The Cairo bulletin., 1907-05-31
Just Like a Woman

ny n. r. 0ErHEN.


then laid. but the drive by diligence
was sufficiently enjoyable My aunt
tLady Jane) and reached 81. Jean
Pied de Port late one evening, and
that little town seemed wrapped In
slumber On the following morning
/ am going to take you over the ~
renees into Spain, asserted my aunt
Really and truly?' remember ex-
claiming
eyes; know all about II; we've
only to get TO Bourgette, and then It's
quite easy she said confidently,
A carriage was secured, the morn
ing was lovely, and the French from
tier was soon passed, for we had
very little luggage, and nothing on
which to pay duty A few miles fur
Their. at a lonely kind Of an inn, the
eoachman insisted on our descending
from the carriage and paying his Zee
Having no choice, we consented, ana
then entered into the lonely little inn
In search OF breakfast. After eating
with good appetites some well-cooked
food. we discovered that the carriage
had been replaced by a couple oil
rough ponies, with even rougher at
tendants of the boy tribe The road
beyond was considered too steep for
vehicles. 50 we mounted in silence
Please, our bags, pleaded !, feaI
ing disturbed by our landlord shli-
ing detention OF our light luggage
'He says they must be sent on by
the mule train" exclaimed Lady
Jane.
The straps of her pony's saddle
broke before we had gone a mile and
had TO be mended with fragment CT
string, and a good deal OF language
which we fortunately could not con-
prehend. was leveled at the -four
legged members of the party. Then
our little cavalcade proceeded onward
ana upward. passing by many waysldt
crosses. and encountering wild-looAln~
harmless peasants with trains Of
mules. and then again we noticed
more of the rough crosses,
what in the world makes the PEG
PIE put up so many wooden crosses:
asked Lady Jane at last, looking rain
or nervous You must know that al
though she was our own aunt, We gen
orally called her Lady Jane. She was
very kind, but rather odd.
The boy managed to make us under
stand that the crosses were erected
to mark spots where murders had
been committed. but Of course, we
didn't know if this was true.
Higher and higher we wound zig
Tagging through the glorious forest
and sleeper and sleeper grew ING
road. The boys walked on silent and
sullen, and the sun began TO quite
scorch our skins Suddenly the ponies
distant buildings. Without a a6fd
they lifted US from our saddles, de
manded the promised fees. which
Lady Jane at once gave, and set forth
on their return journey before we had
gathered courage to protest, The
houses were there certainly, across
a wide plain, and it was a weary
walk.
At last we arrived at the village,
which appeared to possess but one
street We were courteously vel
coined by the innkeeper A Spanish
dinner was shortly served, and we
were glad to retire to rest soon after
wards.
Il wish we were safe at home"
calculated Lady Jane. There is no
bolt to the door. she cried when we
found ourselves in a bedroom cen.
tanning two beds So she insisted Oh
piling the somewhat scanty furniture
against the door. in case anyone
should try to rob MS, she said fearful
Iy. The heavy hedsteads were immov-
able. but the other things made a
formidable barricade Wearied aud
feverish from the unusual heat We
soon got into our beds.
i've put the water jug ready to /
throw at any intruder" said Lady /
Jane, who appeared brave now she /
was under the bedclothes, and I've +
hidden my purse in the toe Of my
shoe"
At last we both slept. and the last
sound we heard was the wind waIling
round the thick stone walls.
A knock at the door disturbed but
failed to arouse US. Then, 70 the ac-
Of a muttered exclama-
ton. the latch was lifted softly and
The door pushed gently With an
awful clatter the harricade gave way
aud out OF the darkness CALCULATIONS
oud and deep reached our cars.
i've got the jug" said my aunt A
md feeling no doubt that her courage
squaled that of Nelson at least. she
iprang up and. in the dark. cast her
litcher in the direction Of the voice.
Oh. what a crash there was Then
hurried footsteps came along the pas