The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-08-10
II Gallant
Old Bachelor
BY Donald Allen
Copyright, 1906, BY Beatti1 Reade


him several months 10 accomplish 1t
and being Il man who preferred peace
ana quctneSs he looked about for lJdg-
ings aud soon obtained what he want
ed.
Mr.. Stebbins had turned the sixty
mark, and there were young and en-"
yious attorneys who spoke of him as
old Stebhins. He had never married,
and there were other young and en-
vious attorneys who said that ii was a
blessed good thing for at least one wo-
man that he hadn't The fact was
that Mr. Stebhins was bitter. cranky
and not at all willing to extend the
glad hand. He had never been known
to exhibit the least consideration for
WOmankind, even when one of them
was on the stand for him rs a wit
ness AS for being gallant, the idea
was ridiculous.
One day, in walking about with his
hands clasped behind his back and his
yer happened on an auction room.
There WAS Il sale going on, and in idle
curiosity he dropped in, An escritoire
was up for bidding. 1t was an antique.
The bids were low ana the aucti0neer
Indifferent, and as a result the law
yer found himself the owner of the
piece Of furniture at what he knew to
be about one-third its value.
4 minute after it was knocked down
to him a man came rushing in and
seemed greatly put out that the escri-
tolre had been sold. When he found
that Mr. Stebbins was the new owner
he took him aside and said:
"That article was included by mis-
take among a lot Of other goods sent
here for sale 1t belonged to IA friend
of mime who IS dead ANA was really
left to me by his win | will give you
100 francs advance Oh your bargain,
Mr.. Steb6ins was sorry If any one
in Paris had died and sorry ii any mis-
take had been made in loading up vans
with furniture, but he couldn't see his
way clear to parting with his purcha.c.
The Offer was Increased 70 two hum
dred-thrce huudrcd-hy hundred, bat
in vain He said he might sell it when,
he was ready to leave Paris, but not
before. The escritoire was removed to
his lodgings ana rubbed up bit and
its next adventure took place = week
later.
The lawyer was in the public library
TO look up some dates connected with
his case when he saw man who close
ly resenbled the one he had met in the
auction room. They did not speak. AMI
the tribe was forgotten in five minutes
Three hours later the lawyer returned |
to his lodgings Just In time to halt two
men who were bringing his recent pur- !
chase downstairs to be loaded into 4
van. The landlady explained that a
very nice French gentleman had called /.
and exhibited an order signed by Mr.. [
Stebbins, ana OF course she thought it !
was all right to let the article go. The
man he had seen in the library had !.
put up the job to get possession Of the |
cscrit0ire.
Mr. Stcbbins sat down to reason il /
out. He had paid ~ francs for The /
piece of furniture. He had been offered |
500 francs advance The piece wasn't |
worth the money Why was the man /
so anxious then. to get It into his pos
session? It had been pretty closely !
examined when first brought home 1t !
was now given another inspection. but
the lawyer could discover no secret /
drawers. He gave the laudlady strict
orders and went his way.
Ten days later he told her be would
be gone all day. Half an hour after
leaving the house he returned for some
forgotten data and found her showing
bis room to a strangcr-the man he v
had met twice before The stranger
hurried away without excuse. and the
said she was showing the
room because the gentleman stood
ready to take il as soon as Mr.. Stcb- I
bins vacated. The caller had looked at
and admired the escritOire and had
even moved it about but had taken
nothing from IT, She was talked to in
plain, legal Philadelphia language and
ler key taken away.
A couple Of weeks passed away be-
fore anything more happened. Then,
- the lawyer sat reading one evening.
he landlady came up with a young
woman behind her. This young wo-
nan was plainly but neatly dressed
md looked to be n ladvs maid She
Introduced herself. and the landlady
eft She had friends in Philadelphia.
md. learning that Mr. Stebbins was
rom that city. she had made bold to
all on him TO ask for Information
The lawyer didn't believe her story
or a minute. but while he was prepar-
NJ to draw her out and show up her
Inconsistencies she suddenly clapped
Ter hand over her heart and tumbled I
l1wn in a faint or course Mr. Steb-
,ins summoned the landlady that Is.
ie started 10 go downstairs to her. his
'oom having no bell. when a lawyer
Ike idea came to him. and be turned
ibOut. lie was just in time to find
be fainting girl ut work at the escri-
DIRE. She screamed. Then she was
AIKEN by the ear aud led to the door
mi tremendously bowed out.
Sir. you are no gentleman she ex-
4 Il.