Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-29
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
MY FELLOW
y TRAMPER.

intending to make my way to Paris to
be present at the great reception.
Pausing to take last view from a
and fell 10 dreaming. | was recalled TO
myself 10y soft voice behind me ask
ing in French
Can you tell me, sir, how far it is
| TO Montbard:"
| l looked up expecting to see wom-
an. Instead the person who had adj
dressed NE was young fellow appar-
emily about twenty, though there was
not a sign of hair on his face, and he
might have been younger or older.
"Montbard? There is Montbard di-
rectly north of us. You can't distin-
| guish the place. for it is twenty-five
miles from us in n direct line"
$50 far?" with an expression of dis
appointment.
Il am going that way. Rest awhile,
and will go with you
The young man sat down beside me,
and we chatted for half an hour. He
was one of the most attractive persons
1 ever met. There was so much enthu-
siasm in him. Everything in which he
took an interest he took Il deep inter
est. To one who has become blaze and
| finds most other people so, such one
is very refreshing. Besides, lie was
very intelligent and displayed cOnsid-
erIble learning One thing about him
| amused me. He was very illogical. Ev'
| erything was felt; nothing was rea-
soned. AT least his reasons were al
ways absurd. For instance, he eN-
| pressed firm belief in the divine right
of kings because this right was neceS-
sary as Il basis for their authority.
We started down the declivity, but
had not gone far before we were over
takeh by Il diligence. and my young
main got aboard. | continued To tramp,
but l confess the rest of the journey
seemed dull ana embarrassing.
The next evening | reached Mont
bard, where l found railway transpor-
tation to Paris, but was Obliged TO wait
several hours before getting a train.
Going into Il cafe to get something TO
eat. l seated myself at Il table AMI was
looking over the menu when familiar
voice asked. What will monsieur
have:" The last time | had heard
that voice was when my tramping
companion babe me adieu before board
waitress standing beside me. and
her face was as much like the tramper
as tie voice She was looking down
upon me with no Sign of recognition,
and for the moment / considered the
likeness mere coincidence. | gave
her an order for supper, but before
leaving the cafe | made up my mind
that | was not mistaken waitress
,t.a e Il
before.
\ week later while in Paris. where
/ had many friends. l attended Il recep-
ton ut the house of n prominent Amer
lean banker. who then lived near the
Bots de Boulogne. The car had arriv-
ed. and all Paris was talking about
him. As | entered the drawing room l
heard lady. whose back was toward
me. say i'm tones that were familiar:
Without authority from heaven he
would have no-more right to rule than
you or -
Moving to n position where l could
catch view of her face l saw-my
tramping companion. the waitress of
Montbard.
"Who is that LADY," 1 asked of my
host as soon as / could find him.
"The Countess NichalOwsky."
"a Polander:"
Yes
please present me-"
The countess received me graciously.
but without the slightest sign of recoS-
milton. / was fully aware that any ref
erence To our former acquaintance
would not meet with favor and if per-
sisted i'm would be resented. there
fore refrained from mentioning either
of our meetings. but led the cOnversa-
ton into the same channels as when |
we were resting on the Alps. Every |
topic she handled differently from her |
treatment of il at that time, but with |
even greater brilIiancy. When 1 begged |
for permission TO call upon her, she |
said, II am very sorry. but leave Par
is tomorrow ut dawn"
/ returned to America by steamer
from Cherbourg. | am troubled with
and kept my room till the
voyage was half finished Then one
day, the weather being delightful and
the sea smooth, | took my steamer
chair and my rug to the deck. I had |
scarcely emerged from the companion
way when l was startled at seeing
seated before me my tramping friend
Of the Alps, the waitress of Montbard,
the Countess Nichalowsky. l had at
least right to recognize the last
named parsonage and exclaimed:
"Why, countessr
NY words were met by cold stare
You are mistaken. SIR she said in
tolerable English. You address Mime.
of Southampton"
! apolOgized and passed OH. The lady
did not come on deck again during the I
voyage. but when we were locked
took a position where l could see her
rs she went ashore. Her maid first
went on to the dock, walked back and
forth with her eyes well open. then
made a sign, whereupon the mistress
followed. Ia
Curiosity led me to Pinkerton's, to q