The Four Corners Abroad

from her friend, Miss Selby, that the next week an acquaintance was going as far as Poitiers, and that there wo

rench fluently enough to get along perfectly, and I have several safe addresses which I can give them in case their train should be delayed, or in case their friend fails to arrive on time. I have an acquai

could not be persuaded to give her consent to the girls traveling any of the distance alone, but at last she yielded and wrote to M

take your luggage along with you and not to have to bother about street-cars or a

on this side the water which I claim are advances upon our system at home, and because I say so my friends often think I am unpatriotic. But n

d to be able to whisper together for Miss Cameron had a friend who was going as far as Orleans, and who share

ch, set upon a hill, looked picturesque and interesting as the trave

stically. "We must get some post-cards, Mary Lee, an

" said Mary Lee. "I know she is

?" asked M

e of a trip to Europe and has been with us right along." Nan gave

abroad and was enjoying it hugely. She was neither young nor beautiful, but had a way with her, Nan conf

Washington, and by the time they had learned all they wanted to know, the top of the hill was reached

ear the band. I'd like you to see something of the town before we leave to-morrow. There are two or three nice old

nt on. "It is perched so high and has an interesting air as if it had looked out of its windows and had seen things. Then the people ar

agree with you, for I haven't a doubt but that your impressions are correct. But here we

for them to find the way easily to the Parc de Blossac. They discovered this to be a pretty, restful spot, a

should have. To the consternation of all three it was ascertained that Miss Cameron, who was

e in the day, but as my friends, who are to meet me, will have to drive some dist

before we get on the train if it is the one for Biarritz, and there will

ee that it gets on all

ility that there should be no train before that hour. If my friends were near telegraph offices and such t

r protests that she must leave them to take care of themselves, and at last waved them a farewell from her car win

d each other, two strangers far from home an

tion for a mortal hour and a half?" asked

ptistry. We have seen the outside of St. Hilaire-le Grand, and the inside of St. Radegunde and Notre-Dame la-Grande. We have been

walk up that hil

ave been longing to go up on that nice craggy place and look down. When we get b

ned to the station and started toward the little stand where they had seen some post-cards. As Nan opened t

as the

ir toilet articles, Mary Lee watching her anxiously. "It's gone," she r

he hotel?" Mary Lee asked. "We could writ

wrist bag came unfastened; it caught in something. I shut it up without looking, but the pocketbook must have fallen out then, for it was right on top. Of course some

much mone

a check which I am to get Mr. Pinckney to have cashed for us, and if we need more it is to be s

and counted. "About ten

ubt but that at one of those places they would cash our check even if Mr. Pinckney should fail to meet us, so it isn't quite as bad as it might be." She spoke reassuringly, though she was in some doubt about the matter. "I am glad we have that c

he was always so absorbed in what was going on around her, and had not the exact and precise ways of her younger sister. Mary Lee would never have budged till she w

harply to see that the umbrellas and bags were not left, and followed the trunks till she saw

ed. All sorts of possibilities loomed up before them. Presently Nan said, "I wonder if we have

You do it, Nan; you are so much mor

t be made. "But it is in the same station," she told Mary Lee, "and our

hen we get to Biarritz," s

elegraphed to him as soon as we knew what train we should take. I had no idea that the train

ded. They ate their chocolate and rolls pensively, feeling rather ashamed at having so frugal a meal till they saw two of their

France, at least," Nan whispered. "You know the French are very frugal,

ary Lee kept very close to her tall sister as they stood waitin

by gave us," said Nan bravely, though feeling a s

nd a hearty voice called out, "There you are,

see us as we are to see you,

Pinckney told them; "but what can y

ee you, Mr. St. Nick. When I beheld your dear big round self coming toward

You don't mean to say y

turn out." She gave him an account of their journey ending with the tale of her lost pocketbook. "And so, you see," she said, "we were a li

Pinckney. "I ought to have

scare and not a real danger, you see, for we had a most quiet and uneventful jou

had been in arms

aid Mr. Pinckney. "Well, my dears, your rooms are all ready,

lores with you?

s nothing of a run there, you kn

they awoke in the morning full of enthusiasm, ready to enjoy the dainty breakfast prepared for them and served in loveliest of gardens. Mr. Pinckney would not hurry

ain used to come to see the queen when

re here now," r

re you leave Spain," Mr. Pinckney told

Doesn't that sound fasci

cinating to leave us?" said Mr.

want to be long away from you and dear Miss Do

more like it,

ay right in San Seb

re. You'd think there was never a mountain, a river, a valley, a field, a church or a house, a man, woman, or even a donkey that quite came up to those on Spanish soil. It is amusing, generally speaking, and I suppose it is what they mean by Spanish pride, but I get a trifle tired sometimes of the everlasting bombast, and have to do a little boasting on my own account th

first realized that they were really in Spain. "See that

it is cow-carts they have in Spain. Don't th

kney told her. "You will find that Spain

are in Spain. What a beautiful blue, blue sea, and how gay it looks on the Esplanade, do they

were not driving around the pretty town, they were walking on the Esplanade watching the crowds of people from everywhere, or they sat on the piazza and saw the gaily dressed guests

illages lay in valleys below. Corn-fields either side the road reminded them of their own Virginia. "It does me good to look

ey directed her attention to a monastery crowning a hill. "That w

very young I fe

declared Mr. Pinckney. "I am a mere in

nery; I don't wonder they boast of it. Now, it is like waltzing with Willy; we go round, around, around. Ah,

w-carts and donkeys, women carrying trays of fish or bread on their heads. Sometimes there will be a pair of wooden shoes on top of the fish and an umbrella on top of the shoes. Everything is carried up

n the brightly lighted streets, could hear the band play in the little park

A high wall surrounded the garden where flowers blossomed the year round. The bare floors were of oaken planks hewn by hand. Outside the windows the balconies bore hanging vines or boxes of pin

California," whispered

n. "California was Spani

er than Nan came down to meet them. "E ahm glahd to

knows. This is my cousin, Mercedes Cabrales," she went on, "and these," she spoke in Spanish, "are my

ls into a lofty room, rather scantily furnished but comfo

uld they know when to wait on the widest part of a narrow road till the cart coming in the opposite direction had passed? Isn't it all queer and different from anywhere else? There are two parrots next door; I hear them, and that must be a chapel where the little bell is hanging in the belfry. I love these balconi