Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16
CHAPTER XIII.
One Way to Engage a Valet.

their supper, DeScarte remained, man
who by nature was surly. sullen, silent,
lowering and begrimed. He sat on a
stool In the middle Of the room, smoking
short, black clay pipe, and between
puffs spat on the floor. Now and again
he would turn his eyes on me indiffer-
entity: and the only emotion he displayed
was toward the last, when he was over
taken by Impotence to have his supper.
Growing and muttering through his
beard he heaped imprecations upon Es-
per, who was to relieve him. Half-past
had. however, passed before the latter
came: Descarte. showing his pipe into a
jacket pocket, disappeared without
word.
Esper was one Of those alert little fell
lows, to whom talk was as essential as
food or air; so, drawing forward the
stool which his mate had Just relinquish-
ed, he proceeded to engage in converse
ton.
"That was a good trick, that, chr he
remarked, nodd1ng backward over his
shoulder. You nearly sewed up the
sow's ear that time. monsieur. and your
little servant Esper found 1t necessary to
| invent a tale for the stranger. who wished
to know who was calling his name along
the street
"a very 1mpertinent gentleman. that,
even to the shaking Of my shoulder. But
the noise was only made by the drunken
dog of a P1lon, 1 exclaimed. believing in
parted not we'll satisfied and without CIV
ing pourboire for the Information. Not
a jolly. liberal gentleman like you. my
master" And he grinned facetiously.
MY Hberality is about to be cut of, =
I returned
THAT Is true" He became thoughtful.
you might have squeezed many a dol
lar out Of me, you little rogue
.Ah. yes He grew even moro thought
I'VE could have had pleasant days to-
gether, you and I. Esper'
TT is that Pilon, mon Dieu, who would
throw away the orange?' he remarked.
in an impatient tone.
OF the three scoundrels who were my
keepers 1t was easy to perceive that Es-
per had the brains. That / was to be
dumped into the sea without being drain
ed Of more money vexed him, that was
plain: 1t was folly thus to cast a pleasant
source of revenue away; perhaps for a
week, two weeks, l might, according to
hiss calculations. have been played upon
to yield up some dollars each day. How
thoughts to him and inquired II it were
not SO.
But yes,'' he said, shortly.
well. Pilon is probably satisfied with
the gain Of my watch l continued. ut
will bring him considerable money. fur
nish him with more than one key Of
brandy"
The f1ickering smile came and went over
his face. but his eyes were angry. He
knew and knew that he should share in
condescend to dole Descarte a recon-
pense for his loyalty and assistance.
"Pilon cries loudly to divide 1 said
Does he ever divide when he finds an
| granger
He would divide a dead herring, no
more"
That watch was worth a good bit Of
| money" He looked up with interest
How much do you think. Esper?"
He considered Fifty dollars-possibly
| seventy-five."
You had but glance before Pilon
| shut hts fingers on 1t. Your figure is
| low
monsieur. what was the cost of the in
| strument?''
Five hundred dollars"
| The furtive smile froZe on his lips. For
| a minute he sat immovable, one corner
OF his mouth higher than the other; his
| nose twisted around: his face might have
been caricature. Then he sprang up.
Nom dun CHEN de la cochon-oh, that
damned Pflon, may he burn on needles
| in helln' And he poured out q stream
| Of vehement, biting oaths and curses,
scum Of the gutter. filth Of the sewer ter
| rible in their foulness and horrible in
| their conception.
| Had my hands been free should have
| clapped them to my ears. AS 1t was, 1
| cowboys and sea captains when profane
| under excitement, but what they could
| say was as milk to vitriol in comparison
with what flowed and spattered from Es-
| per's tongue. Then he stopped abruptly
and said with sudden quietness: Five
hundred-it is a fortune! 1 may yet pos
sibly have to spit Pilon on a knife, OH
the robber! Monsieur. $500 is a great
deal to give for only watch. / have
never had the honor of possessing such
watch to tell the time of day by. 1t
must be very fine, yes. Have you many
| such watches, monsieur"
His interest was polite, but nevertheless
sincere. had to confess that had not
many. in fact. only the one-and that
no longer possessed. A man does not
usually go about with a dozen watches, /
| pointed out to him, unless he be jew
eler or. perhaps. a collector.
/ 'Ah, that! / have been a collector of
Watches" he said. with flash Of wit,
but Of such watches as this. no, indeed,
/ but only of poor watches, which 1t was
necessary to present to le oncle when
| was thirsty. But yours, master Is q
grand watch. famous watch. VIII you
| have need OF quick and faithful valet
hereafter?'
mot unless he be good swimmer"
Esper received the jest smiling. II had
! forgotten that affair."
| HOW HIuCl are you 10 receive as your
| share Of tonight's work?' I asked
| .'Peste! Ten dollars. It is little
ITO put a rope around your neck, very
little"
Now. il ever, here was my chance to
| gain an ally. He smoked and smiled his
Pickering smile in high dissatisfaction
with his comrades cupidity. the watch
| he had lost. the pay for his service In as
| sistng to murder me was ridiculously
low: altogether he was coming out Of the
affair badly. very badly for one Of his
wit. He smiled and smoked and frowned
| and was displeased Because ne was
thinking deeply, the tip Of his nose needed
much scratching. He loved money, and
he would get but an insignificant handful
| been robbed of magnificent one; 1t was
| exasperating, 1t was diabolical, IL was
| enough to make one stick a knife into
| that son of a dog OF Pilon.
Nom de Dieu." he would say occa-
| sionally. Nom de Dieu.''
| At last a brilliant thought struck him
| He swung about to face me.
| Fool that l am. you are gentleman
you have money"
| II have some money! admitted.
| Perhaps you could buy such another
watch?"
| 1T is not unlikely"
| Possibly you are wealthy"
Possibly"
| II have been a valet, monsieur"
| "Eh?''
| ''Of a truth-to a gentleman in Bor-
| deaux. / could present you with excel
| lent references were NJ Cardinac living.
but unfortunately he Is dead. He died
suddenly without the thoughtfulness to
provide me with them"
l did not inquire into the nature of NJ
| Cardinacs sudden demise. nor did wish
| a valet least of all such a one "a ESSpor