The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-02-26
Thou art. not Of Parisa. tina taller

pigeon Tor Betrand'S wine rooms. where
gentlemen sometimes play at dice"
He laughed again, and even the girl
could muster up assmile now that the
danger had blown over.
That Is true, Mademoiselle." I
asked. She nodded.
Then. good sirs. I'll fight no more In.
such q matter"
"And by my soul. comrade, right glad
I am to hear you say it; for you fight
Ward knows a swordsman."
Carne Ward! The very fellow r had
been sent out to find, nov by a queer
chance thrown full in my way. Verify,
i was relieved to know I could hold
my own against this famous-or in
famous-brayo. Another thing gained;
I knew MS man while yet stranger to,
very place which OF all other I desired
to find. Truly the chance was odd.
The w gentlemen upon the stair
had not vet staunched their merriment
while these thoughts coming.s so unex-
pectedly had swept me every recollec-
ton Of the fight. 81
Thou are not Of PARISH" the spokes-
man asked again.
l heard him as a man hears
thing afar off. for my foot resting up
on the package which had been
dropped, sent my mind a wandering
again. Could 1t be that this was a
paper OF Importance. or possibly the
very one I desired? Why not? I re-
solved to possess 1t at every hazard
Yet were j to stoop and pick 1t up now,
n they saw me-, I knew Of no means
by which, might leave the place in.
safety. So I carelessly showed 1t with
my foot farther into the shadow Of the
step. I answered the question asked
me SO long before.
mo, my lord, the city is a strange
n to me-"
''of what place, did you say?"
Now I had purposely refrained from
saying, and did not know what reply
to give. / hated to appear boorish, be-
sides 1tssWould not serve my purpose.
My father being of Normandy, I
deemed I would have nearly the accent
Of those people, SO I made a venture to
say:
"of Normandy, sir" In such a way
he did not pursue the subject further.
We thought you no Partisan, or this
lad would not have made so easy a
conquest" and they laughed again.
ID you play?" he queried.
Blu rarely, my lord" the fact was
y knew little of the dice.
They put Q and assembled the
coming on behind, but not until the
packet, from: which I hoped.so much,
was safely in my bosom. This was
easily accomplished when Ward had
turned his back.
We climbed the stair, and after some
forty or fifty PAGES stood inside the
room of which Serigny a spoken to
me. I could recognize the place from;
his description.
The gaming tables were ranged
about in the center OF the room, and
about them sat many men-and wo-
men. too--at play On three sides Of
the place a row OF columns ran some.
four or five yards from the wall. These
pillars formed convenient alcoves for
those who would sit and sip their wine.
Some were curtained, the better to
screen their occupants. others stood
broadly open.
The four Of US walked over to a table
well out Of view and sat down to wine.
Tt was then I regretted not having al
ready needed Serigny's admonition to.
provide myself with garments more.
suited to my character, for I felt I at
tracted some attention as we passed
through the room, n this was most
to be avoided.
We seated ourselves about the table
and ordered wine; mine remained IN
faster while the others drank. I de-
termined to touch no wine that night.
"Comrade, you do not drink Ward
remarked, SIS our blood still hot with:
the clash Of steel?"
mo, by my honor, that is long for
gotten; it is my OATH, an oath, too,
that cannot be broken"
"Ah, to a lady?"
I nodded, and he smiled.
We talked Indifferent gossip, and
after a while the Spanish troubles
were mentioned; I think the tall man
first spoke of 1t. Somehow / felt
wards carelessness to be assumed,
and that he very much desired to
hear what these two gentlemen would.
say on a matter so important. His
made 1t plain to me he knew
were men Of rank. However, they
were quite discreet; while they talked
much, yet they said nothing which was
not common talk on the streets. After
a bit they arose to leave, n was
sorely perplexed whether 1t were bet-
ter that / depart with them, now that
papers which might be valuable rested
safely against my breast, or had /
better stay and endeavor to learn mole
from Ward, who was beginning to
drink heavily. Perhaps a little more
might loosen his tongue. n I
might ven capture him or his confed-
crate. Discretion would have taken me
away, for that these two gentlemen
were powerful enough to protect me
in case of trouble in the house I did
not doubt. The bearing q 4 elder
man especially was such as to inspire
confidence.
The adventure, though, was too en-
ticing, and the hotter counsels Of youth
prevailed. I bade the gentlemen good
night, and remained sitting at the table
with Ward. It was but a few moments
before I regretted my unwise decision.
Ward leaned forward. he edge of
the table pressing against his breast,
and In so doing noticed the absence Of
the paper which he had forgotten In
the fight. His face changed instantly,
the drunken leer vanished. At first
there was a merely puzzled expression,
as Of an Intense effort to remember.
He looked swiftly at me. I gave no
sign. The two Men were gone. His
anxiety convinced me Of the import
ance OF the papers. He thought for a
moment, then excused htnself and
went out the way we anne AS ne
passed through the room, I saw him
stoop and whisper q word9to one Of the
men at the dice table. In a minute the
fellow shifted his seat, and though he
continued to play, he had taken a posi-
lion where. as I imagined. he could
watch me that I did not leave. I be-
came uneasy now, for / could not tell
how many there were, and my prtnci-