Part 11 (1/2)

Ia candle

'Your rae, isn't there?' I spoke in ue since I crossed the frontier

'The village is five minutes off at the foot of the avenue,' he said 'Will you be long, sir?'

'I'll be back in a quarter of an hour,' I said 'Don't lock up till I get in'

I put onI left lying on a settle in the hall There was nothing in it to coot a toothbrush and soan one of the craziest escapades you can well iine I couldn't stop to think of the future yet, but must take one step at a ti on the hard snow, planning hard e-half a dozen houses with one biggish place that looked like an inn The , and as I approached I saw that there was so before the door, and I guessed this was also the telegraph office

I marched in and told my story to a stout wo man

'It is too late,' she shook her head 'The Herr Burgrave knows that well There is no connection froo to Schwandorf'

'How far is that?' I asked, looking for soet decently out of the shop

'Seven on Franz, you will be glad to give the gentle youthwhich I took to be assent, and finished off a glass of beer From his eyes and manner he looked as if he were half drunk

I thanked the woman, and went out to the car, for I was in a fever to take advantage of this unexpected bit of luck I could hear the post-, and presently he came out and flopped into the driver's seat We started in a series of voluptuous curves, till his eyes got accusto the straight, broad highway lined oods on one side and on the other snowy fields an to talk, and, as he talked, he slowed down This by no means suited my book, and I seriously wondered whether I should pitch hi He was obviously a weakling, left behind in the conscription, and I could have done it with one hand But by a fortunate chance I left him alone

'That is a fine hat of yours, mein Herr,' he said He took off his own blue peaked cap, the uniforon, and laid it on his knee The night air ruffled a shock of tow-coloured hair

Then he calmly tookI should be a gentle, but put on his cap and waited

'That is a noble overcoat, oes ith the hat It is the kind of garment I have always desired to own In two days it will be the holy Christood God sent me such a coat as yours!'

'You can try it on to see how it looks,' I said good-humouredly

He stopped the car with a jerk, and pulled off his blue coat The exchange was soon effected He was about ht, and my ulster fitted not so badly I put on his overcoat, which had a big collar that buttoned round the neck

The idiot preened hiirl Drink and vanity had primed him for any folly He drove so carelessly for a bit that he nearly put us into a ditch We passed several cottages and at the last he slowed down