le!" they cried breathlessly, just as
the young men had cried. "An enemy hath done this, Monsieur the
Inspector, and the enemy is represented by those three young men who
doubtless look upon it as a _petite plaisanterie_. But if there is law
in the land they shall suffer for it. It is nothing more or less than an
outrage to our feelings. In the meantime, Monsieur the Inspector, not to
delay the train, have the kindness to change back the labels to their
right positions, and put those three young men under the surveillance of
the guard."

"If it is the last word we ever speak we are guiltless in this matter,"
protested the young men. "Mephistopheles is no doubt on the platform in
disguise"--here we felt a nudge from H. C. and a whispered
"Complimentary!"--"but we beg to say that we are not Fausts, and we have
no reason to suppose these ladies are Marguerites."

The outraged ladies were absolutely speechless with anger; twice they
opened their mouths but no sound would come. And as the train was now
about to start, there was nothing for it but to re-enter their
compartment. The young men did likewise. The doors were closed. The
inspector tried to remove the offending labels. They would not budge. He
brought all his strength to bear upon them, but they were fixed as the
stars in their course. If Mephistopheles had been at work, he had done
his work well. The plaques might have been soldered in their sockets.
The inspector was guilty of language not quite parliamentary. He felt
mystified, baffled; the whole thing was inexplicable.

There came a cry down the platform: "En voiture, messieurs!" Our own
carriage was some way off; we went up and entered, hiring pillows for
the night. Final doors were slammed; the train moved off. And the ladies
were in a compartment labelled _For Smokers_, and the three young men
had to themselves the carriage _Pour Dames Seules_. They must have been
laughing immoderately, for the inspector shook his fist as they slowly
rolled away; and the shake said as plainly as though we had heard the
words: "There go the culprits! Ah, _scelerats!_ If I only had you now in
my grasp!" The young men must have interpreted the action in like
manner, for the window was suddenly put down and three hands waved him a
derisive farewell.

We rolled away in the darkness. The lights of Paris grew faint and
dreamy, then went out. All the old familiar landmarks were invisible,
and when we crossed the Seine not a star