?" I had my Bradshaw
handy, and was following the time-table with my fingers.

"The 2.15?" The gleam of light went out entirely from his stolid face.
"I have an idea you are right, sir. You see the two boats come in so
near each other and lie at the same pier. I could easily make a
mistake between them."

"It is my firm belief," I said, utterly disgusted with the fellow, "my
firm belief that you have made a mistake all through. You never saw
the ladies at all, either of you." I turned upon the conductor with a
fierce scowl. "You are a rank humbug; you have taken my money under
false pretences. I've a precious good mind to report you to your
superiors, and insist upon your refunding the money. You've swindled
me out of it, thief and liar that you are."

"Come, come, don't speak so freely. My superiors will always listen
first to one of their own employes, and it will be awkward if I charge
you with obstructing an official and making false charges against
him."

Mine is a hasty temper; I am constrained to confess to a fault which
often stood in my way especially in my particular business. The
conductor's insolence irritated me beyond measure, and coming as it
did on the top of bitter disappointment I was driven into a deplorable
access of rage, which I shall always regret. Without another word I
rushed at him, caught him by the throat, and shook him violently,
throwing him to the ground and beating his head upon it savagely.

Help must have come to him very speedily and to good purpose, for I
soon found myself in custody, two colossal gendarmes holding me tight
on each side. I was quickly removed like any malefactor to the lock-up
in the town above, and was thus for the moment effectively precluded
from continuing my pursuit.

Law and order are not to be lightly trifled with in Switzerland, least
of all in the Canton de Vaud. I had been taken in the very act of
committing a savage assault upon an official in the execution of his
duty, which is true to the extent that every Swiss official conceives
it to be his duty to outrage the feelings and tyrannize over
inoffensive strangers.

The police of Lausanne showed me little consideration. I was not
permitted to answer the charge against me, but was at once consigned
to a cell, having been first searched and despoiled of all my
possessions. Among them was my knife and a pocket revolver I generally
carried, also my purse, my wallet with all my private papers, and my
h