The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-04-16

|
ward for his rascality, we paid him
in all thirty-fve cents each, living on
tender beefsteak and lamb chops,
while the poor unfortunates, whom
Casmir was pleased to designate "our
brother indigents,'' sadly munehed
their stale bread and salted herring.
However, I had neither seen nor
heard anything Of the frst-class pas
Sengers, and early on the second
morning began to be assailed by the
fear that we might, after all, be car
ried willy-nilly into the far East. It
was my first escapade of the kind,
and I was far from possessing the
sang froid Of rly companion; childish
as it may seem, could not even NILS
ter up courage to AK one Of The sail
ors if the boat was going to touch at
an Italian port. I think Casmir was
secretly amused at my fears. At any
rate the only comfort 7 could get out
Of him was the cheerful declaration
that Constantinople was "just as nice
a town as Naples anyway" Mean
while, the critical moment was draw
ing near.
IF the island Of Capri appears off
the port-bow," said the Egyptian,
whom I cordially hated at that in
stant, ''it means that we are headed
for the Bosphorous; but if Capri
shows up on the starboard beam, we
will be in the Vesuvian gulf by 9
O'clock"
The next ten minutes, it seemed to
me, were the longest Of my life, as I
swept the horizon with agitated eyes,
and wondered whether my next step
on terra frma would be taken under
the benevolent protection of St. Janu-
ary or Of Saint Sofa. Presently we
sighted Mount Solaro far to the right,
and my suspense was ended.
On entering the bay, however, an
other complication arose: the vessel
carried no freight for Italy, and did
not approach land, simply heaving to
in the mouth of the harbor long
enough to permit its half-dozen spe-
cial passengers to be transported to
shore. But my willy partner cornered
one of the Neapolitan boatmen, who
had swarmed on board with oranges
and coral jewelry, and while all
hands were watching the disembark-
ment Of special party No. l, special
party No. ? quietly slipped over the
rail on the opposite side. The next
day we separated, as Casmir was in
hurry to claim position which he
said had been offered him as inspec-
tor in a big hotel at Amalf; he prom
ised 10 write and let me know how he
liked the job, but week passed with
out bringing any word, and I was be-
ginning to regard as terminated an
adventure which had really only be-
gun.
Another short period elapsed and
then one Sunday morning, to my ut
ter amazement, T encountered my
Egyptian on the Via Toledo, Naples,
looking seedier than ever-and ped
ding matches.
"What on earth has happened to
you' I managed to gasp, but he was
not at all non-plussed, and the only
response he vouchsafed was cheer
full grin, a grin that somehow exas-
perated me. It was so thoroughly op-
| timistic, so self reliant and out Of
keeping with his sorry plight.
"Now, amt that HI Of an oc-
cupation for man who speaks seven
languages!' I permitted myself to
cry, "Whats become of your job at
Amalf?"
"The bloody Frenchman wanted
me to act as head-waiter!' he re-
Piled, with a disdainful sniff, and this
answer, to which he appended no fur
ther word of explanation, confirmed
re in suspicion, which | had vague
ly entertained from the beginning.
Nobody but a gentleman born and
bred could have made such response
under the circumstances. Remember,
he was peddling matches, and wasn't
bit ashamed of that! At the same
time, I recollected that, though av
knew my address, he had ref air:d
from approaching me. Considering
the very meterial service he had rem
dered in helping me reach Naples, he
might naturally have looked 10 me
for sympathy and even fol what lit
tie substantial assistance [ was in a
,nei+;on to offer Now that the chance