The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-06-09

and extravaganza. Thence a lei
surely stroll, with a good cigar il
his lips, took him to the Rue
Montpensier, where, at the Palai:
Royal, he sat and laughed for al
hour or two over a French farce
of the broadcast.
A hearty supper at Maxim's in
duced added cheerfulness, and
having learned from a benevolent
bystander at the bar there that a
whilom resort of his was still do
ing business at the old stand, he
resolved to pay it surprise visit
before returning to his hotel. He
considered that it would be most
unwise to throw away any chance
of increasing his scanty capital,
and, while he was in the vein,
would just speculate a few francs
at the tables on a safe and certain
system he had evolved since his
last disaster in that direction.
He called cab and went clatter-
ing back to the narrow Rue des
Bons Enfants, where it did not
take him long to get rid of what
cash he had with him. Whereupon
he hurried off to the Cours-la-Reine
with some muddled idea of return
ing with what he had left there
and breaking the bank after all,
but, at sight of his bed, a providen-
tial drowsiness overcame him, and
he lay down.
1t was nearly noon next day be-
fore he awoke, still in crumpled
evening clothes, haggard, heavy
eyed and suffering from an unclean
taste in his mouth. He blamed this
to the last brandy and soda of
which he had partaken, at the
croupier's invitation, in the Street
Of the Good Children.
He once more counted his assets,
uneasily now, and found them
sadly shrunk. And when, after a
cold bath and light breakfast, he at
length started for the Misses Whit
ers' select pension, it was under
the strong conviction that he had
somehow been made a fool of by
some one, and that he must forth
with exact satisfaction somewhere
for such affront. He rang with vi
cious emphasis the door bell of the
prim dwelling in the Avenue Mar
ceau, and was unnecessarily abrupt
with the maid who answered it.
He was left to kick his heels in a
stiffly furnished drawing room for
fully ten minutes while the Misses
Winters arrayed themselves to re-
ceive their visitor. His tone to
them when they did appear was the
reverse of conciliatory. 1t made the
two elderly maidens nervous.
II told that stupid girl that
came here to see Miss Quaint
ance,' he said in a brusque, quar-
relsome tone, and Miss Sophia
looked somewhat blankly at her sis
ter Jane. 1t was Miss Jane who
replied.
Miss Quaintance is no longer
with us, Mr.. Quaintance."
Seager stared at her, and his as
constituent was so evident that
Sophia felt called upon to supple
ment the assertion
What my sister Jane says is
quite correct. Miss Quaintance is
no longer with u.s." she echoed,
looking not unlike a gray parrot,
with her aquiline English features
and peaked cap for CREST.
"The deuce she isn't!" gasped
Seager, aghast at the grave posi-
bilities opening up.
Then where is she?"
Miss Jane laid a tremulous hand
on Sophia. She was not accus-
toned to being addressed as
though she were delinquent serv-
ant, but, nevertheless, she an
s"CiSu min, III q NOiCc Illedut To
convey that fact to his under
standing.
you have surely heard. Mr..
'Quaintance." she said, that Miss
Quaintance returned to the United
Ststes~of America Immediately she
heard the sad news of Mr.. Miles
Quaintance's DEATH"
You have surely heard that,
Mr., Quaintance." echoed Miss So.
phia as chorus, but Seager was
frowning so fiercely now that tho
words were no more than
WHISPER.
s"T'he devil she did" he exclaim-
ed, and the two spinsters shrank
fr'pmS him of common impulse.
TheX neither could nor would toll
sfateAisuc freedom of speech in
their presence. They rose togeth-
er, and bowed together. and would
have withdrawn at once had not
he OWNED their reason for that
step and prevented 1t by means of
a hasty apology.
zone moment, one moment,
ladies'" he begged. more suavely.
land pardon my seeming dis
courtesy. You'll understand how l
feel when | tell YOU that I've lust