Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-01
CHAPTER XIV

Over the drenched sea wall gulls
whirled and eddied above the spout
ing spray; the gray breakwater was
| smothered under exploding combers;
quai, docks. whitewashed lighthouse,
swept with spindrift, appeared and
| disappeared through the stormy OBJ
security as the tender from the chan
mel packet fought it's way shoreward
with Neeland's luggage dashed in the
cabin, and Neeland himself sticking
to the deck like a fly to a frantic
mustang, enchanted with the whole
business.
For the sea, at last, was satisfy
ing this young man; he savoured
now whathe had longed for as
little boy, guiding homemade raft
on the waters of Neeland's mill pond
in the teeth of a summer breeze
Before he had ever seen the ocean
he wanted all it had to give short
of shipwreck and early decease. He
had experienced 1t on the channel
during the night.
There was only one other passenger
aboard-a tall. lean, Immediately
dressed man with a CHASTITY pallor.
a fox face and ratty eyes. who looked
like an American and who had been
dreadfully sick. Not caring for his
appearance, Neeland did not speak to
him. Besides, he was having too
good time to pay attention to any
body or anything except the sea.
A sailor had lent Neeland some
oilskins and a sou'wester; and he
hated to put them off-hated the
calmer waters inside the basin where
the tender now lay rocking; longed
for the gale and the heavy seas
again, sorry the crossing was ended
He cast a last glance of regret at
the white fury raging beyond the
breakwater as he disembarked among
crowd of porters, gendarmeS, SOL
diers and assorted officials, then, fol-
lowing his porter to the customs, he
prepared to submit to the unvarying
indignities incident to luggage exam
ination in France.
He had leisure, while awaiting his
turn, to buy novel, Les Bizarettes,"
of Maurice Bertrand; time, also, to
telegraph to the Princess Mistch enka.
The foX-faced man, who looked like
an American, was now speaking
French like one to perpleXed official,
inquiring where the Paris train was
to be found. Neeland listened to
the fluent information on his own
account, then returned to the customs
bench.
But the unusually minute search
among his effects did not trouble him;
the papers from the olive-Wood box
were DuLIOl1eQ III his breast pocket,
and after a while the customs Of
ficials let him go to the train which
stood beside an uncovered concrete
platform beyond the quai, and to-
ward which the fox-faced American
had preceded him on legs that still
Wabbled with seasickneSS.
There were no PullmanS attached
to the train, only the usual first
second and third-class carriages with
compartments; and new style cor
ridor car with central aisle and let
tered doors to compartments hold
ing four.
Into one of these compartments
Neeland stepped, hoping for seclu-
sion, but backed out again, the place
being full of artillery officers play
ing cards.
In vain he bribed the guard, who
offered to do his best; but the hu-
man contents of a channel passenger
night in the quaint French port, and
the Paris-bound train was already
full.
The best Neeland could do was to
he interrupted conversation between
three men who turned sullen heads
to look at him, reSenting in silence
the intrusion. One of them was the
foX-faced man he had already noticed
on the packet, tender, and customs
dock.
Eut Neeland, whose sojourh in a
raw and mannerless metropolis had
not blotted out all memory of gentler
cosmopolitan conventions, lifted his
hat and srnilingly excused his intru-
sion IN the fluent and agreeable
French of student days, before he
noticed that he hau to do with men
of his own race.
lutte; one of them merely emitted an
irritated grunt, and Neeland recog-
nized that they all must be his own
delightful countrymen-for even the
British are more dignified in their
stolidity.
A second glance satisfied him that
all three were undoubtedly Ameri
cans the cut of thelr straw hats and
apparel distinguished them as such;
the nameless grace of Mart, Haffner
have manufactured such headgear;
only New York such footwear.
And Neeland looked at them once
more and understood that, Broadway
itself sat there in front Of him, pasty,
close-shaven, furtive, submerged, the
New York Paris Herald in it's seal,
ringed fingers; it's fancy wa;stcoat
pockets bullying with cigars.
and sp Gtded he 70 th @afa6 to ncognto
and pass as a Frenchman, if neces-
sary, to escape conversation with the
three tired-eyed ones.
So he hung up mis- hat, opened his
novel, and settled back to endure the
trip through the rain, now beginning
to fall from a low-sagg1ng cloud of
WaterY grey.
After a few minutes the train NOV
complished his duties. Neeland in
whether there was any political news.
and the guard replied politely that
he knew of none. But he looked very
serious when he SAID 1t.
Half an hour from the coast the
rain dWindled to a rainbow and ceaS-
ed; and presently a hot sun was gild-
ing wet green fields and hedges and
glistening roofs which steamed vapor
from every wet tile.
without asking anybody's opinion
one of the men opposite raised the
window But Neeland did not OBJ
ject; the rain-washed air was dele
elbow on his chair arm and looked
out across the loveliest land in Eu-
Hsay, friend" said an East Side
voice at his elbow, docs smoking
go?"
He glanced back over his shoulder
at the speaker-a little, pallid. sour
faced man with the features of
sick circus clown and eyes like two
holes burnt in lm be Of sd do %oev
Cant you even pick a Frenchman,
Benz" sneered one of the men op
posite-a square, smoothly shaver
man with slow, heavy-lidded eyes of
a greenish tinge.
The foX-faced man said:
He had me fooled, too Eddie. II
Ben Stull didn't get his number it
don't surprise me none, becuz he was
on the damn boat I crossed in, and
I certainly picked him for New
York"
"Aw," said the pasty-faced little
man referred to as Ben Stull, Eddie
knows it all. He never makes no
breaks, of course. You make 'em.
Doc, but he doesn't. That's why me
and him and you is travelling here
this minute-because the great Ed
die Brandes never makes no
breaks"