The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-26

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very place which OF all other / desired
to find. Truly the chance was odd.
The two gentlemen upon the stair
had not yet staunched their merriment
while these thoughta coming 80 unex-
pectedly had swept me every recollec-
ton OF the fight.
are not Of Parish the spokes-
man asked agatn.
i heard him asa man hears some
thing afar Oh. for my foot resting up-
on h package which had been
DROPPED. sent my mind wandering
gain. Could II be that this was a
paper Of Importance. or possibly the
very q desired? Why not? I re-
solved to possess II at every hazard.
Yet were / to stoop and pick It mp now,
and they:saw me, I knew OF 40 means
by which I might leave the place IN
safety So I carelessly showed 1t with
my foot farther into the shadow OF the
step. answered the question asked
ne so long BEFORE.
mo. my lord, the city Is 4 strange
one to me-
~ what place. did yon say3
q 4 hadapurposely ~refrained from
saying. ndsdtd not know what reply
20 rive. 4 hated to appear boorish, be-
Stdes IL would not serve; my purpose.
y father being OF Normandy. I
deeHnedsIs would have nearly the accent
ofFthoge people. SOL made venture to
Normandy, sir" 1 such a way
he dld not pursue the subject further.
IA We thought you no Partisan, or this
iadyswould mot have made SO easy q
conquest and they laughed again.
hui rarely, my lord the fact was
knew Mttlesof the dice.
They put about and assembled the
sefalysesthe two together, then Ward, I
coming on behind, but not until the
packet, fromswhtch I hoped SO much,
vas safely In my bosom. This was
Ssseas.ly accomplished when Ward had
t1riseds his back.
yNescltmbed the stair. and after some
ssfottgsor fifty PAGES stood inside the
room % which serigny had spoken to
me- = could recognize the place from
his description.
se gaming tables were ranged
bt5 tnthe center OF the room, and
sahsut them sat many men-and wo-
ansrt. too---at play. On three sides Of
the place a row of columns ran some
FOURIER i've yards from the wall These
pilhitrs formed convenient alcoves for
sthase who would sit and sip their wine.
SoiI:e were curtained, the better to
ssseiaeens their occupants. Others stood
\ rsasal open
Thes four OF us walked over to a table
wsifsOut OF view and sat down to wine.
4 then I regretted notfhaving al
really needed Serfgny's admonition to
provide myself with garments more
suited TO my character. for ! felt Lat
& tracted some attention as we passed
through b room. and this was most
to be avoided.
We seated ourselves about the table
and ordered wine; mine remained UNI
faster while b Others drank. I de-
terfained to touch no wine that night.
'Gomrade. you do not drink Ward
remarked. ~ your blood still hot with
NO, by my honor. that is long for
gotten: II is my oath. an oath, too,
that cannot be broken"
.Ah,stos q lady?"
1 nodded. and he smiled.
WeEtalked Indifferent gossip, and
after 9 while the Spanish troubles
were mentioned; think the tall man
first spoke Of It. Somehow I felt
wards carelessness to be assumed,
and that he very much desired to:
hear what these two gentlemen would
aay On q matter so important. His
manner made 1t plain to me he knew
1the two gentlemen. and also that they
were quite discreet; while they talked
much. vet they said nothing which was
not common talk on the streets. After
"a bit they arose to leave, and I was
serely 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 more
from Ward. who al beginning to
drink heavily. Perhaps a little more
liquor might loosen his tongue, and I
might even capture him or his confed-
crate. Discretion wouldshave 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 of the elder
man especially was such Of to inspire
confidence.
The adventure, though, was too en-
ticings and the hotter counsels OF youth
prevailed. I babe the gentlemen good
night andtrematned sitting al the table
with Ward. It was but a few moments
before 4 regretted my unwise decision
ward leaned forward, the edge OF
the table pressing against his breast,
9and in so doing noticed the absence OF
the paper which he had forgotten In.
the fight His face changed Instantly.
there was q merely puzzled expression.
a Of q 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 q
anoment. then excused himself and
went out the way we came. AZ ne:
passed through the oom. I saw him
stoop and whisper q word to one Of the
men at the dice table. In . minute the
fellow shifted his seat. and though no
continued to play. he had taken,a posi-
ton where. ~ ] imagined, he could
watch me that ! did not leave. be-
how many there were,aand my pr1nci-
pal thought was howsto ret out ofgthe
house Assuredly not by the way I
+ entered. Il