He hastened up the stairs and burst into the room, but found only the chambermaid, who was cleaning up.
"Hello," he exclaimed, half to himself, "has Carrie gone ?" "Your wife?
Yes, she went out just a few minutes ago." "That's strange," thought Drouet.

"She didn't say a word to me.

I wonder where she went ?" He hastened about, rummaging in his valise for what he wanted, and finally pocketing it.

Then he turned his attention to his fair neighbor, who was good-looking and kindly disposed towards him.
"What are you up to ?" he said, smiling.
"Just cleaning," she replied, stopping and winding a dusting towel about her hand.
"Tired of it ?" "Not so very." "Let me show you something," he said, affably, coming over and taking out of his pocket a little lithographed card which had been issued by a wholesale tobacco company.

On this was printed a picture of a pretty girl, holding a striped parasol, the colors of which could be changed by means of a revolving disk in the back, which showed red, yellow, green, and blue through little interstices made in the ground occupied by the umbrella top.
"Isn't that clever ?" he said, handing it to her and showing her how it worked.