Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-03-09

regained the church, entered the vestry,
nearly tumbling over a woman who was
scrubbing the floor There he seized on
a bicycle which he had seen leaning
against the wall, and, with hurried
word of explanation to the angry care
taker, sprang into the saddle, and in an
other moment was whirling down the
road and along the towing path on the
way to Ouistreham.
He had lost ten minutes already, and
this meant that the tram would have
passed the first halle, or stopping place,
before he could catch it up. No matter
1t only meant that he must put on the
pace little, and endure hot, dusty ride
along the unsheltered towing path, with
the fierce August sunshine beating down
on his head.
All the same he had been right in his
calculation. Heronville and Colombelle
were passed without any sign of the
tram. He was getting near Blainville
before thin trail of blue smoke, show
ing between the poplars ahead, told that
he was gaining on the tram. At this mo-
ment his bicycle gave sudden wobble,
swerved, and sent him sprawling on the
grass on the side of the road. A thorn
had punctured one of his tires.
Of course, it was only trifing mat
ter-he was not in the least hurt, and
the punct4Ge could be mended. in five
minutes-but at that moment five min
! utes could not be afforded. 1t was bet
! ter to shoulder the brute of machine
and walk on with it. After all, he was
not 200 yards from the Blainville halle;
and, if there were a good many people
waiting there to be taken aboard the
| tram might be DELAYED some minutes,
| He was streaming with perspiration as he
| strobe rapidly along in the wake of it;
| but the fates seemed to be against him.
for as he painted up to the little station
the trail of blue smoke was just steam
ing out of the poplar boughs on the fur
Their side The tram had gone on!
In his veXation and disappointment
he fell to abusing the stolid blue bloused
Norman who filed the post of ticket
collector at the little wayside station,
and who, far from being impressed by
the Englishman's indignation, continued
to examine the corners of lady's pocket
| handkerchief, which he had apparently
picked up off the roadway. while making
leisurely answer.
What would monsieur haveY If he
wanted to go on by the tram he should
have been here in time. AS to saying it
had not halted, that was a mistake; it
had halted, but seeing that there were
no passengers to get in and only one to
alight-the little English demoiselle for
the convent yonder-why, naturally, the
halte did not require TO be prolonged"
"A young English lady! How-not
one in blue dress and carrying a hand
bag and white umbrella ?"
"Mais oui, for the hand bag, certainly
yes" As to women's dresses he did NOT
notice them, and most people carried
white umbrellas in such a sun-even
Englishwomen. Par eXemple, it was
droll he should only know mademoiselle';
name through the dropping of her hand
kerchief, when he had known her for sc
many years, going to and from the towr
to the convent yonder when she was @
pensionnaire. Mademoiselle was only
half English. else she would not be 81
charming and so careful never to forget
to say "Bonjour Pere Picquart," and t.
ask after his wife in passing. Probably
as she had a bag with her, she was go
ing to make little stay at the convent
. in which case he would leave her hand
kerchief there for her when he was OF
duty.
Ten minutes later the Englishman wa
. at the convent door, with the handker
, chief in his waistcoat pocket. On find
ing from the name on the little squar,
| of embroidered cambria that it was real
ly Bebe who had alighted from the tram
and that her destination was the con
| vent, the big white walls of which wer
! visible through the trees and hedgerow
I surrounding it, he showed no more hurr,
in continuing his pursuit, but observing
to the ticket porter that as he ha,
| missed the tram he should finish tn
, journey on his bicycle, and would leav
the handkerchief for Mademoiselle Rich
! ard, who was an intimate friend of his
he proceeded to mend the puncture in hi
. tire chatting meanwhile in manne
pleasant enough to efface the bad i'm
preston caused by his burst of anger Oh
/ his first arrival.
TO BE CONTINUED.