The Red Cloud chief., 1912-12-12

1I ties, had been execut
N-.M ed, and ! had beer
Vsctrl.IX compelled to attent
@apsdAas~ this hldeous function
had not been to bed
I reached my Office an hour later
very tired. and determined. n possible
to retire early Up to four O'Clock
nothing had occurred to prevent my
having a nights rest. when I received
the following note:
Dear Goron: ! expect you to dinner 10
night Meet me at Pousset's at half pas.
seven Serious business.
ARMAND"
Even without the last two words,
would have guessed that something
had gone wrong. My friends usually
bold writing appeared thin and shaky:
and he, the exuberant man, who would
write three pages to say what others
express In three lines. had adopted a
1acOnic style. Yes. that note forebod.
ed trouble--if not worse--and I scrib.
bled line to say that would meet
him at the appointed hour.
Armand P and were old chums.
Both born In Rennes. we were edu.
Gated at the same college. and. al
though In later years our ways lay in
different directions, our friendship
never changed,
Armand was the son OF n retired
stock.broker. and had inherited about
one hundred thousand dollars from his
mother. who died year after he was
born. He had cousin, Marcelne.
whom he loved: and on the day he
came Of age he Informed his father
and me that he intended to marry her.
I shall never forget that date. because
II was the only time he and / quar-.
relied.
His father. knew, was strongly op.
posed to marriages between members
OF the same family. When he remon.
strated with Armand. and the latter
appealed to me, sided with the ia.
ther, and, after stormy scene, in
duced my friend TO give up his idea.
Marceline was not the wife for the
good-natured Armand. and I was glad
when that danger was past. Two years
later he married a lady he had met at
Royat. and bought pretty villa near
Vile d'Avray, where ] sometimes paid
them visit on Sunday afternoon.
Unfortunately. this union did not
turn out well. Madame P was
rather blgoted. and. being OF a highly
nervous temperament, her husbands
boisterousness and his loud laughter
seemed to upset her. These two had
no thoughts in common. and after
while my visits to Vile d'Avray
stopped altogether.
AS to Marceline. she had married
cavalry captain, who soon afterward
was killed by n fall from his horse.
leaving her a limited income and
house at Versailles. From Vile dAv-
ray to Versailles Is but twenty.min-
utes' drive. and I knew that Armand,
since the captains death. spent much
Of his time with Marceline.
When I reached Pousset's and saw
Armand looked at him in surprise.
Hollow-cheeked. pale. with sunken.
lack-luster eyes, hardly recognized
my poor friend, He rose when he saw
me. walked with me to the door. and.
hailing cab. told the man to drive to
Voisin's.
rs It a dinner-party I asked.
mo" he said. It was the first word
he had spoken.
At Voisin's he led the way to a pri.
vate room on the first floor. saw he
had ordered the dinner and that the
menu had been compiled with his u
ual skill.
II wanted to be alone with you he
said. "and here We can talk undis.
turbed."
was hungry and quite prepared to
do honor to Volsin's cuisine. but be-
fore had swallowed my first spoonful
OF soup. I noticed that the waiter had
placed before Armand a boiled egg
and glass Of milk.
"Are you going to make your dinner
on that?"
"Yes." he replied with a painful
smile, "but don't trouble about me.
We will talk when you have finished"
The fish was served. and the man
was about to leave the room when
called him back.
"'rhat will do" / ordered; ''you need
not bring the remainder OF the din.
ner."
Then. turning to Armand, ex-
claimed:
"And now. for heavens sake.
speak,"
He walked up to mo slowly, placed
both hands on my shoulders. and in
strained voice asked:
did You see valiant before he was
led to executiOn!"
II did Why?"
Because you will then have beheld
two condemned men In one day-Vail
liant this morning, me tonight"
Armand" cried, "are you mad?
mo, ! am not mad. am"
saw he was nearly fainting. and
led him to the sofa.
II feel better. old chap" he said