, 1896-12-09
enthusiastic fight through SPACE. b,

never noticed that the vicious little
string around his cape had slowly and
wickedly unfastened, as though it want
ed to play him "a nasty trick. While he
wa given over to his savage and all but
animal enjoyment the hypocritical bit
Of cord snapped in two. sad off flew
the cape like a streak of light. nnnoticed
by his eye, which Mt the time was eager
ly scanning a signpost. Nearly a mile
behind him the cloak, black aud mani
mate. lay in the middle of the road,
while the bicycle, lighter than before,
tore deliriously on its winged way.
His blissful Ignorance was short lived,
however, aud the awakening was most
cruel, for, as he sat under the awning of
\ friendly restaurant, rapturously sip
ping sauterne and settlers and gazing
with dreamy eyes beaming with love
and pride at his wheel, which leaned
gracefully against a tree in front of
him, a premonitIon seized him. What
was missing? And with a cry he sprang
to his feet. 1t was the cape. An instan-
taneous change passed over Kennels
world; the wine soured; a sharp wind
arose which ruffled his hair and temper;
every old crack and blister showed out
plainly on the vanished parts of his
bicycle, and ven the rubber tire looked
miserable, notchy and worn.
Renne's heart turned sick as he sat
lost in detected reflection. All the IL
ergy and strength of mind which he
brought SO couraSeously into play while
90 pn inc his IniI- hrnnI c,nr,nl - ,,aIe
away and disappear before the disas-
trous loss of the cape. AS he sat with
his head buried in his hands he pictured
his return and reception by Nine.
Renne. 1t would not take her half O
econd to discover his misfortune, he
thought, and well he knew what scenes
would ensue-tears, lamentations, re-
proaches, sulks and outbursts of rage,
in which the little vixen fairly reveled
in her moments of uncontrolled fury.
Gracious heavens! Seized with u chill,
he hurriedly paid his bill at the restau-
rant. and, jumping on his poor old bicy-
Gle, which had beaten the record com,
ing, he started homeward. One wagon
passed him after the other-frst u butch.
er's cart, next an old fat woman driv-
ing a donkey, then a gypsy wagon, with
All i%mpudent, long haired rascal who
stared m~ocEingly but ~uneasily after
him. Renne felt very much inclined 10
question him about his cape but a feel
ing of reticence withheld him, for he
strongly suspected that the man had
found it, and that it lay hidden some
where under the lot of quarreling, cry
ing rats which filled the wagon back
of him; so he pedaled ON hopefully, be-
lieving that he might yet find it OF the
road just where it had fallen. And as he
watched and thought it over his temper
rose scathing and sarcastic. A cloak,
forsooth, with a summer sui shining
overhead. 1t was hot enough to boil
eggs. Oh, to the devil with the thing!
He hoped that it was lost forever. What
did he care? But suddenly the mocking
lrok in the tramp's eyes came back to
him. OF course the fellow had found
and taken his cape. Renne felt sure of
it now What could he do about it,
though-follow him and search his wag-
on? Suppose, after all, the man had never
seen it-how like a fool he would look!
And SO, little by little, his anger sub
sided, and the ridiculous side Of the af-
fair presented itself to his mind SO forci-
bly, that he felt like screaming with
laughter. His wife appeared before him
in q different light altogether. She was
no longer a being to be dreaded, but to
be r%idiculed, and he pondered slowly
over a summary vengeance to be admin
scka.n@ -nr, kk1 y-l.~ I-l
been depressing him for years. He would
bear no more Of her petty prosecutions.
Neither would he drag coats and capes
about on his bicycle through the sum-
mer heat aud dust, and they might as
we'll understand each other for once.
But us he pedaled along different con.
siderations suggested themselves to his
excited imagination. The cloak was
new and had cost 80 francs. 1t was stu
pid Of him to have lost it. And if his
wife had urged-nay, forced-him to
carry it, it was more from love than
hate. After all, it would be idiotic to
lose it, and the instinct of ownership
awakened within him us he thought of
the old Bohemian driving his wagon,
and perhaps laughing at him in his
beard as he passed, and in turning the
angle Of the road he shook his fist re.
vengefully after the tramp.
"Where is your cloak?' called out
Mime. Renne in shrill accents before he
was off his wheel. "Oh, heavens, you
have lost itr' And she raised her hands
in horror.
my cloak? Oh" indifferently, sit
was too hot and heavy to lug about,
and I sold it,"
"What! You sold it?" stammered the
small scold, gazing upon him with n
mingling Of fear and distrust in her
eyes. She began to fear for his reason.
This calm might turn into fury. He
could not he sane.
Drawing SO francs from his pocket,
he handed them to her and said, "You
see. l have made Q francs by the bar
gain, and you can buy yourself a little
present with the surplus"
Still worried and suspicious, although
utterly disaImed, she wanted TO know
in a breath where and how aud to whom
he had sold his cape.
II met . poor fellow in n cafe who
was i'll with a severe cold OF something.
He had q bad cough and eyed my cape
20 wistfully that we entered into con,
versation, you understand" and he
whistled gayly. delighted with his clev-
er falsehood. He had been boarding his
pennies for days to exc out these 85
francs. but he thought them we'll in
vested. for at least he was rid of his
odious CAPE.