The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-12-31
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
The little fishing village OF Sainte-
Croix, lying at the mouth Of a valley
or gorge which opens from the sea
between high cliffs on the coast of Nor
mandy, has Of late been revealed to
Parisians, especially artistic and liter
ally Parisians. One giant of the latter
order has even built himself a villa
we'll up on the steep side of the val
ley. Artists encamp in the fisher cot
tages, turning the kitchens, with their
carved oak dressers and settles, into
living-rooms, and cooking In outhous-
es, or getting their food from a ram
bling hotel and restaurant lately insti-
tuted by joining several cottages to-
gether, with additions and improve
ments, where a few yards of level
ground intervene between the sands
and the cliff
A struggling growth of fine beech
trees stretches down from a large
wood which crowns the gradual ascent
of the valley where it merges into the
fiat table-land above, we'll cultivated,
and rich with fields of corn and COLA.
At the date of this story 1t was known
to few. but, obscure though it was,
Mrs. Saville chose it for a resting
place before she returned to London,
1t was fine glowing August evening
when, with Miss Desmond, her Ger
man courier, and her English maid,
Mrs. Saville arrived and startled the
sleepy little village into lively curl
osity, as she drove through it in an
old-fashioned travelling carriage drawn
by four scraggy post-horses, the whole
equipage secured with some difficulty
by the careful courier at the nearest
railway-station. The dogs barked, the
hens cackled, the ducks and geese flew
out of the roadside pond with prodig-
ious noise and flutterings, as the scare.
crow team ratified down the hill to the
shore Of the rock-encircled bay along
the edge of which the Hotel de IEu-
rope" stretched its low, irregular front.
The landlord and one male and two
female walters were drawn up to re-
ceive the distinguished guests end
usher them to their apartments.
Madame has fine view of the bay
and cliffs. The sunsets are superb, nay.
exquisite, in good weather; and it is
generally good at Sainte-Croix l do
not remember having had the honor of
receiving Madame before
Il dare say not. You were not old
enough to be the head of such an es-
Enlistment when I was here last"
returned Mrs. Saville, more graciously
than she would have spoken to an En-
glishman.
Impossible, madame!" cried the
will madame diner"
"At 6. Meantime, we want tea; but
my courier will see to the preparation.
He understands it. Pray, is Madame
d'Albeville at the chateau?"
"No, madame. Unfortunately, the
second son of Madame la Marquise was
wounded a week ago in a duel, and
she has gone to nurse him-at Greno-
BILE, l think Her arrival is quite un.
certain"
Indeed! I am sorry to hear It,"
And she bowed dismissal to her polite
host.
This is a disappointment" said
Mrs. Saville to Hope. II quite count
ed on Madame d'Albeville's society.
She is an agreeable, sensible woman,
and rather pleasantly associated with
my former visit to this little hamlet.
Come, let us look at our rooms"
They were small, but more comfort
able than the guests had anticipated.
Hope was greatly pleased with the pic
turesque surroundings, and was anx-
ious to survey the village.
Then take Jessop with you for a
ramble. have letters to write, and
do not feel inclined to move Tell
them to light a IRE In the salon. /
like fire and open windows. The air
is very fresh and deliciously salt, but
I can quite bear a fire."
Hope willingly accepted the sugges-
tion. and as soon as they had cup Of
tea she set out with the prosaic lady's-