The Opelousas courier., 1897-01-02
The rortmanteau uttered a sharn

"was the reason why Miss Durham re.
jected my master when he came to
London, refusing all explanation, and
why she subsequently cut him dead
AZ Waterloo station"
"Such was the reason" tnrtly an
swered the Saratoga, "and a very
sound reason, too, 60 far as I can
See"
The rortmanteau burst into a fit OF
laughter, much to his companions dis
gust. Long and vigorously he laughed,
ceasing at last only from sheer eg-
haustion.
"And now," said the trunk, "per-
haps, monsieur, you would be good
enough to explain the of your
your cacLinnatory hysteria."
"What a clever trunk you must be,
maaemoiselle, to use such long words!
Anyone a see that you came from
Boston. The cause of my merriment,
Ell? Well, | was laughing over the
very ridiculous mistake made by your
mistress and her donkey of a brother
in.!aw."
"Mistake, monsieur"
"Certainly. The superb tiara which
my master gave to poor little Fanny
Patte-en-haut did not belong to him at
all. He was merely an instrument in
the presentation. The tiara was a gift
from the rajah of Bundleapore, who
had seen Fanny the previous summer
in Paris. He sent the diamonds to her
from India in the care OF his friend,
Captain Assheton. I ought to know,
because they were slowed away inside
me all the way from Madras. The
whole story was in the Partisan papers
at the time; and if your mlstress's
brother-in-law had taken the trouble
to read them"
Gle does not speak or read French,
poor fellow"
"Ah that explains it. And so, be-
cause of his Ignorance two young
hearts are to be severed and two happy
lives blighted in their prime!"
'It IS very sad!' sighed the Sara
toga, sympathetically.
"Sad? BY Joye, Nademoiselle, it
is criminal. But let US consider. Is
there no way by which things may be
set right? Here WE are about to enter
the United States together. [ an
labeled for Newport" ~
"And 50 am 1. Dear me, Monsieur
Portmanteau, I never wished that I
had the power of human speech SO
fer7ently as l do now! should lose
time in apprising my dear mistress
OF that hideous mistake about Fanny
Patte-en-haut."
"Human speech is ont OF the cues
said the portmanteau. "We
must hit upon some other scheme. All,
have It'll"
"Monsieur, you are a genius"
"You fatter me, mademoiselle. And
yet the plan is not unclever. This
morning as Banks was packing me he
wrapped some novels in On old news.
paper and placed them right under my
id, on top Of everything else. I can
eel them there row. What, think
you. was the newspaper used%"
'Indeed, I cannot guess" said the
saratoga.
lit was q copy Of the Gaulois con-
a full account of the presenta.
ion Of Fanny Patte-en-hsut on behalf
+ the rajah Of Bundleapore. I am
ure, because Banks read it over with
reminiscent chuckle before he
trapped it round the novels"
"But how about your plan?"
lis it possible that you have not
urmised my plan? In a few minutes
he customs house people will come
long. I shall simply slip when they
pen me, and cause those novels and
be Gaulois in which they are wrapped
0 fall in your direction. You can
oil over slightly and possess yourself
f the newspaper. When your mis-.
or that pesky French maid of
ers comes along take care that she
Offices the Gaulois, and leave the rest
fortune"
"A good plan, monsieur; but too {
luch is left to fortune, I fear, and
ere come the customs house officials,
18th Mr.. Banks to open you. Now for
!"
The portmanteau strained himself !
18th excitement, until his straps =
again. 9