第11部分(第3/8 頁)

ived　at　Cannes；　Katherine　got　out　and　walked　up　and　down　the　platform。　She　was　curious　about　the　lady　in　the　mink　coat；　and　looked　up　at　the　windows　of　her　partment。　The　blinds　were　still　drawn　down　…　the　only　ones　to　be　so　on　the　whole　train。　Katherine　wondered　a　little；　and　when　she　re…entered　the　train　she　passed　along　the　corridor　and　noticed　that　these　two　partments　were　still　shuttered　and　closed。　The　lady　of　the　mink　coat　was　clearly　no　early　riser。

Presently　the　conductor　came　to　her　and　told　her　that　in　a　few　minutes　the　train　would　arrive　at　Nice。　Katherine　handed　him　a　tip；　the　man　thanked　her；　but　still　lingered。

There　was　something　odd　about　him。　Katherine；　who　had　at　first　wondered　whether　the　tip　had　not　been　big　enough；　was　now　convinced　that　something　far　more　serious　was　amiss。　His　face　was　of　a　sickly　pallor；　he　was　shaking　all　over；　and　looked　as　if　he　had　been　frightened　out　of　his　life。　He　was　eyeing　her　in　a　curious　manner。　Presently　he　said　abruptly：　〃Madame　will　excuse　me；　but　is　she　expecting　friends　to　meet　her　at　Nice？〃

〃Probably；〃　said　Katherine。　〃Why？〃

But　the　man　merely　shook　his　head　and　murmured　something　that　Katherine　could　not　catch　and　moved　away；　not　reappearing　until　the　train　came　to　rest　at　the　station；　when　he　started　handing　her　belongings　down　from　the　window。

Katherine　stood　for　a　moment　or　two　on　the　platform　rather　at　a　loss；　but　a　fair　young　man　with　an　ingenuous　face　came　up　to　her　and　said　ra