The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-08-11

There" he sad. Is my Paris aa-
dress. II you do not know what | mean
by that, ask your friend here: be sill
inform you"
And with that The novelist arose,
bowed To the two. and departed.
When he returned 10 his hotel. after
stroll along the brilliar'ly-lightcd
boulevards. he found waiting for him
MIR. Harmon and Frcnchman.
II had no idea YOU would come SO
soon,' said Strecter otherwise !
would not have kept you waiting"
1T does not matter" replied Har-
mon; we have not waited long. AZ
fairs OF this kind require prompt ac-
ton. An insult lasts bu. twenty-four
hours, and my friend and principal has
no desire To put you TO the inconven-
fence OF repeating your action Of this
evening We are taking i. for granted
that You have a friend prepared TO act
for You; for your conduct appeared TO
be premeditatcd.
You are quite right" answered
Streeter; Il have two friends To whom
shall be pleased TO introduce you.
Come this way. IL you will be SO kind.
The prelimnaries were speedily ar
ranged. and the meeting was to take
place next morning ut daylight, with
pistols
Now that everything was settled the
prospect did not look quite so pleasant
10 Streeter as it had done when he left
London. DAWSON had asked for no cx-
PLANTATION. but that o! course could be
accounted for, because this critical
sneak must be well aware Of the reason
of the insult. Still, Streetcr had rather
expected that he would perhaps have
pretended ignorance. and on receiving
enlightenment might have avoided
meeting by apologizing.
Anyhow. Streeter resolved to make
night Of it. lie left his friends to arrange
for carriage, and see to all that was
necessary. while ne donned his war
paint and departed for a gathering to
| which he had been invited. and where
he was to meet many of his country
men and countrywomen in a fashion
able part of Paris.
His hostess appeared to be overjoyed
to see him.
"You are so late" she said. ''that
was afraid something had occurred that
would keep you from coming alto
Rether."
Nothing could have prevented me
from coming" said Streeter, gallantly,
where Mrs. Woodford was hostess
''Oh. that is very nice of you. Mr..
~ a~s-s ~x.l hA la1x sh,,f
must not stand here talking with you.
for have promised to introduce you to
Miss Neville. who wishes very much to
meet you. She is a great admirer of
yours and has read all your books.
There arc not very many of then :"
said Streeter. with laugh; 'and.
such as they are. hope Miss Nevill.
thinks more Of them that do myself.
'-Oh, we all know how modest au-
thors are." replied his hostess. leading
him away tn be introduced.
Miss Neville was young and pretty;
and she was evidently pleased to meet
the rising young author.
II have long wanted to see YOU" she
said, ITO have q talk with you about
your books"
''You are very kind" said Strcetcr.
but perhaps we might choose some
thing more profitable to talk about?"
II am not sure of that. Perhaps you
have been accustomed to hear only the
nice things people say about you That
is the misfortune of many authors"
1T is misfortune" said Streeter.
"What writer needs is somebody to
tell him the truth"
..Ahr said Miss Neville, that is an
other thing ! am not SO sure about.
Mrs. Woodford has told you, suppose,
that have read all your books. Did
she add that detested them?''
Even Strecter was not able to conceal
the fact that this remark caused him
some surprise. He laughed uneasily
and said:
''On the contrary. Mrs. Woodford
led me to believe that you had liked
them
The girl leaned back in her chair and
looked at him with half-c.osed eyes,
.'Of course" She said. Mrs. Wood
ford does not know. 1t is not likely
that | would tell her l detested your
books while asked for an introduce
ton to you. She took it for granted
that meant to say pleasant things to
you, whereas had made up my mind
to do the exact reverse. No one would
be more shocked than Mrs. Woodford
unless. perhaps, it is yourself--if she
knew was going to speak frankly
with you"
II am no. shocked" said the young
man, seriously II recognize that there
iIt.lI.IN.