Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-06-06
COWARD
Romance From the French of Guy de Man
PEASANT.

psing an orphan and master of a
100 fortune he was very much of swell
- inv say. He rad q good figure, car
- himself well, talked well enough TO
~ +bo1Uht clever, had a certain natural
l,race of manner, an air of nobility and
Ill which, with his fine moust ache and
Elofe ewes. made him attractive TO women.
a.. ,sas asked about a great deal, being
much sougth after for his good dancing.
he had been suspected of several love
affairs, capable of giving a very good
opipjon of young fellows abilities III
nat direction. lie lived, peaceful and
hanpv. in q state of perfect moral we'll
beiny. 1t was known that he was fine
swordslnau ana an excellent shot.
"When | fight" ne would say, / shall
choose pistol; l am sure to kill any man
with that
Now. one evening, having taken two
voung married women, friends of his, to
tbe theatre with their husbands), he ask
ed them after the play to go and take an
Use at Portonis.
They had been there but few moments
when ne notices that gentleman, seated
at a neighboring table, was staring per-
sistently at one of the ladies. She seem -
ed ANNOYED and disturbed, bent her head
and finally said to her husband;
"There is Iuan here staring me out of
eountenance. / do not know him. Do
you"
The husband hs6 noticed nothing, but
be looked at the man, and answered en-
phatioally:
NO not at ALL"
Then his wife said, half amused, half
yeIed:
at is really very embarrassing; that
man spoils my ice for me-"
Her husband shrugged his shoulders.
bah! never mind him. If you begin
by paying attention 10 all the insolent
people you meet there's no knowing where
you will stop"
Bnt the vicomte had risen abruptly.
He would not permit this unknown to
spoil an ice he had offered. The insult
was addressed to him, since II was
through him that his friends had enter
eds the cafe. That made it entirely his
eEAir
He crossed over TO the man and said;
"You have, sir, fashion of locking at
those ladies which l will not permit. l
beg you to be 80 kind as TO cease"
The answer GENE sneeringly:
"Why, you are making game of me, you
are"
The vioomte said sternly, through his
shut teeth:
Take care, sir, take care not TO try
patience beyond endurance"
The man answered with one word, vile
word, which ran from one side of the cafe
TO the Other. All the people at the tables
started though Jared by an electric
spring. All those WI. Sc backs had been
turned looked round, the others raised
their heads, three walters whirled about
like so many tops with their heels as piv-
OTIS; the two women at the desk jumped,
then twisted their whole bodies as though
they had been two automatons worked by
the same crank.
silence had fallen on everything.
Then all OF q sudden a sharp, dry noise
struck on the air. The vicomte had struck
bic adversary. Everyone rose to inter
tere. Cards were exchanged.
IL.
When the vicomte had gotten home, he
paced up and down bis room with rapid
strides. IL was far too excited to reflect
on anything. He had vague idea of one
thing, "a duel" but as yet the idea awoke
no emotion in him OF any kind or anoth-
er, He had done what he ough to have
done, he had shown himself to be what he
should be. They would talk about it,
praise him, compliment him. He re-
peated aloud speaking as one does in
great mental troubles; "What brute
that man isl"
Then be sat down and began to think.
He must as soon as 1t was morning, find
two seconds. Whom should he choose
He searched his memory for the most
swell aud the most noted men of his &C
quaintauce. At last be decided on the
Marquis de la Tournoire and Colonel
Bsurdoin, great lord and soldier. That
was doing very well! The names would
have weight with the journals. Then ne
noticed that he was thirsty ana he drank
one after the other three glasses of water,
then turned to pacing the floor again. He
felt full of resources. If he showed him
self full Of Eerve, resolved to have his
way eXacting strict and dangerous con
citizens, demanding a serious duel, a very
serious terrible one, why, of course, his
adversary would in lall probability with
draw and make his apologies.
de took the card up from the table
where be had thrown it on taking it from
his pocket and re read it, the same as he
bad read it before, in the cafe at a glance
aud by The light of every street lamp he
had passed in his cab on the way home.
George Lamil, 81 Rue Money" Moth
ing more.
de examined each letter, which seemed
10 him filled with vague, confused mean
.ng George Lamnl Who was this man
What did he do? What made him look al
woman like .Aaty Was it not disgusting
'hat q stranger, an unknown person
should have .he.power to upset ono's life
70 such an extent, all in an instant, be
cause It had CHANGED to please him tc
'3oz lusolently at a woman? And the
"comte repeated aloud:
"N hat brute!"
Then he stood still and thought, hi'
yes fixed on the card. Anger rose slowi!
within bin against that bit of paper, {
la' -tnl anger, mingled with strange
feeling Of uneasiness.
What q stupid story it was. II took
Pelsnife that lay open unde. his hand
ana drove it through the printed name
IS though be had stabbed a human be
i1E
So be nust fJht a dneit Wonld ~