"They must be taken charge of," said the mayor; "but we will look over them first. Did he tell you who he was?"
"The passport discloses that," answered Roland; "he desired only a decent funeral."
"Ah!" said the mayor, taking out the passport, "an English traveller; name Roland Sefton; and these letters, and these portraits—they will be enough for identification."
"He said he had no friends or family in England," pursued Roland, "and there is no address among his letters. He told me he came from India."
"Then there need be no delay about the interment," remarked the mayor, "if he had no family in England, and was just come from India. Bah! we could not keep him till any friends came from India. It is enough. We must make an inquiry; but the corpse cannot be kept above ground. The interment may take place as soon as you please, Monsieur."
"I suppose you will wish for some trifle as payment?" said the landlord, addressing Roland.
"No," he answered, "I only watched by him through the night; and I am but a passing traveller like himself."
"You will assist at the funeral?" he asked.
"If it can be to-morrow," replied Roland; "if not I must go on to Lucerne. But I shall come back to Engelberg. If it be necessary for me to stay, and the commune will pay my expenses, I will stay."
"Not necessary at all," said the mayor; "the accident is too simple, and he has no friends. Why should the commune lose by him?"