Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-11
DAILY STORY
A MORNING SURGl-
CAL OPERATION.
lOriginal.l

There is an adage that two is COM 1
pany and three is crowd, and Tis- |
dale wished for another man to be a /
companion for one of the girls. A gen |
tleman sat at table near by smoking !
his cigarette, drinking his absinth and
twirling his mustache. He east an oc /
casional glance at Tisdale and his par. |
ty and seemed interested in them |
When the waiter presented the bill |
Tisdale was chagrined to hnd that he |
had left his portemannaie at his hotel. |
There was nothing remaining in his |
vest pocket but a FIVE frame piece, |
quite insufficient to meet the indebted
ness. He was at a loss TO know what
to do. The ladies had no money with
them, and the position was embarrass-
ing. All this was evident to the gen.
tleman sitting near. He rose, APP
preached Tisdale and, lifting his hat
politely said:
Pardon, m'sieu. If you will permit
me l will relieve your embarrassment.
What is the amount of The bill?"
After some discussion Tisdale accept
cd the strangers offer and asked him
to take his place at the table while he
drove to his hotel to get his money.
The stranger consented. Tisdale was
absent less than half an hour and
when he returned found the girls
quite at home with their protector.
He was q man of perhaps forty. His
manners were affable. and he pos
sessed the faculty of being an atten-
l;-&a do1a ofn
full for the favor he had done him and.
thanking him, said:
"M'sieu, we would be happy TO have
you join our party for the evening. We
shall visit those places of amusement
with which this delightful city
abounds and when we have exhausted
them will sup at one of the cafes in
the amusement center"
Tisdale took out card and handed
it to the stranger, who looked at it
musingly.
"M'sieu will pardon me-" said the lat
ter, for not returning my card. I
never carry one. My name has dis
agreeable associations. You probably
know that the implement used in the
revolution for getting rid of the no
bility took its name from a physician,
DR.. Guillotin.'
81 see," said Tisdale; you are a de-
| scendant of his
1.-The name is not uncommon" said
/ one of the ladies, Mile. de Four.
81 rather like it," said the other,
| Louise Micheau. ''There is a keen edge
to it,
| All laughed at the sally. The ladies
| gathered their wraps, the men put on
their overcoats, all left the cafe and,
getting into a. carriage, drove away.
! Inriag the evening 1.-The party gaze
themselves up to pleasure. The stran-
| ger, once or twice demurred at not be-
ing permitted to pay any bills. but,
! seeing that Tisdale was determined on
| this. point, gave way. He was not n
| communicative man-rather silent in
fact-but this did not prevent him from
being companionable He asked to be
excused from drinking, giving as a
reason that he would be obliged to per-
form delicate operation in the morn
ing and would need a steady hand.
$50 You are like your celebrated an
cestor, doctor?" remarked Tisdale.
81 follow his footsteps" replied Gull
lotin.
The doctor seemed to prefer Mile
NIicheau and became her escort for
the evening.
1t was 1 o'clock before the party
brought up in a cafe on one of the
boulevards for supper.
II shall have to leave you very
soon," said the stranger. Having &C
!, cepted your hospitality thus far,
| grant that you will drink bottle witt
mer
: Certainly. But why leave us?'
1.-THE operation 1 spoke Of"
, Gan operation. So early in the morn
, ing" exclaimed Mile. de Four.
/ you'll kill the patient" said Mile
Micheau. Better wait for daylight"
81 Il do not expect the patient will sur
: vive," said the doctor.
There was certain chill in his voic
: that communicated itself to the others
There was something uncanny in th
fact of mans leaving a gay suppe
party to perform an operation on
N pcISOn Tic IcSuil VI WHICH lie expected
nj would be fatal. Tisdale. to Danish tn
g disagreeable feeling, seized q glass o
. wine and, blinking it with the others
;, drank success to the doctors operation
= 1T will be successful" said the SUI
= geon. ''It is an operation 1 have pei
. formed often, and l never fail"
"But I thought you said the patien
would not survive it." said Mile. NJ
: cheau.
He will not, but his death has notl
ing to do with my skill in operatin,
That is another natter
AS he spoke waiter uncorked bo
tie of champagne, the wine spoutin
and deluging the glasses. The docto
took up mis- glass, bowed affably to til
three, touched his lips to it, set it dow
and offered his hand to each. Their
], was GOODNESS in it that added to tb
i chill. Then he was gone.
IN. de Paris is looking very we
this morning." said gentleman 81
ting near. "He goes to attend to til