Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-06
The d aily
Short Story
AZ ABSURD GILMAN.
r. Alan Hinsiaie


dressed men in Paris. Anyone who
saw him walking on the boulevard In
gray trousers. fancy waistcoat and
spass, Prince Albert coat. the whole
sarmounted by silk hat of the latest
model, and carrying in his gloyed hand
gold-headed cane. would have
thought him descendant of the ante
revolutionary aristoerats.
! One morning Jules was walking or
the Rue Rivoli, where there are many
shops. and met lady whom he mis-
| took for former acquaintance Rails
| ing his hat politely, ne said:
| Good morning. Madame. it is a long
sghile since We have met. j see that
time has had no effect upon You. You
/ are as charming as ever
The lady gave Mr. Latrobe wither-
| ing glance and swept past him, leaving
him quite disconnected. for he intend,
ed no harm. really believing the lady
to be an old acquaintance. she was
an American, doing little shopping.
| intending when she had finished 10
visit the Louvres and enjoy an hour or
SO among the pictures. After the in
cldent with H. Latrobe she proceeded
TO the gallery and there waited for
| her husband. with whom she had an
appointment.
Bob" she said, when he arrived. az
will not 60 out alone again on the
streets of Paris. These people who af-
feet such politeness are infamous.
/ They consider any woman who ap-
pears alone on the street legitimate"
you have been spoken to-insult-
ed?"
Eyes"
by whom9'
by one who Is evidently a gentle
man. That's the worst of IT,"
Gould you identify him?''
Eyes, if I should see him. But how
T."
True, there is little chance of meet
ing him again How unfortunate"
''Why unfortunate"
Because If l could meet him I
would punch his head"
Captain Bob Emerson had won a
breYet in the Spaaish-American wars
] and on leaving the service had been
married and was now on his wedding
trip.
The next day Mrs. Emerson, taking q
= i4diQ WAbl 3fCi lOI EAOtEGkAtBs NEDl
/ shopping again Again she met Mr..
| Latrobe. Either he did not see her
> or pretended he did not. He turned
: into shop and Mrs. Emerson sent the
S maid in after him with instructions to
| secure his name and address. The
: maid returned with bit Of paper on
which was written in pencil. Jules
Latrobe, 16 Rue D'Alger."
Mrs. Emerson had no intention Of
! giving the paper to her husband. She
simply desired to learn whether the
q man who had spoken to her was
> duke or q count, or possibly member
! Of the Corps LegisIatif. She was some
q what disappointed to learn that be
/ was neither.
6 Meantime Captain Emerson had
: narrated the incident to friends, men
J. toining that If he could find the ag-
a gressor he would ehastise him The
g captain was informed that the only
/. chastisement allowable in Paris was
= under the code duello.
: Mrs Emerson, when she went to her
Il hotel with the slip Of paper bearing
h Jules Latrobe's name and address,
: tossed it on the dresser. Her husband
e coming in later saw it and asked her
i what it was She reluctantly told him
Il that it was the address of the man who
/ had iDsulted her Emerson took it up
t and left the room Immediately.
He hurried to is Rue D'Alger and on
N the Threshold met man Of whom he
ID inquired where he could find n La
% trobe The man informed him that NJ
ID Latrobe was not in. Emerson asked
lie when he would be in, and was in
formed that it was impossible TO tell
al He came and went at his pleasure
4 The captain produced his card and
n 'handed it to the man, saying:
IL Give that 10 NJ Latrobe and say TO
r him that | desire TO meet him at his
> earliest convenience. / trust there will
l. be no delay
O. The next day messenger delivered
a small package to Captain Emerson
with d bill for 20 francs written
!. under the printed name Of Jules La
k trobe, Fancy Stationery Puzzled
tx the captain opened the package and
y found 100 visiting cards bearing the
n. name of Edward Emerson
O. Crashing his teeth the captain
nd seized his hat and went 10 the Rue
N D'Algev This time he found d. La
e trobe in the shop
Are you NJ Latrobe2" asked the
captain, hotly
n q am Whom have I the honor to
We address,"
ly Il am Robert Emerson"
le, "Ah' The gentleman who LETT The
IS order for the cards ."
rs A light began to penetrate Emer-
as sons brain. Are you printer OF Wis
In iting cards?" he asked
TO When Captain Emerson left his wife
N with blood in his eye she snatched up
~ her hat and followed him She had
u no disposition TO have him run through
ey by a French dueling foil and hurried
ne to 16 Rue D'Alger 10 prevent il.
~ Moi fol. are you or are you not
~ Marie Boyer2p
- - u am not.
10 Pardon my addressing you.
~ thought you were she. You are her
- image"
al There was an embarrassing silence
u at the end of which Emerson drew
a. fourth his portmonie and paid the Bill
Then he and his wife left the shop.