The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-19

he tore open the note. which ran:
MY DEAR RAoUL: Who knows il IL would not be
agreeable to you fad yourself again In that little
OF the Bos dc Vincennes, which IS in the
| middle of the water.
II Is room No. 3. is 1t not. whose windows open
| upon the hSe2 | have an idea that Tuesday y. M
| (lo-morrow), that room will be free. What do you
Think At all events it will he well to
Toward o'clock the sun will have gone behind
the trees it will he fresh and cool in that iu;ie
cha'et and the iefs ch1teaubridad there are simply
| delicious. Thine. AMANDA.
amanda, Amanda said Raoul to himself;
"where the devil have ! known an Amanda"
| and lie remained moment pondering.
as it bad news?" asked Louise, quietly.
Then he remembered his wfes presence, and
answered like man interrupted by impor-
tunate chatterer: mo, no-ouly from my
tailor" And, as he hurredly began to sugar
his coffee to escape looking his wife in the face,
| it seemed to him. from the corner OF his eye,
| that she was Observing him fXedly. Thrown
off his balance, he did not tear up the note, as
one usually does with tailors etfusons. but re-
| placed it carefully in the envelope aud slipped
ii into his pocket. Stranger still, and a still
more difficult thing to explain, he was charm
| ing all the rest of that evening.
That letter and Amanda-whon he could
| not recall the least in the word-roused in
him, apparently, the gayest fancies. He was
| BATTERED, though he would never have admitted
| it, that there were some who did not believe
the old spirit entirely dead in him.
=" I shall certainly 60 to that rendezvous" hc
| told himself, "and it is we'll for me that am
not like some men. Very few, indeed, could
resist moment Of madness, which, for me,
| will be only moment of frolic. TO 90 as
am is to rust ont like iron. Ah, how lucky it
is for me- too that my wife is an angel She
does not suspect poor darling; not the least in
| the world" He turned to look at her bending
TRANQUILITY over her embroidery, and muir
INJURED again: "No, not the least in the world J"
a.. III
salon, humming TO himself with satisfaction,
like one who is armed to the teeth and who
tells himself: II kill no one; it is only be-
cause | am good-how good, they do not know"
And really, feeling himself at that moment of
a superior essence, he was happy as king.
Next morning while breakfasting, Raoul
could not resist the temptation to explain what
a tttet chateanbriand was, and how to cook it.
"If you would like one this evening"" said
the young wife, Suppose try it,"
"No, thanks; I spoke of it, but do not want
1t. Moreover, it would not be possible this
evening" and he thrilled with pleasure at
putting his foot on the slippery incline, per-
suaded that he at least, would not fall.
"But why not this EVENING"" Louise per-
sisted
"Have I not told you, then? I met Paul
varennes to-day, and promised to dine with
him to night. His brother, he says, has just
| returned from Mexico / tried to excuse my
| self, but he insisted much that l couldn't
get out of it. you know"
Indeed" said Louise.
Presently Raoul rose, kissed his wife and
started out, turning carelessly at the door to
call back that maybe he would not CO. after all
he really could not tell.
| Nevertheless, toward 5 o'clock the model
| husband returned.
"Pm going" said he; paul would be
| seriously veXed if / failed to dine with him.
l,I fIa I NIT 70
worry. Besides I've thought of something
go to your aunt's to dinner. Jean will bring
you home and I'll take you there myself be-
fore start. How does that suit you2"
Perfectly; but it is needless to trouble
yourself to escort me there; l can easily go
alone"
Half an hour later, Raoul, fresh shaven, per-
fumed, smiling, carefully dressed, jumped into
COUPE and set out for the Dcis de Vinceunes.
He was 80 pounds lighter, it seemed to him,
| as he mounted the restaurant steps. But then,
| what If, after ALL she did not come? No mat
ter; he wonId not think of ii, but continued
on, greeting again with pleasure that varied
| od0r peculiar to restaurants, that rattle of
| plates and glasses clinked up and Down the
stairs by hurrying walters tswel on arm, and
knives and forks sticking like Quills frem their
| acllet-pockets.
Monsieur is aIone?" asked one of them,
afably, advancing to meet him.
Yes; but expect some one. NO. 3 Is free,
| is it not?"
"Yes, monsieur" He threw open the door,
and Raoul entered joyously.
"And monsieur will not order now?" de-
manded the man, depositing the menu with q
flourish.
"Not now; Pll wait" and he threw down
| his hat and looked about him.
The same eternal cabinet that he had seen q
| hundred times-red paper, Iesfed with gold, a
Enfa witt tpa Cnft actn
in gilt bronze, two fower-pois without flowers,
| an upright piano, out of tune, q carpet where
sIl the boots of Paris had right to leave their
traces, and table in the center, laid with
! covers for two. The forks were twisted aud
tarnished from service to hundreds of mouths.
| the crystal heavy, warranted not to nick"
and on the edges of the plates and the rest of
the "indestructible" china the name Of the
| restaurant scrolled in gilt
| Something in the surroundings recalled to
Raoul the disgust that he had once felt, but
certainly would feel no more; nevertheless he
| got up and opened wide the window to freshen
| the atmosphere, which was indisputably
| a trie close
"How curious!" he murmured; "but had
| forgotten all this!"
And he began to whistle softly to chase away
| fancies, not so pleasant, that were coming to
mind. Somehow or other, his gayety too,
seemed leaving him. He drew out his watch
| TO sec JDe Ltmc-a quarter pdSC SSStU, ana D6
was distinctly hungry. What if that letter,
after ALL was joke? joke! He had not
thought of it that way but maybe, after all, it
was better it should be so.
| Quiet as it was now-not to say sad-in No.
g. it was very gay. indeed, in the adjoining
cabinet, the loud clattor of plates and clinking
| glasses mngling at times with gay bursts of
| laughter.
At last rustic Of skirts approached in the
| corridor. At the same moment, the door flew
back, a lady entered precipitately, and fell,
evidently prey to fear or embarrassment,
| breathlessly upon tho sofa.
| lady y?-undoubtedly. Uneasy and puzzled
why, he knew not-Raou advanced to meet
her. She raised her hand, the vail was off, and
Louise was before him!
Lonise, serene, smiling, unruffied as ever and
sweetly mnrmuring:
Il was dying, you see, Raoul to taste a Jfiet
chGteanbriand properly prepared"
| How they settled it and what explanations
were made. have not an idea But one thing
is certain, Raoul no longer "kicks over the
traces" is as happy and content as the day is
| long, and Louise, as generous as she was wise,
has never once. since the little dinner in a res
| taurant. SO much as whispered " file.s chateau
BRAND in her husbands presence.-Arg0naut.
Fun Enough.
lTeras sitin0s.l