Evening star., 1922-05-21
Secret of the Death Doctor By vii


TIN the course Of constant wander
ing to and fro over Europe
. have made msny aceuaintances
people Of both sexes and OF all
nationalities. have good friends
who wear clothes Of reindeer skin
and live in tents a thousand miles
north Of the arctic circle. and have
friends equally as good. black-faced
fellows, who live on the Nile-bank
near Khartum. I have hundreds OF
acquaintance whom I have met while
travelling, but one Of them stands
out in my memory because OF certain
dramatic happenings.
was one night stao0ing beside
the Sud express in the cuai d'Orsay
station. in Paris. had secured my
sleeping berth. and had given over
to the conductor my ticket for Madrid
by way Of Bordeaux and Irun. There
did not appear to be many travellers.
for it was summer, and nobody goes
crossed to the bookstall to buy some
literature when I noticed beside me
a tall, MISUNDERSTANDING French
man with gray hair and a pair of
small piercing eyes. In his lapel he
wore the crimson button of the Legion
of Honor, and standing just behind
him was an elegantly dressed lady.
slightly older than himself, ap-
parently his wife.
They purchased several novels and
then walked together to the train.
They were ] at once saw, fellow
passengers.
At last the horn sounded and the
"a train moved off upon it's long
dusty journey. I did not see the
Franchman and his wife again that
night. but next morning at breakfast
they were given seats at my table
in the restaurant car. ana as was but
natural we began to chat. The man,
to my surprise. spoke perfect English.
Indeed. he had not the slightest trace
Of accent, though his wife was evil
IDENTIFY from Provence, judging by her
speech.
MY wife and 1 live in London"
he said. I'VE are just going on a
little trip through Spain and Portu-
gal We begin at Madrid and then
go on by way of valladolids Palencia.
Corunna and Monforte to Oporto,
afterward to Lisbon, and then back
to Madrid by way of Caceresi'
"A very nice round" / said. II was
over the ground once. You will see
lots of things of interest. although
the hotels in some of the places leave
much to be desired. But you'll both
enjoy it, if the weather is not too
hot"
Its never too hot for me-" he
laughed. II was in India for ten
years. and 1 can stand heat"
Then We ,chatted on about people
and places. Although he lived in
London. his wife spoke only a few
words of English.
I'VE have French servants" he re-
marked, so my wife always speaks
French"
Through the day. as we approached
the Spanish frontier. we met in the
corridor, and in the afternoon they
invited me into their compartment
for another chat.
We did not know each others
names. for 1 am not prone to giving
my card to strangers. Once 1 found
4 card of mine used for the purpose
of fraud A man. posing as myself.
Of h.
tanned a motor car from a dealer
In Bath, got clear away with 1t. and
nothing has been heard of him since!
Hence 1 seldom carry a card.
In the course of our conversation
as We sat together in the narrow
compartment, / discovered that the
man ] had taken to be a Frenchman
was a doctor practicing in London.
He had travelled extensively. That
was apparent from his conversation.
Once he had been a ships doctor
travelling to and fro between South
ampton and Japan.
"Ah those were the merriest days
I had" he declared. Now that
am married I have to settle down
ana " my ~ oSsiSS- -
Madame laughed. She had keen
sense of humor. and no doubt un-
derstood English well, though she
could not speak it. When ad-
dressed her 1 spoke in French.
MY curiosity was aroused as to
4'A why an Englishman-as he un-
doubtedly was-should take such
great care to pose as Frenchman.
L know that many people who travel
try to assume characters that are
fictitious. l have known clerks to
at winter sports in Switzerland. But
they do not do that at the Riviera,
as the cost of assuming the char
acter is too great.
Sornehow-how cannot tell-my
mind was exercised concerning the
pair in the hour I spent alone over
my book before dinner.
We had passed the frontier and
were we'll on our way into northern
Spain when, after most excellent
meal in the wagon-restaurant. wash
ed down with wholesome. Spanish
wine-now taken out of bond-we
sat over our coffee and cigarettes
watching the blazing sundown be-
hind the mountains.
my profession is one Of wearying
unrest he said presently. You
cannot know how delightful it is to
be unshackled-out of London. A