eral hundred feet
below and a mile away, crawling along a road of white tape with a green
selvage of trees, the governor's glazed trunk flashing behind, Baeader's
silk hat burning in front. Then the little insect stopped at a white spot
backed by dots of green; a small speck broke away, and was swallowed up
for a few minutes in the white dot,--doubtless Baeader to parley for
rooms,--and then to my astonishment the whole insect turned and began
crawling back again, growing larger every minute. All this occurred before
I had half finished my outline or opened my color-box. Instantly the truth
dawned upon me,--the governor was going back to Parame. An hour, perhaps,
had elapsed when Baeader, with uncovered head and beaded with perspiration,
the two locks of hair hanging limp and straight, stood before me.

"What was the matter with the governor, Baeader? No hotel after all?"

"On the contraire, pardonnez-moi, monsieur, a most excellent hotel, simple
and quite of ze people, and with many patrons. Even at ze moment of
arrival a most distinguished artist, a painter of ze Salon, was with his
cognac upon a table at ze entrance."

"No bath, perhaps," I remarked casually, still absorbed in my work, and
with my mind at rest, now that Baeader remained with me.

"On the contraire, monsieur, les bains are most excellent--primitive, of
course, simple, and quite of ze people. But, monsieur le gouverneur is no
more young. When one is no more young,"--with a deprecating
shrug,--"parbleu, it is imposseeble to enjoy everything. Monsieur le
gouverneur, I do assure you, make ze conclusion most regretfully to return
to Parame."

I learned the next morning that he evinced every desire to drown Baeader in
the surf for bringing him to such an inn, and was restrained only by the
knowledge that I should miss his protection during my one night in
Cancale.

"Moreover, it is ze grande fete to-night--ze fete of ze Republique. Zare
are fireworks and illumination and music by ze municipality. It is simple,
but quite of ze people. It is for zis reason that I made ze effort special
with monsieur le gouverneur to remain with you. Ah! it is you, monsieur,
who are so robust, so enthusiastic, so appreciative."

Here Baeader put on his hat, and I closed my sketch-trap.

"But monsieur has not yet dined," he said as we walked, "nor even at his
hotel arrived. Ze inn of Mme. Flamand is so very far away, and ze ascent
up ze cliffs difficile. If monsieur wil