Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-06-22
ALL IN THE WRONG.

ALL IN THE WRONG.
The Honorable Noel Langdon, and
his friend Count de Sarde, were seated
In the latter's salon, in one of the sum.
mer hotels on the Lake of Thun. There
had been heavy play at the supper.
party, from which they had just re.
burned; and though it was now long
past midnight, they sat down to smoke,
and got betting on the throws of dice
and in the course of half an hour, Lang
don discovered that he had added a
couple of thousand francs to his previ-
Gus losses.
He flung himself back in his chair,
with an exclamation of disgust; and
then began to laugh.
"Serves me right" he said. "I'n
pay you in the morning, old man; but
you must lend me fifty napoleons after
ward. I'm regularly cleaned out.''
'sNo, 1 won't lend you sou-you'd
never find it convenient to remember
the loan," returned De Sarde, laughing
also. "But you may give me an LOU
for the whole amount-you won't repu-
date that debt; and I'll wait for it till
we meet in Paris, in October"
"Bravo!" cried Langdon. "Talk
about Damon and what-you-call-him-
why, those old fellows never did any
thing to equal that. And now I'm 60
ing to make myself promise; I'll not
touch card, or dice, from now till
then."
"I'lI bet you two thousand francs
you don't stick to that" said De Sarde.
can right" rejoined Noel. Then he
added: 'But, on second thought, I'll
not leave Thun yet. I'll wait till !
hear my old brute of an uncle reaches
Ouchy.''
{" You had better 60. You might be
in my way,' said De Sarde. 81 can't
imagine any woman preferring great
hulking fellow like you to myself; but
still she might; and I've made up my
mind to 90 in for the American widow.
You've genius for Irritation, and we
might quarrel"
"You never even set eyes on her, -
said Noel, ''if you mean the Mrs. Rush
ton that has been expected this last
week"
"I shall, tomorrow. She got here
this evening. know all about her. She
is pretty, graceful, spirituelle-and
there's no doubt as to the money-five
hundred thousand dollars. I'm twenty
nine. She is five years younger. I've
my title to offer, and income sufficient
for my personal expenses, after my
debts are paid"
81 shan't go away" broke in Lang
don. You can lend me some money,
or take my LOU, or neither, just as you
please; but l shall stop here.''
"Well," he said, with perfect equa-
nimity, personally, shall be glad to
have your society. Besides, it won't
matter; for you are not the sort of fell
low to please the widow"
"But / mean to 90 in for her."
"I'Il lay you q thousand pounds
win her," cried De Sarde.
"Done," returned Langdon.
"She only stops four weeks-it is I'M
derstood the bet comes off before she
leaves"
Very well. But you won't stand .
shadow of q chance, "said Noel. give
o title in prospective, and American
women think nothing of your foreign
ones, compared to ours. I'm two years
younger than you. At bottom, you're
q melancholy beast. I'm capable of
falling in love"
sBoth of which things are against
you," broke in the Count, with COM
passionate smile. 'sBut it's past two
o'clock. Let us be off to bed"
1t was contemplate wager to make,
yet neither of the men were mean. But
the Frenchman's education had taught
him to consider woman as pretty sort
of puppet, made for mans convenience
or amusement; while the Englishman
had gone into the wager from sheer
recklessness, and on the impulse of the
moment.
When Noel Langdon awoke the next
morning he had forgotten all about the
bet. When he did remember it he had
the grace to feel heartily ashamed. He
looked into De Sarde's rooms, as he
passed through the corridor; but q
servant informed him that the Count
had already descended, and taken the
path toward the lake. Thither he fol-
lowed; and found his friend seated in
summer-house, TRANQUILITY smoking, and
gazing out indolently over the shining
waters of the lake.
"Here you are," exclaimed Langdon,
As he strobe up at his habitual quick
pace.
"Here I am" returned De Sarde
languidly; sand you might be q
tempest or an earthquake, you make
such a fracas. What q confounded
hurry you are always in about nothing"
ST wouldn't be so lazy beggar as
you for great deal, 4" retorted Langdon.
ssYou look as if you had just been taken
- - hand hoy and ought to be