The Firefly of France

wished for solitude. With great trouble and pains I had ferreted out a single vacant compartment; but as four o'clock sounded

rcom, my late fellow-voyager, and he accept

lad to see you-but you're about the last man that I was looking for

n once stood my friend. He had offered me a timely warning, which I had flouted; he had obligingly confirmed my statement in my grueling third degree. Yet

iled to ruffle him. He had hung up his overcoat and installed himsel

pretty tight corner, eh? You can't say it was my fault, either; I'd have put you wise if you'd listened. But yo

umpy comment, which he unexpectedly chose to accept as an a

. Next time you won't be so easy caught, I guess. It makes a man do some thinking when h

't hunting sympathy,-"considering all the cir

"But I guess you weren't hunting for a chance to spend tw

here, I don't enjoy this subject! Suppose we drop it. The fact is, I've never understood why you came to my rescue on that occasion, you didn't

You didn't break any bones when you strafed me, and anyhow, I felt so

red voyage his words recalled to me, breathed the close smothering air of the cabin that had held me prisoner, tasted the knowledge that I was watched like any thief. An arme

ng through dark chestnut forests toward the heights. Confound Van Blarcom's reminiscences a

es and bright, blue waters, purple hills, and white-walled cities, and fishing boats with patched, gaudy sails and dark-complexioned crews. Then Genoa rose from the sea, tier after tier of pink a

their minds as the probable next President of the United States. Thanks to these exaggerations and to various confirmatory cablegrams-Dunny had plainly set the wires humming on receiving my S.O.S.,-I found myself a free man, at price of putting my signature to a statement of it all. I shook

on. "Oh, I don't expect you to admit it-no man ever did that. But you wait

ssured me that the next time I brought the Huns' papers across the ocean I might extricate myself without his assistance from what migh

g scanter, were replaced by dark firs and pines. Streams came winding down like icy crystal threads; the little rivers we crossed looked blue and glacial; pale-pink roses and mountain flowers showed themselv

d, once ashore? The thought of her stung my vanity almost beyond endurance. She had pleaded with me that night, swayed against me trusti

't lie to a king's officer or help treasonable plots. Yet had I not done just those things by my sile

paper into a corner, and becoming aware too la

say," I explained savagely. "This mountain trav

om. "Specially if you're not feeling overpleased

ot worth while, I decided, to quarrel with the fellow, to break his head or to give him the chance of breaking mine. After all, I thought low-spiritedly, what right had

. Followed by Van Blarcom and preceded by our porters, I strolled in leisurely fashion towards the customs shed. The air was clear, chilly, invigorating; snowy peaks were thick and near. And the scene wa

w at this juncture

ring, "look over there, will yo

shed, just visible between rows of trunks piled mountain high, stood Miss Es

, all together like this? Well, I guess she won't have to call a policeman to stop you

on him; the coincide

u following that young lady? Is

her from the time we docked till this minute; never wante

l of information about her on the ship. Yet when that affair occurred at Gibraltar, you were as

e, Mr. Bayne. You're no fool. You put two and two together quick enough to know darned well who plant

hat he was a pale little runt of a German, pretending to be a

k on Van Blarcom and went to stand in line before a door which harbored, I was told, a spec

ited the vise that Jack Herriott had secured for me at Genoa, and was welcomed to the land. Then I stepped forth on

y heart. There was one thing to be said for this Miss Falconer-she had courage. She was pressing on to French soil withou

was playing. This little Alpine town, high among the peaks, surrounded by pines and snow, had been a setting for tragedies since the war began. These territorials with their muskets were not me

the thing twice, knowing as I did her charm, her beauty, her air of proud, spirited graciousness-all the tools that equipped her. I couldn't

stepped in front of

surprise, Miss