The Glenwood post., 1924-08-21
Chapter II

The two young men adopted charac-
teristic attitudes when confronted
with the slight misadventure of a
burst tire and delay Of half an
hour. Christopher Bent deliberately
filled and Lit pipe, and, seating him.
self on the top of low, gray stone
wall, gave himself up to the Joy of a
wonderful view and the pleasure of
unusual surroundings. His compan-
ion. Gerald Dombey, stood peevishly
in the middle Of the road, with his
hands in his pockets, cursing the flint
strewn road, the rottenness of all
motor tires. and the evil chance which
led to this mishap in the last lap of
their journey.
well be on the road again in
twenty minutes, your lordship," the
chauffeur promised, as he paused for
moment to wipe the perspira,ion
from his forehead.
His master nodded with some signs
of returning equanimity.
Don't distress yourself, John" he
said. "There's no real hurry so long
as we get into Monte Carlo before
dark. Come on, Christopher" he
added, turning to his companion. 'Get
of that wall and let us explore"
The two young men strolled on to.
gether. Gerald paused to point to
the little, discolored house Of Jean
Sargot.
Are they real people who live In
these quaint cottages?" he speculated
''That place. for instance, looks like
toy farm, with its patch of violets
its tiny vineyard, its belt of plowed
land and this little grove of Expresses
1t Is just as though some child had
taken them all from his play box and
laid them out there"
Christopher withdrew the pipe from
his mouth for a moment. He wa.
looking at the opening in the littll
grove Of expresses.
"And there" he murmured, "must
be the child to whom they all belong
! think you are right, Gerald. There
is something unreal about the place.
Gerald, too, was suddenly conscious
of the girl who stood clutching the
top Of the wooden gate, her face
! turned little away from them, alb
sorbed in the contemplation Of that
distant spot where the road vanished
in a faint haze Of blue mist.
1--WE will talk to her. he declared
You shall practice your French upol
this little rustic, Chris. She prob
ably won't be able to understand ,
word you say"
At the. sound of their voices, MyYtfi,
turned her head, and, at the thing
which they saw in her face, ther,
was no longer any thought Of frivol
GUS conversation on the part Of tn,
two young men. They stood for
moment indeed, speechless, Chris
topher spellbound, Gerald, of quicke
sensibility, carried for moment In
to the world from which she SCENE,
to have fallen. Then his old habit
asserted themselves. She was a
beautiful as an angel, but her fee
were on the ground, and she was oh
viously in Distress.
Are you alive, mademoiseller b.
asked, raising his cap.
But certainly, monsieur" she ar
swered gravely. II am alive but yer
unhappy
You can tell us, perhaps, the wa
to Cannes7" Christopher inquired.
She pointed to where the thin rit
bon Of road in the distance seemed {
melt into the bosom of the clouds.
Cannes is over there, monsieur,
she said, "and there is no other roa
snve this one"
"You go there. often, perhhpsi
Christopher ventured. af
II have never been there. monsieur,
she answered, with her eyes fixe
upon Gerald. might after nigh
when my work Is done. come hsz
and I watch the road Just where
fades away, but I have never travels