Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-05-31

his things as soon as have unsaddled the
mare"
The dinner of the trio was most melan-
choly.
Bright and early the next day Rabot-
teau sought out the landlord OF the White
Horse, who was much furr1ed by the
presence of dozen officers OF all grades
''Can you tell me- 4" the Judge asked, III
the artillery captain who was quartered at
my house,
He is in No. 8, Judge. The captain is
still in his room, for the maneuvers ended
last night. Excuse me If do not take
you up myself. / anu just rushed to
death"
Rabotteau assembled the stairs and strobe
down the long corridor, on which opened
the several white doors, all alike except
for the large numerals painted on them in
black.
He was Just in the act of knocking at
that which bore the figure when sud.
denly he recoiled as If he had seen tiger
crouching on the mat. However, it was
not tiger that he had seen. 1t was, by
the side Of a pair of top boots still armed
with spurs, little pair Of bottines, lined
with rose colored satin-dainty, elegant,
impertinent bottines-bottines of which
one would say without fear of being mis-
taken, 1.-THE foot Of a pretty woman was
in that not long ago"
At that moment the key was heard to
turn in the door of No. 8. The door was
seen to open timidly, just the least crack.
First hand emerged-very small and
very white-the hand that belonged to
those bottines. Then the wrist appeared,
round and slender, with a pretty bracelet.
Then plump arm, which grew longer
and longer-Rabotteau had never in his
life seen such an arm as that, and If the
other were like it, as all experience would
indicate, this scoundrel of a Lecomte was
very lucky scoundrel indeed.
However, the arm, the wrist, the hand
and the bottines retreated In good order.
The door was closed, and the Judge stood
there feeling very foolish, but there was
nothing for him to do but to go back to his
own house.
On tho table the judge found this mis-
| sive:
II don't understand this at all. You
| pretend to have Lccomte there with you.
| But he writes that he has broken his leg,
| and that one of his comrades has taken his
| place in the lhaneuvers. Pray send me
some word Of explanation"
"This is too much" cried Elodie's moth
er. II called him M. Leoomte all the
time. and he never denied the name. II ]
were you, would write to the minister Of
| war about II"
Enough. That afternoon the false LIE
comte knocked at the gate But-climaz
| of impudence--on his arm was young
and very pretty woman, doubtless the lady
of the bottines.
justine cried Nine. Rabotteau, "dc
not open the gatel Tell those persons
| we are not at home"
THAT moment Justine returned, carry
ing card, on which was inscribed, "Lt
Comte dc Prebois, Capitaine 'Artillerie. =
Beneath was written In pencil:
| "A thousand regrets and thousand
excuses for having missed your company
last evening. Nine. Prebois came down
and took me by surprise and did not wish
to seem inconsiderate by increasing tht
trouble my presence has caused you. II
would have afforded her great pleasure te
make the acquaintance of your wife and
daughter. Allow me to express my sin
cere gratitude for your excellent hospital
ity."
Poor Elodie! She always was unluoky
From the French.