The Osceola times., 1881-08-27

the gravel walk before him.
"Well, what is it about?" said Prethi-
baut.
Vaueiron paused awhile. "Well,"
said he, reluctantly, dts about my wife"
"Whal!" sad Prethibaut, already"
Come sad Vaugiron, impatient,y,
don't be getting any idotic ideas into
your head. have nothing to rcproach
her with"
"But you have something on your
mind"
"Yes, | have. am jealous
"Of Maurice Boisgibert."
"How do you know"
Il know, because have seen--"
'Seenl" shouted Vaueiron, bounding
from his seat. "Seenl seen! What have
YOU seenP'
Come, now" said Prethibaut, don't
be getting any idiotic notions into your
head. have seen nothing alarming. !
have seen, however, that that young
puppy, Boisgibert, is altogether too at
tentive TO your wife"
"Well, that's what ! wanted to speak
about. The fellow has presumed to ad-
dress some verses TO her"
"What are they about?'
"What are they about?' "Oh, what
all poets write about-moon on the
waves, stars aud flowers, gentle sephrs,
angsls, guDdOlas, sympathetic souls, ana
all sorts of idiotic things
"Naturally,' said Prethibaut, 81 might
have known il. But how did you come
to see this lettei?'
"Why, Elortcnse brought 1t to me her
aaT nf nnttpsa =
"She did, eli? Well, Vaugiron, ! con-
rratulate YOU ON your wife. Now, listen
90 me. Will you follow my adyice"
"Bindly."
Whatever | may say or do you will
not contradict or oppose meY'
81 promise"
"Very well, then. Young Boisgibert
will not favor us with his company dur
ing the shooting season. lleIe is " bat
you must do tonight, at dinner. when
you see me take pinch of snuff, strike
the table with your fist, and say, in a
caveruous voice: i would do the same ,"
''flum," said Nausiron, "a clNeruuus
voice, pinch Of snuff, and blow on
he table. Why what-how."
Never mnd," said Prethibaut; "lo a.
l ltli NDl, ullu y bu it Nli iiEh's
= =
That evening there were gathered
around Naugiron's festive board eight
gentlemen. Six vacant chars showed
that the ladies had left them. Unnum~
bered empty bottles showed that they
were good hunters and true. But one
man had attempted to escape to Join
the ladies'. Several times Rad Boisgi-
bert made move, but Pfethibaut would
invariably ask, with much Kindness:
"Are you not well this evening, sir?" SO
he wae forced to remain.
OF all the merry crowd, Prethibaut
alone seemed preoccupied. There was
a gloomy expression upon his face, and
il finally attracted attention.
"What's the matter with you to,night,
Prethbaut2" asked one OF the guests.
"You look as ifyou were at a funeral"
pardon me, gentlemen" replied the
gloomy one, there are certain anniver>
saries in mans lile-but no; the story
is not a pleasant one"
"Never mInd-what's the odds? Go on
aud tell it anyway" was the cry.
"Nery well, gentlemen" said Pfethis
baut, placing his snun>box on the table
before him, and gazing on 1t with deep
melancholy, 81 will tell you the story.
Thirty-fve years ago to. day | was the
chief actor in domestic tragedy"
"You!" interrupted Vaugiron. "You
in domestic tragedy"
For reply Prethlbaut favored his
friend with violent kick under the
table, and went on:
AT that time | was but twenty. five;
my life was peareful and happy. | had
a wife whom | adored, daughter whom
idolzed."
"What, you!" bawled Vaugiron.
"Ies," went on Prethibaut, giving
him another kick. "My estate was in
the Ardennes, and / was a passionate
hunter Adjoining my property was
that of a man little younger than ].
lie was about the same age as Maurice
Boisgipert, here, and, by the way, he
much resembled him. Well, we often
met; we became friends, He came to
my house. and-excuse me, gentlemen,
but my old blood boils when | think of
it--he wrote some verses to my wife,
well, | sought hun out. | told him
that one of US must die: thar, in order to
avoid scandal. we would load our pieces
with buckshot, conceal ourselves on
both sides of trail, and when boar
was driven 10y us We would fire-but not
at the boar.
''lt was done. Thirty.fve years ago
to day we lay crouched there, elaring at
each other across the rail. We heard
the boar; we fired. Whether a cons
ciousness of guilt had unn.Tyed my
friends hand or not, | do not know, yet
! was uninjured. But both loads from
my gun struck him, and he fell back, his
head and breast pierced with balls,
mancled, bleeding corpse. There is not
much more to tell. was arrested, and
released, as on the surface it was ac,1>
dental. Ny wife died in mad house;
my daughter died shortly after, and now
am alone. Can you wonder gentlemen,
that | am melancholy when the years
bring round again the day ON which |
slew my friend2"
He shook his head eloemily, and top'l
a pinch ofsnutl.
Vaugiron struck the table violent
blow that made the glasses ring.
81 would do the same he cried. "You
were perfectly right, l would do the
same"
AT the breakfast table the next morn.
ing it was noticed that Maurice Boisgi
bert was absent. The host found note
from him at his plate, which he read
aloud:
an. Boisgibert has received a letter
which forces him to leave for Paris at
once. Important business. He begs Mr..
Vaugiron to receive his excuses, and
mnch regrets that he cannot remain
with the pleasant party at the Chateau
lie NerrieTes."
"Well," said Prethibaut in a whisper
TO the host, what did tell you?'