The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-12-26

sWOrdsman, and it was quite natural
when Gaston's baggage arrived, that a
fencing bout should be arranged. The
little Frenchman was quite willing,
glad to give the Irishman a choice Of
Weapons-foil, rapisr or broadsword.
Ihey gave us a fine display In the Ii
brary, and we all sat about, smoking
ana drinking till ear morning. The
1rishman astonished us all with his
sword play, but the little Frenchman
proved to be a wizard with the light
er weapons, and Frenchlike, able to
carry on a running fire Of quaint jests,
bonmots and recitative even While
busiest with his weapons. He made a
great hit with all of us thai night,
but we could see hat something of the
soldier spirit, something of the wider
citizenship of Captain Dillon was MAX
ing for a close friendship with the new
imam from Rheims.
And so it proved. Rodericlz and the
rest of us, Wantons that we We're, be-
came interested in fencing, in French
literature, in gossip Of the new Bo-.
hernia of Paris. We took some lessons
or Ther1ot, began to read again Tele-
machus and the rudimentary literature
of France, but it was Dillon Che was 40,
years old, at least), who became the
Fides Achates. the nea friend" Of
CASTOR Theriot. He was a charming
ASAASN ID. an .IllS Money
like a prince, and drank wine like a.
thirsty cuirassier. He never got used to
our whisky and pipes, preferring Gig
arets and frothy drinks, but we liked
him Just the same and boosted him
about town so that In six months he
had big class Of fencing students and
a list Of French Pupils that assured
his prosperity.
NobodySever knew just how that
coldness sprang up between Dillon and
the little Frenchman, but we all no.
t1ced 1t. The Irishman quit noticing
Iherlot, and the spruce little fencer-
always the soul of courtesy-began to
betray signs of the estrangement which
was apparent to us all. Then one
night--it was lei New Year's-Dillon
suddenly announced at the supper
table that he was going to leave.
TN going to try Oklahoma" he said.
Kidding with his fork; Tn an adyen-
turer, you know, and I am tired Of
Kansas City"
We We're all heartily sorry and showed
it-all but CASTOR. He only bit his lip
and stared into his coffee. Dillon left
tie next day, and somehow after that
Theriot didn't seem to fit in the circle.
We suspected that he hadn't treated
Dillon just right, and he seemed con-
scious Of his lapse from grace. Any
how, along about Valentines day, he
bright little F~renchman, without a
sword ito anybody, suddenly disap-
peared. He paid his bill ali right, but
he didn't tell even Mrs. Blake where he
was going. : .
II think 1t was in the summer Of 1852
thatfI went down to Guthrie, Okla
homa. to write about the new en-.
pire. met Dillon on the street. He
seemed glad to see me, showed me his
store Gtswas the best business house
in town, andSthen, after inviting me
to his house for dinner, with queer
look in his u said:
e want you to see ny. wife and baby,
but
He chewed nervousIy atHhis cigar,
and. smiling vaguely, added:
you're geingsSabacls to h Mason
de vile, don't say anything about me
that lis. about us
He took me OUT to his pretty cottage.
and first sheWed me his baby, black
eyed. pretty boy. aboutssix months old.
When Mrs. Dillon came in dropped
my hat and stared. She was a beauti-
ful, blusI1ing4wonan. with Short black