Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1900-01-10
An Act of Providence
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

me think differently"
We had been spending an evening a,
whist, and now that the game was over,
we four had enjoyed II social cigar be
fore separating.
The talk had turned upon serious
matters, and Amory, an agnostic. had
advanced his favorite theory that every
thing was governed by chance alone.
Clark, who had studied for the min
istry, but was now in business, had
combated with him for vigorous half
hour. and as the night was cold and We
were about to part, it was evident from
Amory's last remark that he had not
been convinced.
For myself" said |. also rising, Il
have listened TO you both, and have
said nothing: but If you will come to
my rooms tomorrow night l agree TO
tell you a story that bears upon the
matter, and then you can better decide
which theory Is the right one
1t was agreed, and the next night, af-
ter little supper, my three friends
settled themselves about my open fire
and told me 10 begin.
'You will remember my brother-in-
law, Merriam, of the navy? Well. thir-
teen years ago, he was in Paris, on
leave. He had goodlooking, smart
valet, for he knew but little of the GUS
toms of the country, and needed some
one to assist him, and he thought he
had a most desirable servant, until one
night he awoks to see the fellow at his
cash box with dark lantern at one
side.
Ned did not wait, but springing from
his bed he seized the man, and they had
q hand-to-hand struggle in the dark,
for the lantern was overturned the first
thing.
Merriam was of good size, and 1t
towering the valet when the fellow
stabbed him. and slipped from his
grasp out of the door and escaped. The
wound was not bad one. and as he
had In turn given the thief q good
pounding he did not follow.
Upon examining his cash box he
found that the man had only taken
some 200 francs and handsome meer-
schaum pipe that he had recently
bought, and, feeling himself a stranger
In strange land, he concluded to call
the matter square and not to 20 to the
police at all, which conclusion he fol-
lowed, and he never saw his valet in
France again.
When he returned home, naturally
he told Of the experience and described
the pipe to me. as it was a curious one,
and seemed to be the thing that he
most regretted losing.
1T was Turks head, small, and
with flowing hair and beard, with the
mouth open. as IL laughing, and in the
back OF the mouth the artist had in
serted one small gold tooth that could
only be seen II you knew where to look
for it.
1T was just the sort of thing ma
val officer would fancy and spend his
money for, and, as say, 1t was the one
article that Ned most seemed to miss
by the robbery
Five years after the occurrence that
! have rela ted. an old client of mine in.
PRODUCED me- to gentleman one day by
the name of Dupray. He was a French
man who had come to England to en-
gage in business. and In some way had
become acquainted with Mr.. Leroy.
Leroy was a merchant, rich, queer.
and with no family but his daughter.
Now this daughter, strangely enough,
was entirely opposite TO her father,
He was homely. she was beautifull
he was queer and rough; she was one of
che sweetest women that ever had the
good fortune to meet. He wanted
everything his way and she was willing
to do his will in every particular bur
one, and In that l upheld her against
her father, and to his disgust
"She wanted TO marry a young man
who was doctor in neighborins
town, while her father desired that she
should make grand match with some
one who should raise her from the leve,
on which she was born.
rev days after my first meeting
with Dupray. Leroy came to my Office
In a most merry frame of mind, and In
n few moments announced to me that
the Frenchman was in love with his
daughter, and would marry her If he
would allow 1t.
The Frenchman was willing to set,
tie on her all the property that her
father might leave her, so that he was
not after her fortune.
He's fine man. too, Hamilton.
said the old merchant. rubbing his
hands; comes of one of the old families,
and has plenty OF money. l think we
shall make good thing of it II Marcia
marries him.
Well, suppose she will, of course,
II you demand it, said l, knowing how