dreaded another display of active sympathy on the part of my strange
companion; I have often felt sorry myself for the porters of hotels, but I
have never thought of offering to help them handle the heavy trunks that
they manage.

The Altrurian was delighted with the hotel; and in fact it did look
extremely pretty, with its branching piazzas full of well-dressed people,
and its green lawns where the children were playing. I led the way to the
room which I had taken for him next my own; it was simply furnished, but
it was sweet with matting, fresh linen, and pure whitewashed walls. I
flung open the window-blinds and let him get a glimpse of the mountains
purpling under the sunset, the lake beneath, and the deeply foliaged
shores.

"Glorious! glorious!" he sighed.

"Yes," I modestly assented. "We think that's rather fine." He stood
tranced before the window, and I thought I had better say: "Well, now I
can't give you much time to get the dust of travel off; the dining-room
doors close at eight, and we must hurry down."

"I'll be with you in a moment," he said, pulling off his coat.

I waited impatiently at the foot of the stairs, avoiding the question I
met on the lips and in the eyes of my acquaintance. The fame of my
friend's behavior at the station must have spread through the whole place;
and everybody wished to know who he was. I answered simply he was a
traveler from Altruria; and in some cases I went further and explained
that the Altrurians were peculiar.