Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-04-14

not tell.
Nevertheless toward 8 o'clock the
model husband returned.
''I'm going. said be. paul would be
seriously vexed IL failed to dine with
him. And you. my little Louise, you arc
uot 10 worry. Besides. I've thought Of
something go to your aunt's TO dinner.
jean will bring you home. and m take
you there before start. How does that
suit your
Perfectly; but Il Ii needless TO trouble
yourself 10 escort me there; can easily
go alone"
Half an hour later Raoui, fresh shaven,
perfumed, smiling, carefully dressed,
jumped into coupe. and set out for the
Bots de yincennes.
He was fifty pounds lighter IL seemed
TO him. as he mounted tho restaurant
steps. But then. what IL. after all, ehe
did not come? No matter, he would not
think Of 1t, but continued on. greeting
again with pleasure that varied odor pc
culiar 10 restaurants, that rattle Of plates
and glasses clinked mp and down the
stairs by hurrying walters. towel ON arm,
and knives and forks sticking like quilts
from their jacket pockets.
Monsieur is aloneg- asked one OF them
affably. advancing TO meet him.
"Yes; but expect some one. No. y H.
free, is 1t noty'
"Yes. monsieur He threw open the
door, and Raonl entered joyously.
"And monsieur will not order nowy'
demanded the man. depositing the menu
with flourish.
'sNot now, I'll watt" and he threw
down his hat and looked about him.
The same eternal cabinet that he had
seen hundred times-red paper. leafed
with gold; sofa with three cushions,
none too soft: clock in gilt bronze. two
flower pots with flowers, an upright
piano out Of tune. carpet where all
the boots Of Paris had a right to leave
their traces. and table in the center.
laid with covers for two. Tie forks were
twisted and furnished from service "a
hundreds of mouths, the crystal heavy,
warranted not 10 mick" 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 trific close
/ "How curiousr' he murInured: .'bui
had forgotten all thisr'
| ( And he began to whistle softly to chase
away fancies not SO pleasant that were
coming To mind. Somehow or ether his
gayety. too. seemed leaving him. He
drew ont his watch to see the tiine--a
quarter past Z. and he was distinct,
hungry. What If that letter after ali
was joke? A joke. He had no,
thought Of il that way. but maybe after
all il was better it should be so.
Quiet rs it was now--not TO say sad =
in No 3, IL was very gay indeed in the
adjoining cabinet, the loud chatter Of
plates and climbing glasses mingling at
times with gay bursts If laughter.
AT last a rustic of skirts approached
in the corridor. At the same moment
the door flew back. lady entered pre-.
cipitately and fell, evidently a prey to
fear or embarrassment. breathlessly upon
| the sofa.
| A Internationally. Uneasy ant
puzzled-why he knew not-Raoul adj
vanced to meet her. She raised hel
hand, the veil was off. and-Louise wa,
before him,
| Louise, serene, smiling, unruffied al
ever and sweetly murmuring:
II was dying, You see, Raoul, to tast,
a fillet chateaubriand properly pre-
pared"
How they settled II and what explains
tions were made have not an idea. Blu
one thing Is certain. Raoul no longe
"kicks over the traces il AS happy AMI
content as the day is long. and Louise
as generous as she was wise, has neve
once since that little dinner in a restsu
rant SO much as whispered "fillets cha
teaubriand" in her husbands presence
Translated for Argonaut from tn
French Of Gnstave Droz by z. q. Wag
gener.