Max

setting sun-open doors-an ancient coach disgorging its passengers! This-or, perhaps, some quay alive with sound and movement-cr

often loverless, often demanding from the secret soul of the adventurer spirit and inspiratio

o its recesses, waking strange and hollow echoes, the long sweep of the platform brought a shudder to more than one tired mind. A string of sleepy porters-gray

thrust through the windows, wraps and hand-bags passed out to the shadowy, mysterious porters who recei

rthodox way. The tall American stretched his long limbs and groaned wearily as he got his belongings to

d. "Paris on a wet day is like

The man called Blake pushed him quietly aside and, stepping t

ne remembered the fourth occupant of the carriage, for, being relieved of his bag, he turned with his hand

t a porter?

at. For one moment he seemed to sway between two impulses, then, with a n

not need a porter. I have no luggage-but this." He rose, as if to pr

he young figure so plainly clad, so aloof, stood out with sharp appeal in the grayness and unreality of the dawn. A feeling that was neither curiosity nor pity, and yet savored of both, urged him to further speech.

d in the easy, impersonal way that spoke his na

ok of suspicion akin to fear-leaped up, but on the moment it was conquered. The wel

ou ask, m

ped, the tone proud

reply truthfully, but Blake was an I

simply, "because

s mobile face. A spirit of raillery gleamed

ld, mo

ke anew. He laughed involuntarily w

n?-seve

l smiling, sh

gain, mo

hing magnetic-some force that drew and held him. A quality intangible and indescribable seemed to emanat

ghed once more, with a c

voice was borne back on the damp, c

e! For the Lord's s

mpanionship passed. Blake drifted towa

ch unit that composed it glancing involuntarily into the empty carriages that he passed-the carriages that, in their dimmed light, their airlessness, their débris of papers, seemed to be a reflection of his own exhausted condi

ed, glanced at where McCutcheon and the Englishman were talking to their porters, then tu

e awakening crowd, conveyed by the jostli

esponse to his original impulse.

cret emotion burning in

e quite

mons

ou here-to pla

ense with warranty in a manner unknown to other men. It

nce showed itself

lay, monsieur," he answered, g

-strange in its grave sincerity, stra

child!" he cried,

ure stiffened, the proud loo

an you think-and very independent. I have

e bowed with easy foreign grace, raised his fur cap, a

, swinging body were but a memory; then he turned with a start, as a hand was laid upon

d are you doing? Not day-dreami

. "I was watching that young Russian stalk

ha

ly, what type of individual and what particular pro

ven the moment of conception, but the moment of first accomplishment, when the adventu

gh its open doorways; but had the whole world laughed him a welcome, the young Russian's step could not have been more elastic, his cou

re, and only an occasional street lamp gave challenge to the gloomy dawn. The damp mist that all night had enshrouded Paris still clung about the streets like ragged grave-clothes, and at the edge of the pavement half a dozen fiacres were ranged in a melancholy line, th

f this wayfaring boy could possibly have looked undaunted at the shabby streets with their flaunting travesty of joy exhib

eadfastness that seemed to say, "Yes, I see you! You are hideous, slatternly, unfriendly; but through all the dis

ened upon his valise, his body braced itself afresh, and, as if resigning himself finally to chanc

d to procure him a fiacre; but the boy's shake of the head was determined, and, crossing the road, he turned

rn of absolute uncertainty. Onward he went, without pause, until the pavement was intersected b

own? Again his head went up, again his shoulders stiffened, and, smiling to himsel

entirely undistinguished; there is nothing to recommend it save perhaps an air of privacy, a certain insignifi

lries that front the station. He looked at it long and meditatively, then very slowly and thoughtfully he walked to the end of the street. At the end of the str

hotel-to see daring or to see danger-but the boy's heart was beating fast as the glass door swung b

ehind a small partition, half counter, half desk, a wan and sleepy-looking man was cowering over a stove. As the boy entered

ay, mon

rt. There was greeting in the tone. He moistened his lips, which felt dry as

sieur! I requi

sed over his visitor's clothes and the valise in his hand. "We can give you a mos

o little?" he exclaimed. Then, covered with confusion, he

was more than monsieur cared to pay, then for three francs there was a most charming, a most agreeable room on the fifth floor. True

epeated again that five francs was out of the question, and that, without giving himself the trou

to interest in this princely transaction, disappeared from behind the counter into the bac

by a large and amiable individual in a dirty blue bl

uld intrust his bag

Jean stepped forward, pleased and self-conscious, and took th

o the pallid clerk and to the dirty hotel porter. He had arrived here without luggage, shabby, unrecommended, yet no princely compatriot of his own could have been made more sen

el Railleux. At the back of the hall the spiral staircas

ught could pass through monsieur's mind the fifth floor would be reached. The boy followed, climbing and ever climbing, until the meagre hand-rail appear

hed, and Jean, beaming and tri

ngle flickering gas-jet, twin brother to that which lighted the office below; and, still eager, still breathing loudly, he ushered the guest

oors and sleeping passages. One sign of humanity-and one alone-came to his senses with a suggestion of sordid drama. On the floor, a

He turned away with a sense of sharp disgust and almost ran down the corri

Railleux, working as six men and six women together would not have worked in the fashionable

den bedstead loomed out of all proportion. His movements were hasty, as though

e!" he said. "And-an

drew back the heavy cretonne curtains, and threw open the long window, admitt

epths of gloom, at the bottom of which could be discerned a small flagged co

tor's face, broke forth an

! But, naturally, it was not the street! Now

tainly not. The view was of no con

f put clean sheets on it that day?' He turned from the window, and with the hand of an expert disp

r would sleep until déjeuner? A most excellent déjeune

t had long ago bred this good creature. Suddenly the exhaustion of the long journey, the sleep so

he said, abruptly. "Leave me. I ha

ible thing!" With a touch as light as a woman's his work-worn fingers smoothed the pillow invitingl

ing his gaze toward the unpromising bed with an indescribable longing. Mechanically, as the door closed, he threw off his heavy overcoat, kicked off his high boots, disca

able heaviness. The sheets were coarse, the multitudinous clothes were weighty without being warm, but no prince on his bed of roses ever rested with more luxu

yes travelled round the dark room until at last they rested upon his clothes lying, as he had thrown them, on the floor. He looked at them-the boots, the coat and trousers, the heavy overcoat-and suddenly

n, stooped, and, picking up the overcoat, dived his hand into the deep pocke

ce he looked at it, seemingly lost in reflection; once or twice he turned it about in his hand as if to make certain it was intact; then, with a deep sigh i