That poor girl is having the deuce of a time." "D.V.," who knew "everybody" in California, and all their secrets, shook his head.

"'Fraid not.

The French maid told the floor valet that although the father was American--from New England somewheres--and the girl born in California, accidentally as it were, she had lived in France all her life--she's just eighteen--never crossed the ocean before.

Can you beat it?
Until last month, and then they came from Hong Kong--taking a trip round the world in good old style.

The madame, who scarcely opens her month, did condescend to tell me that she had admired California very much when she was here before, and intended to travel all over the state.
Perhaps I met her in that far off long ago, for I was managing a hotel in San Francisco about that time, and her face haunts me somehow--although when features get all swallowed up by fat like that you can't locate them.