The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-04-21
CHAPTER XII.
A BOX OF CIGARS,

class compartment all to
- themselves. The train was
fast one. for the day Of slow travel
has passed in Italy. and the cry Of
speed is heard over the land.
There was change of cars at Rome
and wait Of two hours.
After luncheon Merrihew secretly
bought two boxes of cigars to carry
along. They were good cigars and cost
him SIS. He covered them with some
newspapers and at the station succeed
ed by some legerdemain in slipping
them into one of his cases Hillard
would have lectured him OH his eX-
travayance. and this was Il good way
to avoid it. But some hours later he
was going to be very sorry that he
had not made Il contidant of his guide
| AS they were boarding the train they
noticed two gentlemen getting into the
| forward compartment of the carriage.
"Humph! Our friend with the scar
said Hillaru. I'VE do not seem able to
shake him."
I'D like to shake him. He goes
against the grain somehow" Merri-
hew swung into the compartment. Il
wonder why the Sandfords dropped
him?"
| ''FOr some good reason. They are Il
liberal pair. and if our friend forward
offended them it must have been some
thing outside the pale of forgiveness.
But l should like to know where old
Giovanni is. miss him."
"Poor DEVIL: said Merrihew, with
careless sympathy.
The train started.
Monte Carlo Gold, gold. little
round pieces of goldw Merrihew rub
bed his hands like miser.
lizard to get and heavy to hold"
quoted Hllard. Il suppose that you
have a system already worked out"
"Of course. shall win if stick to
it."
'Or If the money lasts. Bury your
system. my boy. 1t will do you no
good. Trust to luck only. Monte Car
10 is the graveyard Of systems"
But maybe my system is the one.
You can't tell till have tried it."
Soon the train began to lift into the
mountains. the beautiful Apennines.
BY the time they arrived, in Genoa.
late at night. both compared favorably
with the coalers in the harbor of Ma
pies.
Early the next morning the advcn-
turers set out for Monte Carlo-mOre
tunnels: Il compartment filed with
women and children. But the beauty
of the Riviera was compensation.
Ventimiglia. or Vintimile. has sin
lister sound in the ears of the traveller
if perchance he be a man fond Of his
tobacco. The train drew in. dozen
steps more and one was virtually in
France. But there is generally slight
hitch before one takes the aforesaid
steps-the French customs. A porter
popped his head into the window.
Eight minutes for examination of
luggage" he cried.
Come, Dam" cried Hillard; "lively il
we want good seats when we come
out. We change trains"
After short skirmish they located
their belongings. They would have to
be patient.
| Among the inspectors at Ventimiglia
is a small. wizened Frenchman with a
face as cold and impassive as the sand
blown sphinx. He possesses. among
other accomplishments. a nose pecul-
lar less for it's shape than for it's smell.
He can ''smell out" tobacco as a witch
doctor in Zululand smells out devil
Fate directed this individual toward
the Americans. Hillard knew him OF
old. and he never forgets a face, this
wizened little man.
monsieur has nothing to declare?''
he asked.
Hillard made a negative sign and
opened his cases. With scarce q
glance at their contents and waving
aside the coupons the inspector ap-
piled the chalk and turned to Merri-
haw