ials. In an instant my hand was upon
my pocket-book, only to find that I had neglected to take my passport
from my valise.

The embarrassment of the situation flashed upon me, and my troubled
countenance revealed to my companion that something unusual had
occurred. I answered her inquiring look by saying that I had left my
passport in Geneva. Her immediate sympathy was only equaled by her
evident alarm. She said there was but one thing to be done--return
instantly for it. I fully agreed with her, but found, to my dismay,
upon consulting a guide-book, that our train was an express, which did
not stop before reaching Belgarde, the frontier-town.

I would willingly have pulled the bell-rope had there been any, and
stopped the train at any cost, but it was impossible, and nothing
remained but to sit quietly while I was relentlessly hurried into the
very jaws of the French officials. The misery of the situation was
aggravated by the fact that I could not command enough French to
explain how I came to be traveling without a passport. As a last
resort, I applied to my friend, begging her to explain to the officer
at the custom-house that I was a citizen of the United States, and had
left my passport in Geneva. This she readily promised to do, although
I could see that she had but little faith in the result. After a ride
of an hour, during which my reflections were none of the pleasantest,
we arrived at Belgarde. Here the doors of the railway carriages were
thrown open, and we were politely requested to alight. We stepped
out upon a platform swarming with fierce gendarmes, whom I regarded
attentively, wondering which of them was destined to become my
protector. From the platform we were ushered into a large room
communicating by a narrow passage with a second room, into which our
baggage was being carried. One by one my fellow-passengers approached
the narrow and (to me) gloomy passage and presented their passports.
These were closely scanned by the officer in charge, handed to an
assistant to be countersigned, and the holder, all being right, was
passed into the second room. Our turn soon came, and, accompanied by
the English lady, I approached my fate.

Her passport was declared to be official, and handing it back
the officer looked inquiringly at me. My friend then began her
explanation. As I stood attentively regarding the officer's face, I
could see his puzzled look change into one of comprehension, and
then of amuseme