Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-10-08

The train was in motion. when with
a short ''good-by,r he sprang down. lie
staggered and would have fallen had /
not held him.
"Ah," cried !, Il have been able TO
act as guardian angel once"
"You here?'' said he. astonished and
pressing my hand
Yes, saw my relatives off, an
swered.
"And I greeted seine one passing
through" lie seemed to me unusually
excited. Just think, - he continued, Il
was almost persuaded to 90 along.
What would you have said if had dis
appeared sans adieu2 Would you not
have thought rae the dishonest game
ster?"
/ laughed, but asked uneasily: Are
you really thinking Of leaving 50 soon?"
perhaps in January. not before. We
shall spend Christmas together. 1t is
celebrated very nicely at the hotel
Herr Metzler, our landlord, provides the
Christmas tree and dinner, and the
guests make one another gifts. For
You, who are accustomed TO a family
gathering, it is a poor substitute"
As Lapotin was chatting he suddenly
ceased. Close by his side the dark blue
specialized man passed.
The man has followed us" said
Lapotin softly to himself. 81 wonder
if he watched me 1T the station"
Il did not notice it, said I, ''and 1
was there quite a time; he must have
been in one Of the coaches"
Lapotin nodded.
Yes" said he; that was the train
from Marseilles that touches at Cannes.
Did he not get in at Cannes when you
travelled with him?"
81 cannot say positively. / was half
asleep. But what have you TO do with
him, my friend? Have you a reason to
--to-what shall l call ito avoid or
face the man?"
more than You think, said Lapotin,
softly, 'and in different way from
what you think" he added with faint
smile. Il might easily be in such a POI
sition as to be compelled to appeal to
your friendship. / could, could not?"
"At any time, and in any place."
answered, warmly.
NO, no duel, " said he. ''The man
fights against me with other weapons;
but | am on my guard"
1t was almost eleven o'clock when we
reached the hotel From the drawing
room rang out a mans voice, which,
without really sounding well, had
great deal Of nerve and was well culti-
waited
l drew nearer softly, and saw through
the half open door Count Degenfeld
seated at the piano singing French
couplets from the latest operettas,
whose frivolous points he well ;enew
how to bring out.
Next him in a rocking-chair reclined
Mrs. Clifford in kind of house dress of
light cashmere, n cap on her dark hair,
on her neat little feet coqucttish slip
pers, and in her lap quantity of mag
nifcent fresh roses, with which she
toyed playfully.
As she lay there in idle, languishing
grace, occasionally raising her spark
ling eyes listening to the light couplets,
with half smile about her lips, she
presented such an Intoxicating picture
that could scarcely tear myself away.
1t seemed to me rs if little hooking
devil were calling to me: You fool"
And if | were not the first nor the
last who might worship the image of
goddess-what did that matter? 1t
would still be a sweet delrium.
/ was vexed with Lapotin, who had
warned me, for he did not seem over
scrupulous about his inclinations.
The desire seized me to enter, to dis
turb the loving tete-a-tete, and to try if
could not regain the lost ground and
put aside the old guard.
just then the chessmen were ratified.
Mr.. Clifford rose and approached the
pair at the piano.
His wife looked up at him with
truly dove-like expression and asked
''if he had finished at last, she was so
tired" and Count Degenfeld, with a
few bold passages changed from the