San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-03

he brought us basket or frult, NELL
toned that "tbe gentleman" had order
ed it brought up as soon as we took pos
session of the chairs We ate the fruit
and let the steward continue to think
that he in some sort belonged to us, al
though we had not exchanged single
word. That evening it began to blow,
and the swell tossed the ship about in a
most uncomfortable manner. We did
not stay mp to see how many real old
travellers there were among the pretend
ers, but ignominiously retreated to the
seclusion which the cabin grants. The
light was Just struggling in through the
round window Of our stateroom the
next morning when the stewardess
made her appearance. bearing a tray
with bottle, two small glasses and a
card. Iwas quite exhausted from my
horrible night, but found strength TO
read the card. On one side was neatly
engraved, Henri valois, Paris +"
Mrs Wallis was mistaken. He was a
Frenohman after all. On the other side
was written In a most gentlemanly
hand with a pencil:
IF madame and mademoiselle will be
80 good. indeed. as to drink the contents
of the bottle by the glassful at inter
walls, they will find no more NAL de
mer."
Maybe it's poison" Mrs Wallis
groaned, but had reached the desper-
ate stage when poison was preferable to
seasickness, and she followed me in
taking a glassful of the colorless stuff.
I don't know what it was. Iwish ] did,
but the second glassful certainly put us
upon our feet.
impressed upon Mrs. Wallis my
sense of the kindness of an entire
stranger. and that she must give him
our most cordial thanks.
We found our steamer chairs again
in place just where the evening sun
would strike past them, but leave our
faces in shadow, and lounging near
them was Mr.. Henri Valois. +"
"That is very interesting and arts
tocrstic name" Mrs. Wallis had said,
holding the card in one hand and her
lorgnette in the other. As she critically
examined it, Observation-Disclosures
there king or something with name
like that?"
I suggested that this might be a
branch of the family with the bar sinis-
ter, and then Mrs. Wallis said positive
": "Then that settles it. He is duke,
or due, at the very least. Those kings
always gave titles and estates right and
left to that sort of connections. I'll
find outi'
To do her justice, she made valiant
efforts to keep her word.
As we took possession of our chairs it
was the most natural thing in the
world that Mrs. Wallis should smile
sweetly and bow invitingly to gentle
man who had been of such service to
US.
Mr.. valois eve longed to say mon
sieur, but were conscious that the pro-
nunciation of French by westerners
would hardly sound Partisan to native
ears) responded with open delight.
And then began a most delightful
friendship. He was not only extremely
| distinguished looking, so that it was
with calm joy and hearts free from
carking jealousy that we looked upon
the other parties in the ship as we
three sat or walked or dined together,
but Mr.. Valois had been everywhere,
knew everything that came up in the
world, spoke several languages, and
could tell an adventure equal to Rider
] Haggard. ! remember one night-it
was the evening before We reached Corh
harbor-we sat on the deck until the
moon came up out of the dark sea. Mr..
Valois was telling us of an adventure
that a party Of gentlemen had encoun
tered in southern Italy. They were 60
ing by private carriage from one point
to another when they were set upon by
briaands. From the minute description
that he gave Of everything he mus
have been there, but he did not speal
of himself once. There was a certain
Marquis de st. Lippe who had put hi
pistol to the chief bandits head anC
vowed he would shoot him dead if any
of the band lifted finger and had made
the villain order off his men, who fig
ured as the hero. can see him now a
be sat on the camp stool, leaning ex
citedly forward, the words clipping
after each other on his tongue, tn
white moonlight and the excitement o
his story making his eyes all aglitter
After we went into our stateroom Mrs
Wallis turned to me with suppresse
excitement:
Don't you see it? He is the Marqui
de st. Lippe himself. No man ever too
that much interest in his friends ad
ventures. "
, After that Mrs. Wallis tried with al
the smartness of the traditional Yanke
to bring out some detail Of Mr.. Valois
private history, but that was the onl
subject upon which he was silent. On
day when she had been unusually press
! ing he turned suddenly, and, smilin
in her face, said in his peculiar, rathe
short sentences: "Is it my profession
you would know, madame? France
not like America. All men do not cal
| aooorntO nor boon n ahon IL ia differ