young
lady with less embarrassment than he had
hitherto felt anu sDown.'
THE country about here is very beautiful
even in the depth of winter. suppose that
in the summer tine it is sort of fairy
land?'
1T Is lovely in all seasons" she answered.
THE people call it the little Switzerland,
but that is absurd, and does 1t an injustice.
1t has its own beauties, but 1t is not in the
least like Switzerland"
Not in the least" said the young man, q
little absently. He was thinking more of
her eyes, than of any landscape beauties.
Fine, frank, courageous eyes, they were not
bold, but expressive of an innocent courage.
Mr.. Arthur Lawrence had not the remot-
aGt ilna M fal ia, np IN fa
conscious inclination that way, and ii such
an accident were to befall him it would not
be because he had gone out of his way to
seek 1t.
do you not" asked the Baron, find your
furs uncomf0rtably warm within doors,
Olivia?"
"a little" said Olivia, rising, and moving
toward the door. The NOun~ fellow ran TO
open it for her, and She THANKED him with
a smile. She was not long away, but yet
she was absent long enough TO allow him to
recognize difference in the room. To the
mind of the young man she came back look
ing prettier than ever with bit Of soft lace
about her throat, and pale blue silk rib
bOn."
As she came in she turned upon him sud-
denly with beautiful smile.
do you entirely devote yourself to the
rescue Of the homeless, Mr.. L lwrencep I
learn that we are tile second recipients of
your bounty this evening"
''0h, the Chinaman?" he said, awkwardly.
81 had him here for the fun of the thingY
ut would be pleasant" she answered,
with that elderly air which girls love to as
sumo upon occasion, especially with young
people of the opposite sex, "it would be
pleasant if everybOdy's idea OF fun were as
kindly. But Chinaman in the Ardennes?
What is he doing here
HE was singing in the street." he said,
with an embarrassed smile, without soul
to listen to him."
Does he speak the languages Any of the
languages spoken here?'
1--WE tried him, Fifine and l." he respond
ed, growing more at ease, with English,
German, French, Flemish, and Walloon,
and he knew none of them. Filne is the
waitress" he explained.
Yes, know. Poor thing! Had he no
money?'
Il suppose not. He was hungry"
1T was late when you saw himT'
Yes, 1t was late for Montcourtois. 1t
was eight O'clock"
1T is dreadful night" she said, with
little shudder. Uncle, do you hear the
wind?"
II hear it." grunted the Baron, sleepily.
81 think that again it freezes" he added,
arousing himself little.
You must not imagine, Mr.. Lawrence"
said the girl, that the people here are hard
hearted. They are very kind to their own
poor even the poorest Of them, but sup
pose your Chinaman was SO much Of q
stranger that he was outside their sympa-
thies. Do you think he would have died II
he had been left to spend the night outsider
mo, no." said Lawrence, with less regard
for truth than he commonly displayed. II
another man had saved Chi Lung from
starvation and the winter night, he would
have been eager to tell him that he had
saved life. But whatsoever this young
man did looked less praisewOrthy in his
own eyes than il another had done it.
Poor thingr' said the young lady, a
second time. 1T must be very hard for
him not even TO he able to express his grati-
tude."
81 do not suppose" said Monsieur lie Bar
on" that he looks upon that as his greatest
hardship" He seemed greatly pleased with
this observation, and chuckled over it for q
full half minute. ''Oyia,' he said, when
he had done chuckling, Il shall take grog
Of hot water and schiedam, and then shall
go to bed. Will you ring for me the bell?'
Lawrence sprung to his feet and stretch
ing his hand across the stove, took I'D lit
tie handbell which lay easily within the old
gentleman's reach.
'Pardonp grunted Monsieur lie Baron,
lazily pulling at his pipe. Perhaps Mistare
Lawrence will take also grOg of hot water
and schiedam?,