Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-03-10

"SaCrei" mutteEcd DuDlarS,
ing. 1T is the Mother Of Christ. What
would you do?"
shut up. Judas" said Robbins.
coldIy. IT'S too late for you to be
saved now.
With a firm hand, he Clipped a slice
from the shoulder of the image. The
cut showed a dull, grayish metal, with
a thing coating of gold leaf.
Lead" announced Robbins. hurting
his knife to the foor-'gilded,"
TO the devil with it." said Dumars,
forgetting his scruples. Il must have
a drink"
Together they walked moodily to the
cafe of Madame Tibault. two squares
away
1t seemed that madame's mind had
been stirred that day to fresh recollec-
tons of the past services of the two
young men in her ehalt.
You musn' sit by those table," she
1nterposed, as they were about to drop
into their accustomed seats. "Thass
so, boys. But, no. l mex you come at
this room, like my tres bons amis. Yes.
l goin' mex for you myself one ami
settle and one cafe royale YER fine. All!
l lax treat my zen ME. les. II
come in this way"
Madame led them into the little back
room, into which she sometimes in
vited the especially favored of her Gus
toners. In two comfortable arm
chairs. by a big Window that opened
upon the courtyard. she placed them.
with a low table between. Busting
Hospitality about. she began to pre-
pare the promised refreshments.
1t was the first time the reporters
had been honored with admission to
the sacred precincts. The room was
in dusky twilight, flecked with CLEANS
of the polished. fine woods and bur
nished glass and metal hat the Gre
oles love. From the little courtyard
a tiny fountain sent In an insinuat-
Ing sound of trickiing waters. to which
Il banana plant IVY the window kept
time with its tremulous leaves.
Robbins, an Investigator by nature,
sent a curious glance rowing about the
room. From some barbaric ancestor.
madame had inherited a penchant for
the crude in decoration.
The walls were adorned with cheap
lithographs-forid libels upon nature,
duui SSStd u llt IdSlt VI lHt Doui-
geoise-birthday cards, garnish news
paper supplements and specimens OF
art-advertising calculated to reduce
the optic nerve to stunned submits
sion. a patch of something unintelli-
gible in the midst of the more candid
display puzzled Robbins and he rose
and took n step nearer. to interrogate
it at closer range. Then he leaned
weakly against the wall, and called
out:
Madame Tibault, o, madame!
Since when-oh, since when-have
you been in the habit of papering
your walls with five thousand dollar
United States our per cent. gold
bond? Tell me-is this a Grimm's
fair tale. or should l consult an ocu-
list?"
At his words, Madame Tibault and
Dumars approached.
"H'what you say" said madame.
cheerily. "H'what you say, M'sieur
Robbin?' Bon? All! those rize lii
peezes papier! One tam l think those
wat you call calendar, wiz Ill day
of mont below. tBut, no. Those wall
Is broke in those PLACE, M'sieur Rob-
OH, anu 1 DidLe lllOSb II pceLSS pa
pier to c0ncea re crack. | did think
the couleur harm'nize so well with the
wall papier. Where l get them FROM?
All. yes, | remem' YER well. One day
M'sieur NORM, he come at my houze-
thass bout n mont before he shall
die-thass long bout tam he promise
TO invest those money TO me. M-sieur
NORM. he leave thoze Ill peezes papier
in those table, n say YER much bout
money thasS hard for me to Ond-stan.
Mais | never see those money again.
Thass YER wicked man. M'sieur Mo-
rim. H'what you call those peezes pa
pier, M'sieur Robbin'-bon?"
Robbins explained.
There's your twenty thousand dol
lars, with coupons attached" he said,
running his thumb around the edge
of the our bonds. Better get an ex-
pert to peel them off for you. Mister
NORM was all right. I'm going out to
get my ears trimmed.
He dragged Dumars by the arm into
the outer room. Madame was scream
ing for Nicolette and Meme to come
observe the fortune returned to her by
M'sieur NORM, that best of men, that
saint in glory.
"Marsy," said Robbins, I'm going
on a jamboree. For three days the es.
teemed Pic will have to get along
without my valuable services. I ad-
wise you to Join me. Now, that green
stuff you drink is no good. 1t stimu-
lates thought. What we want to do Is
to forget to remember. I'll Introduce
you to the only lady in this case that
is guaranteed to produce the desired
results. Her name is Belle Of Ken
lucky, t~welve-yearold Bourbon. In
quarts. How does the idea strike
you?"
"AllOnSt" said Dumars "Charchaz