Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-05-24
PAUL J0NES'S ALIAS.
BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY.
Author of "Joseph's Coat" "Aunt Rdch-
el," "Cynic Fortune" Etc


sus, with name of auburn hair, copper
colored close-cut peaked beard and an
enormous mustache, was painfully STUN
bling over a French sentence, and the con-
cierge was listening to him with an air of
unusual Difference. The young Colossus,
who looked very picturesquely handsome,
laughed in an embarrassed way at his own
failure, and the concierge, with slightly
lifted shoulders and head bent deprecat
ingly on one side, smiled respectful en-
enlargement.
what do You want to sayf" Captain
hedhurst asked. Perhaps / can help
you"
The handsome Rufus turned with an
Immediate smile
81 want" he said. 'tO make this man
understand that somebody must go to the
North Station and get my traps for me,
and that this is the ticket for them"
He had full, deep voice, which was in
excellent keeping with his great chest and
shoulders, and in rather comic keeping
with an unusually pronounced New Eng
land tone. Medhurst translated. the con-
cierge took the slip of paper, and the hand
some American, with smile of great
sweetness and candOr, thanked his helper,
and rushed upstairs three steps at time.
"Have you any letters for mel" Med
hurst asked. The concierge searched
gravely amongst pile of letters on the
table OF his own little room, and shook his
head.
There Is nothing but this, sir"
"This" was the hotel bill, and Medhurst,
coldly accepting it, turned away and
walked slowly and deliberately upstairs.
Arrived ut his room, he broke open the
envelope in which the bill was enclosed,
and found 1t accompanied by note re-
questing immediate payment. The cais-
sIer informed him that it was the custom
of tho house to ask payment of its clientele
every eight days, and added that fifteen
days had expired since Captain Harley
Medhursts arrived at the hotel. An i'm
mediate response would oblige. lie read
this, thrusting his mustache into his
mouth meanwhile, and biting at it with
al angry perpleXity.
"Confound the fellowp' he muttered.
"Infernal impertinencel Tell him so, be-
gadr'
His hands strayed forlornly to his pock-
cts, CROPPED there, and came out again,
empty. lie took u cigarette case from his
0vercoat and opened it. That was empty
also: and he returned IL slowly looking
downward intently ut the pattern of the
carpet. Then he "confounded' the fell
lows impertincnce again, and sat down in
an arm chair beside handful OF wOOd-fire
which fingered on the hearth By-and by,
hs rang the bell, and, one of the hotel
servants appearing in answer, he babe
him bring u Carafo of cOguac, n syphOn Of
seltzer-water, and half-a-dozen cigars.
The man bowed with perfect respectful
ness and went away, but, after II lengthy
pause, returned, furtive and ashamed.
Would Monsieur have the obligngness to
descend The manager would he honOred
Il Monsieur would speak with him.
Captain Medhurst replied that If the
manager had anything to say, he might
come there and say it, The embarrassed
waiter bowed and tried to smile as he
edged himself out of the room. lie would
deliver Monsieur's message he replied
and without doubt the manager would ut
once ascend. In effect, he presented him
self minute later lie was very polite
very respectful and regretful. but ineXor-
sablo. Captain Harley Medhurst was I'M
known in the hotel; it was his first visit
there. Doubtless his remittanCcs would
arrive. The manager deyoutly hoped so,
and was utterly dcsoatc at the Thought of
bublllltAiliE nun W lllIbli ' llliNitH- I1llb
without money nothing more could be
found for the Captain in that house.
Captain Medhurst wns wruthrul. ana
stood upon his dignity He made certain
statements about his family, his couuec-
tions by marriage, aud his friends, which
might perhaps have sounded Il little pite-
GUS II any other English gentleman had
been there to listen to them 1t was all
true, no doubt, said the unmoved mana,
ger; but people who kept an hotel kept il
to make profit. 1t was their misfortune
not to know Captain Medhurst more init
mately Monsieur spoke SO perfect q
French that without doubt he had many
acquaintance in Paris. His room was in
absolute reQuisition: IA lady was even now
waiting to inspect it, and, in short, there
was apparently nothing for it but for Cap
tain Harley Mcdhurst to retire.
Tho Cagtain was naturally and bitterly
Indignant He gave the manager to un-
derstand that his enormous social infiu-
ence in England would be devoted for the
rest of his days to keeping travellers away
from house in which he had received so
little consideration. The manager said,
over and over again, that he was desolate,
but did not look it in the least
But, sacred IIcavenl the Captain de
manded to know what was no TO do2 He
expected remttances by the next post.
lie had not n frame in his purse; he did not
know single person at that hour in
Paris. Did they mean to thrust him-an
English gentleman, an officer in her Bri-
fannie Malesty's service, n cousin Of Lopi
this and Lady that-iutO the streets?
'Desole, Monsieur" returned the man
mud In L..
moved.
Why was he treated in this wavf the
Captain asked. Surely it was not an I'M
heardof thing that IA gentleman should be
without money for a few days in a foreign
capitol He was careless about his fiuau-
cial arrangements, aud the thing had hap
pened to him before, though he must con-
fess that on that occasion he had met with
widely different treatment At this the
manager with an assumed air Of sudden
recollection, drew forth pocket book,
and from it produced Il little rose-colored
ticket from the national pawnshop 1t re
lated, as the hapless Captain knew per
fectly well, 20 watch Coutded to the care
OF Sd tdnto ten days ago.
Monsieur had had the ill-fortuue to drop
that in the hall Of the hotel an hour be-
fore, on leaving
Some thief of a waiter" said the Cap
tain, shamefacedly, felt in my pockets
when he brushed my clothes"
The manager shrugged his shoulders,
and would have nothing to say to that ac-
cusation, and the unfortunate Captain,
with the accusing ticket in his hand-evid-
ence of nearly a fortnight's absolute pov-
erty-starcd blaukly before him. At this
moment knock sounded at The door, and
the manager, opening it, revealed an oS-
tentatious Brit0u. in gorgeous fur cox
frogged all down the front, and an ofrcns-
lively brilliant hat cooked jauntily on one
side of his head
For Gods sake, Daisyr' said the Cap
tain, teehly, have you got any money
about your They're talking about turning
me out here and haven't cent"
Money, my boyf" responded the timely
Daisy, staggering into the room, and
pulling of his furrimmed gloves as il he
were boxer getting rid of the mufllers
after victorious encounter. whats the
damagef Anything up to fifty thousand
francs I'm game for"
He opened his furred overcoat with a
rollicking swagger, and thrustiug an
over-jewelled hand into an inner pocket,
threw swollen pockSt-book upon the bed
room table.
Help yourself, my boy. Pay the black
guard. Like the impotence Of these
damned foreignersl Pay him, besad, and
slang him"
The fat pocket-book was actually cram