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- A DREADFUL TEMPTATION. 59
~ gentleman to yield to this wicked whisper of the evil one,
‘groaned very loudly instead.
‘‘'Then what the deuce am I to do?” he inquired, as much —
of himself as of the two fishermen. ‘‘ How: am I -to get
-.- away from this spot of wet sand? Where am I to. go?”
. The peasants scrutinized him as stupidly as before, and
‘to all of these questions answered flatly that they did nct
~_ know, indeed.
. Howard thought within himself that the proverbial po-
liteness of the French was greatly tempered by stupidity in
this case.
‘* Well, then,” he inquired next, ‘‘is there any kind of
8 hotel around here?”
‘Yes, there was such a place,” they informed him, read-
- ily; and Howard at once begged them: to summon aid and
~ construct a litter for him, promising to reward them liber-
ally if they would carry him to the hotel.
old—that magic ‘‘open sesame” to every heart—pro-
~ cured him ready and willing attention.
~ It-was but a short while before he found himself in toler-
ably comfortable quarters at the rude hotel of the fishing
village, and obsequiously waited upon by the single Escu-
Japius the place afforded. . \
oward’s sprain was pronounced very severe indeed. It
was so painful that he could not walk wpon it at all; and
was ordered to strict confinement to his couch for three
‘davs.
‘*A fine prospect, by Jove!’ Howard commented, dis-
contentedly. ‘‘ WhatamI to do shut up here three days
in solitary confinement? and what will those poor women
do over yonder with not a single masculine soul to turn to
in. their helplessness? Not that they wish my help, of
course, but I had meant to offer it to them all the same if
there was anything I could have done,” he added, grimly,
to his own self.
The three days dragged away very drearily. On the
fourth day Howard availed himself of the aid of a crutch
and got into the little public room of the hotel.
Among the few idlers that were gathered about in
little friendly groups, he saw a rather intelligent-looking
fisherman going from one to another with a small slip of
paper in his hand.
As they read it some shook their heads, and some dived
into their pockets and brought forth a few pence, which
they dropped into,the fisherman’s extended palm.
Howard was quite curious by the time his turn came.
He took the paper in‘his hand and found it to be an hum-
ble petition for charity, which duly set forth:
‘WHEREAS, an unknow woman lies ill of a fever ata