New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-13
THE THIRD TRAVELLER.

10 the South of France in the autumn 81 last
year. These matters do not come M" ''.s "sv
which only commences at the precise inorhen
when met for the first ana last nh'e' "a
Sir Strctton smith. at the Couronne dor 81
Hyacnthe les Bans. , .
Tbera are two :. Hvacinthes. and through a
b,under Of our agents | had come hundred
miles out Of my way 10 the wrong one ineae
was nothing to be dOre but TO get away as
soon as possbe Tnluckily II wasn't possible
The omnibus which had dragged me over seven
miles OF awful road zigzagging up INTO the
mountains after setting me down mao uh-
hered away to return no more ST. Hyacinthe-
q bit Of village with mineral sprhs' u,s
covered within the last six months ny iaS"
ionabe Paris physician-had smut nseu up anu
zone on masse TO the "a es at St. Something else
and taken along with it everything mat couIu
run either on legs or wheels -
Not cart nor horse. pony mule nor ass
was to be found: nor yet IL telegraph once l
had a strained knee. that put walking BACK 10
the station out of the question; ana "heh DIT
last | resolved to possess my soul Ill Pa'ieh0e
and await the omnibus that would start next
morning found that the Couronne dOf. tne
only inn in the place, refused me ADMISSION haa
The landlord. fat and brown, WIN a ntau
like a backing brush called Heaven and all the
saints to witness how he was crushed-airlcteu
--desolat ed but il was Impossible. My so dis-
tincuished compatriot "le Lor Smeet with his
family his man-serVants. maid-servants ana
cattle occupied the whole hotel for the season
on the express condition that no other strangers
we're admitted within its gates He had come
here for the waters. and demanded absolute re-
nose Thus the landlord. bowling grimaclng ahd
oleanders of the sunny little courtyard, while L.
hot and indignant. argued the. point With MN al
my best public-school French to no purpose
reasoned. eXpostIlated. VehemehtiE proteSteu
vould write to the papers | would appeal TO the
authorities to the British Ambassador, 10 the
House of Parliament
At last. language failing me. deciueo tnd'
the time for action had come. and stalking
straight through the glass doors OF the sale "a
manger down sat. refusing 10 nuose 'iii hau
been rested and fed.
The landlord followed. calling Justify on HeaV-
en-, the Marie. the police without result they
were probably all engaged at the fetes, then on
Madame. who appeared on the instant anu
settled the affair in two words
But certainly. 1t was only Miladi who WouId
make objection. Now. if Monsieur would nut
give himself the trouble to make himself mo
den for one little quarter of an hour till Milad
and her party should have departed to the fetes
all should be arranged Dinner ana an S Eu,cH
laughing with a pretty air Of affected terror
hustled me off into bit of an office behind the
sale manager, and shut me IN before Khe"
what she would be at
The office had ourtained window looking on
the entrance hail. through which ventured TO
peep with precauti9n. great crasmins ~ os
going on outside as ''LOr Sheets great shining
barouche with its great shining English horses
and big solemn servants in smart liverles drew
I'm to the door followed by all the remaining In
habitants Of ST. Hyacnthe. Then appeared
Miiadi fine SNOWY creature with mass mass ,o OF
accompanied by pale cross-looking girl win
certain likeness to herself. In attendance was
dark. sinister expensive LOOKING ,r .a
ne handed her into the carriage while Miiadl
head was turned that made her smile WIS.,
fully. Who was he? Not l-or smee'
The visitors book lay in the desk l con-
suited it. Gil. - ~
II" knew the name we'll enough. 1t was the
pride and glory of family to have an uncle
on his staff In India.
"The Lady Augusta Smith,
Miss Viola Devenish" ,
Yes 1t was the The General had
married ear's daughter. remembered rt,1
Devenish was the family name: so the cross girl
was some relation. The Frenchmans name ola
not appear. -,
They drove off, the Frenchman opening Mi
la6rs parasol with air OF tenderest atten-
ton while Miss Devenish looked crosser than
before Thel came a further cOmmotion. Lor
Smeets" servants were also departing WIN ,he,F F
friends to the fetes-two wagonette-ioads OF
them. At the last minute a man came tearing
downstairs calling to them to stop he iookea
like a gentleman's servant. and was received
with many explanations Of surprise and con-
graduation they picked him up.
Then Madame came to release me- She had
been as good as her word. Dinner was on the
table smelling excellent. My departure was also
arranged for. 1t was quite simple. had but TO
take my way along certain road I'LL came 10
q certain cabaret some two miles beyond the
town where I must wait till the mail-cart
passed at 3 o'clock, and the driver If made IT
worth his while. would convey me with the
Paris. r l.,
acknowledgements to Madame. Sne graclously
permitted me to button her glove-she wore the
smartest toilette de fete that had seen since
left Paris-and between the top button and the
bottom told me the whole history OF Lor
Smeet" and his family. He had come to St
Hyacinthe dying man at the last extremity IT
was a spinal malady. He could stir neither hand
nor foot and was speeches.. Miladfs devotion
10 him was everything there Is Of most angelic
Night or day she would hardly be persuaded TO
leave him. even to the care or his faltnrul ser.
want NJ Alex andre. And now, behold miracle.
He speaks he sits upright in his chair. he even
moves his hands a little. That very day he had
found himself well, so strong. that he mad
given permission at the last moment TO NJ
Alexandra to assist at the fetes. Her husband
would take his place by the General. Here
carriage full Of smart friends arrived TO take
her away and "Lor Smeet. the landlord and
had the Courcnne dOr to ourselves.
Dinner ended. was killing time in the empty
courtyard, smoking and tossing biscuit-cruinps
10 the gaspinC goldfish in the fountain. when
window on the first floor was fung open, and
there appeared my landlord in violent state OF
agitation calling and beckonng
Monsieur, Monsieur In the name OF heaven
come at once. All. what misfortune' frightfui
catastrophe has just happened.
"Apoplexy." / said to myself and dashed in
doors and upstairs.
There were turnngs ard odd steps and pas
eages; but by some instinct went straight ior
the right door. which swung open as ! reached
It, and the landlord. with face white as a
tabfecloth. and broken physic-bottle In ms
hand shot out. impelled by an explosion OF
vigorous language in some Eastern tongue: III
came from great armchair in the window
where sat a huge old man. or the wreck OF one
The mighty chest sunken. and the great
sinewy hairy hands dangled Imply out OF the
sleeves Of his flannel dressing gown His face
was teached as white as his great beard but MS
eyes They turned me suddenly, nashng
yellow like tigers. and for second felt IKE
boiling after the landlord However he spoke
quite cfvilly.
Much obliged 20 you for coming. We're In a
IL Aneh ftl
low can't understand English. He's broken my
bottle Of medicine and ought to take the stuff
every two hours l can't make him see that all
he has to do IL to get the prescription out or
the top drawer over there and take II 70 the