swindle is by an American girl worked. She tells you that her money from her room in your hotel stolen is. Then will she a few days more to stay attempt, or money to borrow… So! That has already yourself befallen. … No, unfortunately is there nothing to do. It is impossible the untruthfulness of her story to prove. You must however no compensation pay; and if you her room engaged anнnounce, will you surely less money lose.”
Simon finished his dressing in an aura of silent laughter, and went out to lunch.
He was scanning a magazine in his room about four o’clock when another knock came on his door and the girl walked in. She looked pale and tired; but the Saint hardened his heart. Even the spectacle of his attire could only rouse her to a faint spark of sarcasm.
“Have you joined the boy scouts or something?” she asked.
Simon turned his eyes down to his brown knees unнabashed.
“I’m going down to Innsbruck and up over the Brenner Pass into Italy. Tramping about over a lot of dreary roads and sleeping in ditches-all that sort of thing. It’s one of the most beautiful trips in the whole world, and the only way you can get the best out of it is on foot. I’m catching a train to Lenggries at five, and starting from there early tomorrow morning-that cuts out the only dull part. What luck have you had?””
None at all.” The girl flung herself into a chair. “I’d never have believed anything could have been so hopeless. My God, the way I’ve been looked at today, you might think I was some kind of crook! I went to the bank. Yes, they’d be delighted to get in touch with my bank in Boston, but they couldn’t do anything till they had a reply. How long would it take? Four days at least. And what was I going to do till then? The manager didn’t know, but he shrugged his shoulders as if he thought I’d be lucky to stay out of jail that long. Then I went to the consulate. The consul’s eyes were popping out of his head almost as soon as I’d begun to tell him the trouble. If the bank was willing to cable Boston for me, what was the trouble? I told him I couldn’t go without eating for four days. He said he was only authorized to allow me fifty cents a day and send me home. I asked him what he thought I could eat for fifty cents, and he bawled me out! He said I was a disgrace to the country, and an American citizen had no business to be abroad without any means of support, and if he shipped me home I’d go straight to jail when I landed. And then he showed me the door. I’ve never been so humiliated in my life! If I don’t get that consul fired out of the service—”
“But surely you can stay on here till some money arнrives?” suggested the Saint ingenuously.
“Not a chance. I’ve just seen the manager. He said as much as he could without insulting me openly-told me he would require my room by seven o’clock if I couldn’t pay him up to date by that time.”
“Distinctly awkward,” remarked Simon judicially.
The girl bit her lip.
“I-I’ve got to do something,” she stammered. “I don’t know how to say it-I hate asking you, after all this-but I’ve got to have something to see me through till the bank gets a reply from Boston, and they can’t do that till after the week-end. Or when Jack gets to Innsbruck about Tuesday-I can send a wire to him there. I-I know I’m practically a stranger, but if you could lend me just enough—”
“My dear,” said the Saint blandly, “I should be delighted. But I haven’t got it to lend.”
Her eyes opened wide.
“You haven’t got it?”
He spread out a brown hand.
“Take a look. My luggage went off in advance this afterнnoon. All I’m going to need-toothbrush and towel and blankets-is in my rucksack. My bill here is paid, and I’ve got about forty marks in my belt-enough to buy food and beer. I can’t get any more till I get to Bolzano. I couldn’t even send you on to Innsbruck-the third-class fare for one is about fifteen
Simon finished his dressing in an aura of silent laughter, and went out to lunch.
He was scanning a magazine in his room about four o’clock when another knock came on his door and the girl walked in. She looked pale and tired; but the Saint hardened his heart. Even the spectacle of his attire could only rouse her to a faint spark of sarcasm.
“Have you joined the boy scouts or something?” she asked.
Simon turned his eyes down to his brown knees unнabashed.
“I’m going down to Innsbruck and up over the Brenner Pass into Italy. Tramping about over a lot of dreary roads and sleeping in ditches-all that sort of thing. It’s one of the most beautiful trips in the whole world, and the only way you can get the best out of it is on foot. I’m catching a train to Lenggries at five, and starting from there early tomorrow morning-that cuts out the only dull part. What luck have you had?””
None at all.” The girl flung herself into a chair. “I’d never have believed anything could have been so hopeless. My God, the way I’ve been looked at today, you might think I was some kind of crook! I went to the bank. Yes, they’d be delighted to get in touch with my bank in Boston, but they couldn’t do anything till they had a reply. How long would it take? Four days at least. And what was I going to do till then? The manager didn’t know, but he shrugged his shoulders as if he thought I’d be lucky to stay out of jail that long. Then I went to the consulate. The consul’s eyes were popping out of his head almost as soon as I’d begun to tell him the trouble. If the bank was willing to cable Boston for me, what was the trouble? I told him I couldn’t go without eating for four days. He said he was only authorized to allow me fifty cents a day and send me home. I asked him what he thought I could eat for fifty cents, and he bawled me out! He said I was a disgrace to the country, and an American citizen had no business to be abroad without any means of support, and if he shipped me home I’d go straight to jail when I landed. And then he showed me the door. I’ve never been so humiliated in my life! If I don’t get that consul fired out of the service—”
“But surely you can stay on here till some money arнrives?” suggested the Saint ingenuously.
“Not a chance. I’ve just seen the manager. He said as much as he could without insulting me openly-told me he would require my room by seven o’clock if I couldn’t pay him up to date by that time.”
“Distinctly awkward,” remarked Simon judicially.
The girl bit her lip.
“I-I’ve got to do something,” she stammered. “I don’t know how to say it-I hate asking you, after all this-but I’ve got to have something to see me through till the bank gets a reply from Boston, and they can’t do that till after the week-end. Or when Jack gets to Innsbruck about Tuesday-I can send a wire to him there. I-I know I’m practically a stranger, but if you could lend me just enough—”
“My dear,” said the Saint blandly, “I should be delighted. But I haven’t got it to lend.”
Her eyes opened wide.
“You haven’t got it?”
He spread out a brown hand.
“Take a look. My luggage went off in advance this afterнnoon. All I’m going to need-toothbrush and towel and blankets-is in my rucksack. My bill here is paid, and I’ve got about forty marks in my belt-enough to buy food and beer. I can’t get any more till I get to Bolzano. I couldn’t even send you on to Innsbruck-the third-class fare for one is about fifteen
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