Evening star., 1909-07-10

but, by Jove. he never did a shady action
toward a woman or a pal.'
His confession to me. which have just
related. took place one evening about
little known Roumanian capital Bucha-
rest, where quite Unexpectedly / had
come across him again in the smart but
extremely expensive Hotel du Boulevard
AS fellow-coSmopolitans we had been
friends for quite a number of years Our
first meeting, | remember was in Brus-
sells. at the Grand. long ago. He played
a first-class game at billiards. and
wondered what could be his nationality
He spoke French. German. Norwegian
and Italian with equal fluency, while his
English had just the slightest tinge OF
American accent. A born cosmopolitan
evidently. his smartness in dress was un-
deniably English. for only an Englishman
can dress properly. Yet there was some
thing about him that | put down as Sean
dinavia7. Why. ] cannot tell.
My first friendship with him arose from
a curious circumstance. cockney tour
ist accused him of cheating at cards.
was sitting at the table while they were
made / defended Cough, with whom
had never until that moment spoken a
word.
A quarrel ensued-a serious fracas in
deed. The police intervened, but l took
the part of the unknown and perhaps
that he had not been guilty of cheating.
and his friends and the police believed
me.
Next day he called at my hotel. gripped
my hand warmly, thanked me and added:
Il don't know you. sir. Perhaps you
don't want to know me. But ! like to
meet white man like yourself. You
know nothing about me. and yet YOU
were unprecedented. Now it's over, I'll
tell you the truth ! didn't cheat. but
one of those ours did-the Frenchman.
l spotted him and held my tongue
.'Why?'
Because that young Londoner had
talked SO big hour before. 1 thought
1t would teach him lesson he replied:
But, he went on, please understand
that / don't put myself down as very
straight. | get my money where l can
you understand? And I'm only here to
thank you, and to assure you that
Granny Cough never forgets service"
Such was the beginning of a curious
acquaintanceship-a friendship that has
an adventurer every cosmopolitan who
reads this strange chronicle of events
is we'll aware. Men who. like myself.
knock about In odd corners of the con-
tinent know him we'll. They find him
aYways Immediately dressed. seated In
cane chair in the big courtyard of the
Cecil in London today. and a week later
he will be seen supping at Ciro's in
Monte Carlo, at Capsas in Bucharest
or at the Hermitage in Moscow
Dozens of times we met in the years
following that first we'll remembered
night in Brussels. His exterior was al
ways that of the prosperous traveller,
and his tips to servants were lavish.
Sometimes it suited him-according to the
business he was after-to be taken for a
German. at other times as an English
man, and frequently as an American.
In more than one capital his extrava-
gance in living and his substantial tips
to hotel servants, cabmen and the like
earned for him the reputation of an
American millionaire.
And it was as such | had now found
him in that bright little capital of
Roumania-Bucharest-- town of pretty
women and of handsome men.
At the Hotel du Boulevard one of the
most chic on the continent, and where.
as the gourmet knows. the sterlet is al
ways done to perfection, even better than
at the Hermitage in Moscow. Granny
Cough occupied first-ioor suite. His
luggage consisted only of hat box and
a couple of suite cases.
There were rare occasions, he once
confessed to me with a wink. when ii
became more convenient to abandon it
than to pay his bill.
Indeed. SO We'll known was he that in
many of the best hotels in Europe he had
only to walk into the bureau. announce
his departure, and say:
I'll pay when / come back again.
The PROPRIETOR. or manager. would