Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-07
UNDER THE
 RED ROBE By STANLEY J. WHITMAN
lsal, by stanley J. weYman.l ]


 ble flew out, and the bit of stuff flut- tered into whin-bush close to my stir rup-and was lost
 I was bitterly disappointed, for the same thing might happen again and had now only three scraps left. But fortune favored me, by putting 1t into my neighbors head to plunge into hot debate with the shock-headed man on the nature of some animals seen on distant brow; which he said were lizards. while the other maintained that they were common goats. He con- tinued, on this account, to ride with hls face turned the other way. I had tire to fit another pebble into the second piece of stuff and sliding it on to my thigh. poised it and Tipped it.
 This time my finger struck the mis- sile fairly in the middle and shot 1t so far and so truly that it dropped ln the path ten paces in front of us. The moment I saw it fall I kicked my neighbor's nag in the ribs; it started. and he, turning in rage, hit it. The next instant he pulled it almost on its launches.
 Saint Gris," he cried; and sat glar- ing at the bit of yellow satin, with his face turned purple and his jaw fallen. +
 What is it?" said, staring at him In turn. What is the matter, fool?'
 Natter" he blurted. Mon Dieu"
 But Clon's excitement surpassed even his. The dumb man no sooner saw what had attracted his comrades attention, than he uttered an inartic- ulate and horrible noise. and tumbling off his horse. more like a beast than a man. threw himself bodily on the pre- cious morsel.
 The innkeeper was not far behind him. An instant and he was down, too, peering at the thing; and for an, in- stant thought that they would fight over it. However, though their jeal- ousy was evident. their excitement cooled little when they discovered that the scrap of stuff was empty; for, fortunately the pebble had fallen out of it. Still, it threw them into such a fever of eagerness as it was wonderful to witness. They nosed the ground where it had lain,. they plucked up the grass and turf and passed it through their fingers. they ran to and fro like dogs on trail; and, glancing askance at one another, came back al- ways together to the point of depart ure. Neither in his jealousy would suf- fer the other to be there alone.
 The shock-headed man and sat our horses and looked on; he marvelling, and pretending to marvel AS the two searched up and down the path, we moved a little out of it to give them space; and presently. when all their heads were turned from me, I let a second morsel drop under gorse-bush. The shock-headed man, bye-and-bye, found this, and gave it to Clon; and. as from the circum stances of the first discovery no sus- picion attached to me, ventured to find the third and last scrap myself did not pick 1t up, but called the inn keeper. and he bounced on it as have seen a hawk bounce on a chicken.
 They hunted for the fourth morsel. but. of course. in vain, and in the end they deSisted, and fitted the three they had together; but neither would let his own portion out of his hands, and each looked at the other across the spoil with eyes of suspicion. It was strange to see them in that wide stretching valley, whence gray boar backs of hills swelled up into the si- lence of the snow--it was strange, I say. in that vast solitude to see these two. mere dots on it's bosom. circling round one another in fierce forgetful- ness of the outside world, glaring and shifting their ground like cocks about to engage. and wholly engrossed-by three scraps of orange-color, invisible at 50 paces!
 At last the innkeeper cried with an oath: 'I am going back. This must be known down wonder. Give me your pieces, man, and. do you go with An toine. It will be all right"
 But Clon. waving a scrap in either hand and thrusting his ghastly mask into the other's face. shook his head in passionate denial He could not speak. but he made it clear that if any one went back with the news he was the man 70 20.
 "Nonsense,- the landlord retorted fercely. We cannot leave Antoine to go alone with him. Give me the stuff."
 But ClOn would not. He had no thought of resigning the credit of the discovery. and I began 10 think that the two would really come to blows But there was an alternative. and first one and then the other looked al me. It was a moment of peril. and I knew it. My strateEem might react on my self. and the two. tO put an end to this difficulty. agree 10 put an end to me BIt I faced them 90 ooollT am showed SO bold front and the ground was 90 open, that the idea took TO root. They fsll to wrangling again more viciously than before One tapped his gun and the other his pistols. The landlord scoldsd. the dumb man glr- sled. At last their difference ended ss I had hoped it would.
 @Very well then. ws will both go hacE," the innkseper cried in a rzEa. And Antoine must see him On But the blame be on your head Do you