Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-09-27
THE PELLETS OF BREAD.

Joy 49, ANHS
% every one said. Thirty years old, per-
haps, a Partisan in every sense of the
word. with that courageous nature, lively
and a little inclined to teasing, that is the
characteristic of the children Of Paris.
Nevertheless, he had an excellent heart,
and was ready TO throw himself into the
fire If necessary for the very one whom
an instant before he had made the target
for his jests.
1t was at R, that pretty little
neighboring city to Puy, that Paul found
himself one morning for pleasure and the
drinking of certain healthful waters, for
R, as every one knows, is a charming
summer resort, and filled during the sum-
mel at least with a crowd of guests. Paul
and his friend Edouard Duchesne, were
at the same hotel and took their meals
together at the table d'hote, where they
had for a neighbor in front of them an
Englishman known TO be very rich and
very eccentric, and whose life, they said,
was but a series Of endless journeyings
around the world.
If Paul betrayed himself q Partisan in
every act and feature, So did the stranger
betray the nativity of his melancholy
country. Short of stature and fat, the
face broad and rudy, the skull bald and
shining, the beard blonde, the eyes blue
rs corn flowers, he was truly the most
perfect type of an Englishman that it is
possible to imagine. More than once
Paul had Caught h himself smiling at the
impossible visageCf Sir Arthur jacobson,
for such was this rangers name This
evening, then, when the events occurred
that | am going to tell you of, and, by
the way, the evening Of departure Of the
two young men, as the dinner was draw
ing TO a close, exhilarated doubtless by
the champagne they had taken, Paul
amused himself while talking 10 Edouard
In rolling balls of bread crumbs and
launching them between thumb and
finger, as school children launch balls of
paper, at his neighbor, the Englishman.
1t was a thoughtless, not TO say rude, ex-
hibition on the part Of Paul, but then
Paul was not quite himself, and the
temptation was for the moment ~irresist.
ible.
As the first pellet struck the arm of
Sir Arthur jacobson he slowly turned
his clear eyes upon Paul and his COM
panion, but his broad p~hysiognomy lost
nothing Of its habitual placidity. One
would have supposed even that he had
seen and comprehended nothing, had it
no been for the fact that with an air of
the utmost indifference and phlegm he
lifted the morsel Of bread crumb and
slipped it into the pocket Of his vest;
still, however, without uttering a sylla-
bic.
The bearing of this man was well cal
culated to excite the teasing humor Of
the Partisan. and scarcely a moment had
elapsed since the launching Of the first
pellet when a second followed it, and,
taking the same direction as the first,
went 10 flatten itself upon his shoulder,
and like the other to travel the road TO
Sir Arthur's pocket. Angered a little by
this systematic imperviousness, and GER
tainly for the time being blind to the in
suit and inconvenience that such pleas
antry had for its object, Paul believed it
his duty to repeat his pellet for the third
time. Ii struck his Wis a Wis upon the
forehead Immediately between the eye.
brows. And still be received il with
neither a movement nor q sign, though
the walters at the table could scarcely
repress their hilarity on seeing him with
the same stoical gravity lift his hand, re-
move it and send it to join lis comrades
in his pocket.
This amusement, in bad taste as you
are bound to admit, had lasted long
enough, and as the guests were quitting
the table Sir Arthur rose and followed
their example. and Paul and his friend,
their heads decidedly heavy with wine,
got up in turn and went 10 smoke a cigar
on the terrace. Hardly, however, had
they made their appearance there
than Paul found himself confronted
by his recent victim, who regarded
him full in the face and in excellent
French stated that he desired TO speak
TO him a moment.
''You must certainly understand, mon
sieur, " said he, ''that the play TO which
you delivered yourself a while ago con
stitutes a serious %afTront, Of which | de-
mand the reason. Moreover, as a gal.
liant man you also see that you must &c
cord me, without my forcing it, the
reparation that is my right"
Precisely, my lord; | BEE, and ! am
at your service"
Tomorrow morning, then, monsieur
at o o'clock, behind the park"
''The conditioner
"Pistols-thirty PAGES --au wise. In
an hour my seconds will wait upon yours.
I have the honor, monsieur, TO salute
you.n
(which proves once more, my dear
Paul." said Edouard, when the stranger
had turned on his heel, 'that il does not
do 70 trust TO appearance. Who would
shave supposed that devil Of a little man
90 touchy on a point Of honor lie takes
the thing, in my opinion, too seriously"
''Eh, par Dieu, he has reason" replied
Paul, In whose brain the freshness Of the
air had brought about a s~alutary reac.
ton. II have committed a serious and
m offensive stupidity; IL Is just that ]
take the consequences. But a truce &c
words; come with me 10 the house OF III.
D. whom | know slightly and whom
I shall ask 10 DO my second witness"
Promptly at the hour appointed nex'
morning Paul and his seconds and Sir
Arthur jacobson and his seconds arrived
at the spot indicated behind the park.
Paul was q commercial man, peacefully
inclined, and nothing Of a sportsman,
but, In default Of knowledge Of the duel.