Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-07-01
CHAPTER III.

OliAl liz
The boat did not start until three
o'clock In the afternoon. Those Of my
companions who intended to cross the
Caspian hurried off to the harbor. It
being necessary to engage a cabin, or 10
mark ones place in the steamers saloon.
Ephrinell precipitately left me with these
words;
81 have not an Instant to lose. l must
see about the transport of my baggage"
Have you muchf'
"Forty-two cases"
"Forty-two cnsesr' l exclaimed.
II he had had voyage OF eight days,
instead of one Of twenty hours, and
had to cross the Atlantic instead OF the
Caspian, he could not have been In n
greater hurry. He did not think Of Of
fering his hand TO assist our companion
in descending from the carriage. | took
his place. The lady leaned on my arm
and jumped-no, gently put her foot on
the ground. My reward was a thank
you, sir, uttered in hard, dry. unmis-
taxable British voice.
Twenty-Five years Is apparently about
her age, she has an Albionesque complex
ion, a jerky walk, a high dress like an
equinoctia tide, no spectacles, although
are generally short-sighted. While bend
my back as | bow. she honors me with
nod, which only brings into play the
vertebrate Of her long neck. and she walks
of straight toward the way out.
As eleven o'clock strikes, | make my
way to the restaurant at the railway. AS
l am entering Ephrlnell rushes out.
"Breakfastw say l.
IL have had It," he replies.
"And your casesT'
81 have still twenty-nine to get down
to the steamer But, pardon, have not
moment to lose. When man repre-
sents the firm of Strong, Bulbul Il Co,
who send out every week five thousand
cases OF their goods"
go, go. Monsieur Ephrinell. we will
meet on board. BY the bye you have
not met our travelling companionT
"What travelling companionr
"The young lady who took my place
In the carriage"
WAS there a young lady with usf'
"Of course"
well. you are the first to tell me so,
Mr.. Bombarnac."
And thereupon the American goes out
OF the door, and disappears. 1t is to be
hoped l shall know before we get to
Pekin what It is that Strong, Bulbul &
Co. send out in such quantities Five
thousand cases week-what an out
put, and what a turnover
When It Is two o'clock l think l had
better get down to the boat. | must call
at the railway station where l have left
my light luggage at the cloak room. Soon
| am off again, Fastening down one Of
the roads leading TO the harbor.
At the break In the wall where access
Is obtained to the quay, my attention Is
attracted by two people walking along
together The man Is from thirty to
thirty-hve years old, the woman from
twenty-five TO thirty, the man already
grayish brown, with mobile face. lively
look, easy walk with a certain swinging
Of the hips. The woman still a pretty
blonde, blue eyes, rather fresh COM
| plexion, her hair frizzed under a cape
a travelling costume which Is In good
taste neither In its Questionable cut nor
in its glaring color. Evidently a mar
ried couple come in the train from Tifis.
and unless l am mistaken they are
| French.
They are too much occupied to see me-
In their hands, on their shoulders, they
have bags and cushions and wraps and
sticks and sunshades and umbrellas. They
are carrying every kind Of little package
you can think Of which they do not care
to put with the luggage on the steamer.
l have good mind to 90 and help them.
just as | am walking up to them, Ephri-
nell appears, drags me away, and l leave
the couple behind.
WELL" said l to the Yankee. show
are you getting on with your cargoT
AT this moment, sir, the thirty-sev-
enth case Is on the road"
And what may be in those cases, II
you pleaseT"
I'm those cases7 Ali There is the
thirty-seventh!' he exclaimed. and he
ran out to meet a truck which had just
come on to the quay.
The Astara Is loaded up. The hold Is
not big enough, and a good deal Of the
cargo Is overfowed on the deck. The
stern is reserved for passengers, but from
the bridge forward to the top-gallant
forecastle there Is a heap Of cases Gov