The Argosy — page 51: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

38 The Night Boat from Boulogne. changed ; or else’ I Do you understand, Janet? I have lost the diamonds.” Before Janet could answer, the British father and his two daugh- ters came face to face with them. “Sir, have you got my black bag? I missed it soon after I reached the hall where they crammed us in for a quarter of an hour. These foolish officials would hardly let me out to look for it, but-—-— Good heavens, here it is! Bella, this gentleman is bringing it back. It contains many useful things for ———” “No, no,” said Janet, seeing Frank said nothing and allowed the bag to be taken from him. “If this is your bag, please give us back ours. It is exactly like it certainly, but ———” “My dear madam, I am sorry to say I did not take yours ; it may still be in the train, though I own I could not find it: I wish I could stop to help in the search, but we are in a great hurry. Bella, my dear, make haste; this terrible place is so bewildering, and these parleyvous € They were gone, and Frank and Janet stood silently leoking at each other. ‘Then a little sob from Janet told plainly how powerfully she too was affected. ‘Frank dear, make haste; it szs¢ be in the train; how strange the two bags were so much alike! Of course ours is there. Do come back.” “Hush,” said Frank, turning a face altered so terribly in its. expression that Janet trembled at the sight; ‘‘I feel quite bewildered, but we must act cautiously. I—-I ———” Now the pair were stopped by another official. ‘“What does monsieur want? no one goes back into the station. A bag lost—exchanged ? That’s a pity; there is nothing in the train. Come this way to the office. Or wait—it must be in the Custom House.” Now followed a long and weary tramping from one large room to another, but all the search was to end in disappointment. At last, acting more as if he were in a dream, Frank, having given a description of the missing article in three separate places, slowly walked out of the station, handed his wife into a cab and ordered the: man to drive to the Hotel Beaumont. Janet, after the first sentence, had never uttered a word; she too felt crushed; the misfortune was. really too great to be fully taken in. The Hotel Beaumont was near M. Durand’s business place, which: was in fact a flat in the Rue R—-—. Frank had already secured his. rooms, and now he was going there simply to think over what he ought to do. Not a word was spoken on the way there, and when the landlord came forward Frank merely said that he and his wife wanted nothing, but would rest before ordering a meal. At last the door was locked and for the first time Janet spoke. Her brown eyes seemed to express nothing but horror and misery, ECORNIELOOOKS () (eo)