Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-01-09


srio funit anilI retif Z ne VI
|quencss of this step are So dark ana
may be SO grave that I teel myself
justified in pushing little further,
than usual the liberty which your high
ness is so condescending as to allow.
me in private
,"'Am I to understand that Colonel
Geraldine i'd afraid?" asked his high. q.
ness, taking his cheroot from his lips
and looking keenly into the others face. i
MY fear is certainly not personal" :.
replied the other proudly. ''Of that
your highness may well rest assured"
II had supposed as much" returned
the prince. with undisturbed good hu-'
NOR, ''but I was unwilling to remind
you Of the difference in our stations.
No moreno more" he added: seeing
Geraldine about to apologize. ''You
stand excused"
And he smoked placidly, leaning
against railing, until the young man
returned.
''Well," he asked, 'thas our reception
been arranged"' %
"Follow me-" was the reply. "The I
president will see you in the cabinet.
And let me warn you to be frank in
your answers. have stood your guar
antee, but the club requires a search =
ing inquiry before admission, for the
indiscretion Of single member would
lead to the dispersion of the whole So
ciety forever
The prince and Geraldine put their
heads together for moment. Bear
me out in this" said the one: bear
me out in that" said the other, and,
by boldly taking up the characters of
men with whom both were acquainted,
they had come to an agreement in a
twinkling and were ready to follow
their guide into the presidents cab
met.
There were no formidable Obsta cles =
to pass The outer door stood open, the
door of the cabinet was ajar, and there,
in small but very high apartment,
the young man left them once more.
"He will be here immediately" no
said, with nod, as he disappeared.
Voices were audible in the cabinet
through the folding doors which form
ed one end, and now and then the noise
of champagne cork, followed by
burst Of laughter, intervened among
the sounds of conversation. A single
tall window looked out upon the river
and the embankment,, and by the dis
position Of the lights they judged them
selves not far from Charing Cross sta
ton. The furniture was scanty and the
coverings were worn to a thread, and
there was nothing movable except
hand bell in the center Of a round ia
bic, and the hats and coats Of a consid-
cradle party hung round the wall OH
pegs.
"What sort Of d,'n i. this" said
Geraldine
'That is what have come to see,"
replied the prince. :'If they keep live
devils on the premises, the thing may
grow amusing"
Just then the folding door was open
ed no more than was necessary for the
passage Of human body, and there
entered at the same moment a louder
buzz of talk and the red0ubtabl bile presi-
dent of the Suicide club. The president
was man of fifty or upward, large
and rambling in his gait, with shaggy
side whiskers, a bald top to his head
and yelled gray eye. which now and
then emitted a twinkle His mouth
embraced a large cigar, which he kept
continually screwing round and round
and from side to side as he looked
sagaciously and coldly at the strangers.
He was dressed in light tweeds, with
his neck very open i'll striped shirt
collar, and carried minute book under
one arm. /
"Good evening"" said he. after he !
had closed the door behind him. Il
am told you wish to speak with me-"
I'VE have Il desire. sir, to join the
Suicide club replied the colonel.
The president rolled his cigar about
in his mouth.
"What is that:'' he said abruptly.
"Pardon me-" returned the colonel, |
''but believe you are the person best
qualified to give us information on that
point
~" cried the president. a Suicide
club? Come. come. This is frolic
for All Fools day. l can make allow !
ances for gentlemen who get merry il |
their liquor, but let there he an end t,
this |
"CaH your club what you WILL salt |
the colonel, YOU have some comp:.n. |
behind these doors, and we insist OF
joining it,
''Sir," returned the president curt!! |
"you have made 4 mistake. This is q
private house, and you must leave 1t
instantly
Ito Re c0ntiuued.)