River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-01-23


found out: and Dr. Thibaut,
my medical adviser and
friend, fearing | might not
obey his injunctions, took
the trouble to escort me to
small watering-place in
the Dauphine, whence, he
- assured me, should
emerge perfectly cured.
did not at all relish the idea Of be-
coming-even for short time-a
fashionable idler. But afterward
had reason to be thankful, for the
adventure | met with added a curious
chapter to my experiences.
/ went to that little place a few
weeks after the execution of Eyraud,
tie murderer Of the luckless Gouffe,
most sensational crime, which for
several months kept the whole Euro
pean press at fever heat. And, in or
der to escape interyiewers and ko-
daK fiends, / decided to travel incOg-
EitO, entering myself in the hotel
books as M. Guilbert; a wise Drecau-
ton, as / soon discovered
II was a delightful spot, with broad,
shady avenues and surrounded by
magnificent scenery Many nationali-
ties were represented, with a good
gprinkling Of English of the better
classes.
There We're old gentlemen and
young, plain and pretty women gov
ernesses, spinsters, and bevy of
girls who firted, sketched and played
tennis. The hotel was comfortable;
the cooking excellent; the band not
too loud. Everybody lounged, pleas
antly Indifferent to time and outside
humanity, and | began to feel like
sharing the spirit of the hour.
The most important guests in our
hotel where Count M, Russian a
fne-looking man of about sixty-five,
and his wife, a pretty woman quite
forty years his junior. The countess,
Il restless young creature, was con-
stantly organizing excursions in the
mountains, leaving her husband at
home ~ amuse himself.
Two days after my arrival noticed
a newcomer at our table d'hote, Mile.
Eugene Arco, an attractive young
woman with dark eyes and jet-black
hair Tier hands were small and arts
tocratic, and her appearance would
have been in every way refined but
Tor her ears. These were too large
and stood rather far from her head.
The girl fascinated, yet at the same
time repealed, me-
II had been raining all the morn
ing, and | was in the readingroom
glancing at an illustrated paper, when
q voice near said
Pardon me, monsieur, see you are
Russian"
II vas Mile. Arco NO" I replied.
Il am rot"
Il thought you were, she contin-
ned because | saw you reading a
Russian periodical"
Il yas not reading it," / retorted,
Il Was only looking at the pictures
OF. / sect" she explained. But the
look she gave me said she did not be-
Heye me-
| did not care to continue the con-
Versation, and she soon left the room
From that moment, however | no
ticed she never ceased to observe me,
and many a time when / pretended to
be asleep III one of the armchairs in
the hall her large black eyes were
fastened on me as if they were trying
to pierce my thoughts.
Who was she, and what did she
want from me? This was only my
fifth day in the place | was already
beginning to feel a bit bored: and a
problem, no matter how small, came
as a welcome relief.
With the officials in the hotel Mile.
ATco was a persona grata, for unlike
most women, who in money matters
are inclined to be niggardly. she
tipped the walters and chambermaids
most literally. The manager of the
hotel and his wife had also taken a
ways warmly welcomed by them in
their sanctum. where she would sit
and smoke cigarette after cigarette
Feeling myself closely watched by
her, | returned the compliment, and
noticed that she would repair to the
office at those hours when the post
came in, and look over the clerks
shoulder at the letters he sorted And
then it struck me that no missive ever
came addressed TO her, although one
afternoon, happening to pass her room
al the moment the maid opened her
door, saw her deeply engaged in cor
respondence, with several letters in
front OF her.
The next morning, when Mile. Arco
left the hotel | went out at the back,
made quickly for the post office by an
ether road, and hid myself behind the
hedge of an empty cottage opposite.
] saw her enter the post office and
leave it a few minutes later. She
looked up and down the road, and
nobody being in sight, she took a let
Ter out OF her pocket, opened it, and
read it eagerly
Bah" / said to myself. you are
not clever, my girl. A child could
have seen through your game. Now
We shall have some fun"
That same evening after dinner rain
fell in torrents. and most of the guests
We're in the drawing-room. a few were
sndulging in a harmless game OF
cards: two girls were at the piano
singing sentimental songs. and Mile.
Arco reclined in a rocking-chair. n
book in her lap. The count a very re-
served man. with whom | had thus
far exchanged only few words, was