The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-24

NIduy- | Ve seen nm lD- swan S al night readin'; allus chasin' butterflies when be sees 'em in the street. And the captain rounded out this period by touching his forehead as a subtle hint that tn his opinion the foreigner car ried no ballast.
 In the intervening time the subject of this light suggestion was climbing the hill with that tireless resilient step of one born tO mountains. No task ap- peared visibIy to weary this man. Small as be was. his bones were as strong and his muscles as stringy as a wolfs. If the butterfly was worth while he would follow till 1t fell 10 his net or daylight withdrew It's support
 So 1t fell out very well that Admiral Killigrew was fond of butterflies Still, he should have been equally glad to know that the sailors hobby inclined toward the exploits of pirates M Ferraud was a modest man. That hIs exquisite brochure on lepidopterous in- sects was in nearly all the public libraries of the world only gratiied. but added nothing to his vanity
 As It Oftentimes happens to a man whose mind Is occupied with other things. the admiral. who received M. Ferraud ID the library. saw nothing in the name to kindle his recollection. He bade the savant to be seated while he read the letter of introduction which had been written by the secretary of the navy:
 My Dear KiIllgrew-This will introduce to you NJ Ferraud of the butterfly fame. He. has learned of the success of your ef- forts in the West Indies and South Amer lea and Is eager to see your collection. c. AN,- will. for you certainly must have his book I myself do not know a butterfly from a June bug. but 1t will be a pleasure to bring you two together.
 Breitmann arranged his papers neat Iy and waited to be dismissed He had seen Nj. Ferraud at Swans, but had formed no opinion regarding him; in fact. the growth of his interest had stopped at indifference. On his part the new arrival never so much as gave the secretary a second glance the first was sufficient And while the admiral read on M. Ferraud ex- amfned the broken skin on his palms.
 Mir. Ferraud! We'll. well: this IS a great honor. I'm sure. 1t was very kind of them to send you here. Where is your Iuggager'
 "l am stopping at Swans hotel"
 I've shall have your things up this very night"
 "Ohr' said Ferraud. in protest. though this was the very thing he de sired
 Not a wordF' The admiral sum- moned the butler. who was the gen. eraJ factotCz at the Pines. and gave a dozen orders.
 ''Ah. you AmerfcansF' laughed M. Ferrnud. pyramiding his fingers. You leave us breAthleNs."
 Your book has delighted me. But Pm afraid my collection will not pay you for your troubIe'
 That is for me to decide. My South American specimens are all sec onds On sae other hand. you have netted yours yourselfT'
 And straIghtaway bond of friend ship was r1veted between these two men which still remains bright and untarniShed by either absence or for getfuInesS. They bent over the cases. agreed and disagreed. the one with the sharp gestures. the other w1rh the rise ana fall of the voice. For them nothing else existed; they were truly engrOSsed-
 Breltmann. hiding a smile that was partly a yawn. stole quierIy away. Butterflies did not excite his concern in the least
 NJ. Ferraud was charmed He was voluble. Never had he entered a more homelike place. large enough to be called chateau. yet as cheerful as a writer's fire. And the daughter: Her French was the elegant speech of Tours. her German Hanoveran. h. comparable: And she was not married? HeIas: How many IuckIess fellows walked the world desOlate? And this was Nj. Fitzgerald the journalist? And M Breitmann had also been one? How delighted he was to be here! All this flowed on with perfect naturnlness: there wasn't a false note anywhere. At dinner he dlffused q warmth and Reniality which were infections. Laura was pleased and amused: and she ador- ed her father for these impulses which brought to the board. unexpectedly. such men as M Ferrand
 NJ Ferraud did not smoke. but he Mssipated to the extent of drinking three small cups Of coffee after o1n- ner.
 You are right" he acknowledged there had been slight dispute relative to the methods of roasting the berry Europe does not roast its coffee; it burns It. The aroma, the bouquet! am beaten"
 "So am l." Fitzgerald reelected sadly. snatching a vision of the girls animated face.
 Three days he had ridden into tbe country with her. or played tennis. or driven down to the village and in- specred the yacht. He had been lonely so long and this beautiful girl was such a good comrade. One moment he blessed the prospective treasure hunt, another he execrated It. To be with this girl was to love her; and whither this pleasurahIe idleness would lead him he was neither blind nor self de ceiving. But with the semihumorous recklessness which was the leaven of his success, he thrust prudence behind him and SfucE fo tha DrimrOSa Datb