The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-11-23

treel"
mon Dieu! how dangerous riding IL
10 in such weather."
"What II we should postpone start
ing till the day is more favorable"
timidly ventured Chillaye.
Never! How easily you get discour-
aged! By the way. where shall We
lunch?"
Fifteen miles from Paris. We must
not think Of lunching before one or
half-past."
That's awfully late! Don't you
know of any nice restaurant. near the
Barrierre d'ltalie?"
mo, l confess that quarter never at
tracted me; it never occurred to me to
say: What If should go and dine near
the Barriere d'Italie?"
$50, then, you never thought OF
planning our stages"
But"
81 guessed as much! So am having
Baptiste, my old coachman, follow me
on horseback. He'll show us the way
and not make the mistakes you're
guilty Of, my dear Chillaye. We must
not go out at all by the way Of Barriere
d'Italie."
"Well, but Nice is near Italy, and 1t
seemed to me-but lid far rather fol-
low Baptiste and avoid responsibilities.
And, positively. in this fog, it's lucky
you've provided yourself with better
guide than !, or we'd either get lost or
have to turn back
Nine. de Nymbe called Batiste. who
detached himself from the two grooms.
'Batistc, we will take the road we
agreed upon" Turning toward
Chillaye: Now, since you've nothing
more serious to do, amuse me little.
What's the news, les petits potins?"
Here goes" thought Chillaye; "now
I'll have to sparkle the whole way"
"I'm all ears. Was Clotilde ut the
opera house last night"'
Eyes"
"With Du Ring"
"I don't know. Perhaps he came after
I left-I went away early. you know.
I'm not used to getting up Mt daybreak.
and II you remember you snid eight
o'clock sharp"
"Ah! you're emphasizing sharp to
make me understand that was late.
You're complaining Of having to walt
few moments in the drawing-room-"
IL wouldn't complain IL"
"If?"
"If there had been any Hre-but-"
"Oh, l beg your pardon! 1t must
have been forgotten In the hurry OF
my departure. Were you very cold?"
Rather, thank you!"
At this instant White Cat, startled at
an omnibus she had not made out in
the fog, and not pulled. up promptly
enough by the stiffened hands of her
rider, came down on all fours, and
sprang up so wildly that Chillaye was
a bit shaken.
"Mon Dieu!" cried Mime. dc Nymbe,
"you almost lost your seat"
"Not at all," said Chillaye, annoyed.
EYES, you did. ! saw you. hope
you're not i'll. Don't you think it's nice
to 70 to Nice on horseback? Admit
that If you'd been alone you'd have
turned back already?"
"Ah CO! Certainly would never have
thought Of riding to Nice by slow stages
alone; but with you, what wouldn't
do? Dieu! How pretty you are this
morning-fresh, rosy, rested"
"Not like you then, for you look"
"Ah! how do l look?" questioned
Chillaye, nervously, fearing for his al
ready contested prestige; Its true I'm
tired and"
"You can rest tonight; 60 to bed
at eight II you like"
mo, l don't like-I never can go to
sleep early"
"Well, it's a pity, for intend to re-
tire every night directly after dinner"
"Allons," reflected Chillaye, more and
more depressed; "this little expedition
is not going to be very amusing. de-
cidedly."
They rode into wood.
| "Where are we?" he asked. II looked
at military map before starting, and
saw no wood on our road"
"It's the forest of-of Vile d'Av-
ray"
allow is that? Are we going to Nice
by way of Vile d'Avray?
Don't worry; tell you Baptiste
knows the road. Don't you breathe
quite new ARP"
"I can't breathe at all in this smoth-
ering fog"
"And then this wood Is wilder than
the Bois de Boulogne-whats different
scent it has"
"It's not half so pretty as the Bois,
and the scent is that of SCOT, just az in
all fogs."
"Are you less cold trotting?"
"No, my hands and feet are icy."
"Why, have you got hands and feet
like fish?"
"You are unlsind, madamei II you
knew how i'll at ease am, perhaps you
wouldn't chaff me-"
"But, really, you know, you look pre-
pared for cold, and brigands, too. Dieu