Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-04-10
[COntinued from last week. H ~
BY ROBERT F.:
LOUIS ). !. =, =
STEVENSON

ii y.z4S
He was not fifty. PAGES from the
house with the green blinds when the
most diabolical cutlery suddenly arose
euA on the stiffness of the night. Me.
eHnnHally he stood still; anotherFpas5
senger followed his example. In the
1eighboring floors he saw people
erowding to the windows. A condagra-
ton could not have produced more. dis
turbance in this empty quarter. And
yet it seemed to be all the work of a
single man, roaring between. grief and
rage. like a lioness robbed Of her
vhelps. and Francis was surprised and
alarmed to hear his own name shouted
with English imprecations to the wind.
His first movement was to return to
the house; his second, as he remember.
ed Miss Vandeleur's advice, to con.
tinue his fight with greater expedition
than before, and he was in the act of
turning to put his thought in action
when the dictator, bareheaded, bawl
ing aloud, his white hair blowing about
his head, shot past him like ball out
Of the lannon's mouth and went ca
3eerfng down the street.
toThat was a close shave," thought
Francis to himself. 'What he wants
with me and why he should be so dis
turbed cannot think, but tie is plainly
not good company for the moment, and
I canIiot do better than follow Miss
Yandeleur's advice"
So saying, he turned to retrace his
steps, thinking to double and descend
by the Rue LEIPZIG itself Willie his pur.
suer should continue to follow after
him on the other line of street. The
plan was i'll devised. AS a matter of
fact, he should have taken his seat in
the nearest cafe and waited there until
the first heat of the pursuit was over.
But besides that Francis had no ex-
perience and little natural aptitude for
the small war of private life. He was
10 unconscious of any evil on his part
that he saw nothing to fear beyond
4 .disa agreeable interview, and to. dis
agreeable interviews he felt he had
already served his apprenticeship that
evening; nor could he suppose that
Miss Vandeleur had left anything un-
said. Indeed, the young man was sore
both in body and mind-the one was all
bruised, the other was full of smarting
arrows, and he owned to himself that
Mr.. Vandeleur was master of a very
deadly tongue.
The thought Of his bruises reminded
him that he had not only come with
cut hat, but that his clothes had con-
giderably suffered in his descent
through the chestnut At the first
magazine he purchased cheap wide
awake and had the disorder of his
toilet summarily repaired. The keep
sake still rolled in the handkerchief
be thrust in the meanwhile into his
trousers pocket. ~-r,~->..-~
Not MANY steps beyond the shop he
was conscious of a sudden shock, q
hand upon his throat, an Infatuated
face close to his own and an open
mouth bowling curses in his ear. The
"dictatef, having found no trace of his
quarry, was returning by the other
way. Francis was stalwart young
fellow, but be was no match for his
adversary whether in strength or skill,
and after few Intellectual struggles
he resigned himself entirely to his cap.
tor:
what do you want xwith me?" said
he.
We will talk Of that att home" re-
turned the dictator gHfm1y.
- And he continued to march the
young man up hill1 il, the diroction>o'
the house with the green blinds.
But Francis, although he no lens =
struggled, was only waiting an ol,,1ci-
tunity to make bold pus!, for f1'ef
dom. With sudden jerk, he eeft the
collar of his coat In the hands OF Mr..
Vandeleur and once more made off at
his best speed in the direction of the
boulevards.
The tables were now turned. If the
dictator was the stronger, Francis. in
the top Of his youth, was the more
feet Of foot, and he had soon effected
his escape among the crowds. Relieved
Tor q moment, he, walked briskly until
he debouched, upon the Place de
Tupera, lighted up like day with, cleo
ttc lamps. ~ g" d" -. -
~Fh1s. 1t least. :" thought he. "shoult
aatisfy Miss Vandeleur." =;
!. And, turning to his right along TIL
/ jboulevatds,i he entered the Cafe Amer
I kahn and ordered some beer. It wa
= both late and early for the majority o
,s The frequenters. Of the establishment!
Only two OF. three persons, all men
were dotted here and there at separat
IL tsblesyiH the hall. and Francis was to
much occupied by his own thoughts t
observe their presence. e.
y u He drew the handkerchief from hi
'pocket.'n The object wrapped in Il
Il, proved to be a morocco case.r eiaspe
Il and orlamented r.. gilt. which opene
BY means OF; snring and disclosed y,
w The mortified young man a diamond c
s,.saonstrous 4PPigness and extraordinary
:. orilliancy. The. circumstance, vas, $
- tnexplicable, the value Of the stone wa
:. plainly SO enormous, that Francis S;
'' ~ksI.sprp ip%c fhoI of,nyJ ~ s]<ot withO(