The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1907-01-03

In q Partisan ouvrier's French, that
m'sieur will be back in time to keep
his appointment. / fear l must pro-
pose to myself to accompany m'sieur.'
Once again Lepelletier's face went
grey and his eyes seemed to bulge,
and once again he swallowed some
thing with extreme difficulty.
"Alors!" was all he answered, and
he turned away in the direction OF his
lodgings, followed a little distance by
the mar who had accosted him. AS
his unsteady fingers fumbled with his
latch key he took a backward glance,
and saw that the man was sauntering
slowly by. He let himself In at last,
and mounted the steps slowly, climb
ing to the banister, and ~shudderins
strongly at every step as II he had a
palsy.
When he reached his own he
took a bottle OF Cognac from a cup
board there, and poured out and drank
a full halftumbler Of the neat spirit.
The draught set him coughing violent
ly, and he dropped into an armchair.
w hci lit pdIOAy VI ""p "'Si Nv
and lit a cigarette, his fingers bungling
az the task and spilling a quantity OF
tobacco on the floor. The cigarette
went out, and he at on there. still as
a stone, and staring straight before
him. In a while, recovering from his
trance, he poured out a second liberal
draft of Cognac, qualifying it this time
with water, and aftN a sip or two got
up and rummaged about the room for
a cigar. and finding one at the bottom
Of a box, he lit it carefully, turning 1t
about and making sure 1t burned level.
Then he resumed his seat, throwing
one leg across the other, and blowing
rings Of smoke into the air.
Eth bien!" he said at last. Mon
sieur Brangwyn must bleed for this.
1t is a lucky thing for him that a few
hundred sterling a year will make no
difference to him."
He had quite recovered his sang.
froid by this time, and sat slipping and
smoking at ease, when a knock at the
door announced the arrival OF NJ. Ri
bot. He listened at the door and heard
him proclaiming that he was expected
by NJ. Dubois, with whom he had An
appointment of Importance. He con-
tinued to listen until the ascending
footsteps reached the final stair OF the
flight Immediately below him. Then
he closed the door softly and returned
to his armchair, where he composed
himself anew. There was a knock at
the door.
"Entrez," cried Lepelletier.
"A gentleman to see Monsieur Du
bois."
Let him come in. All, c'est toi! Be
seated"
M. Dubois, attired in his customary
fashion, hated, gloved, booted with
perfect ~fineness, passed a foret1ngeF
between an immaculate collar and his
neck as If it CALLED him a little after
a period OF disuse, adjusted his we'll
cut frock coat with a double-handed tug
and seated himself leisurely, carefully
parting his coat tails as he did so.
"Ohe," said Lepelletier, "a metamor-
phosis."
Something In that nature" Ribot
answered. But let US come to bust
ness, NJ. Dubois. My comrade report
ed to me a minute since. l hope. for
your sake, there was no evasion In
tended"
Yes" said Lepelletier. Let us
come to business. There was no eva
sion meant. My dear sir, I recognize
the position and l submit. But had
supposed my own needs to be provided
for the present week at least. That
suppositiop was roughly upset this
morning, and l was on my way to re-
plenish my resources. Nothing more,
parole d'honneur!"
Things prosper with you" said RI
bot, looking round the apartment
which, though not luxurious, was COM
modiously furnished.
"They would be we'll enough II they
would last" Lepelletier responded.
ut Is rather sudden to have done SO
much, n'estce pas?"
Perhaps the other answered,
aicking at his cigar ash.
"You have found a friend!" said HI
bot, inquirinGly.