The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-10-07
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Ia Femme

Ia Femme
cseyvsoAs. 1850. sy Doubleday. Page
4 Co.: published bv special ar
voncemenf rifh the Wheeler Syn
.6icafe. Inc.
Robbins. reporter for tho Plea
yunne. and Dumars Of L'Abcilie---
the old French newspaper that has
buxzed for nearly century-wers
good friends. well proven by years
Of ups and downs together. They
were seated where they had a habit
q meetinx--ln the little. Creole
haunted cafe OF Madame ribault. In
Dumaine Street II you know thu
place. you win experience a thrill
q pleasure In recalling II to mind
Il IL small and dark. with six little
polishcd tables at which you may
1T and drink the best coffee m New
Orleans. and concoctions OF absinths
equal to saxcrac's best. Madame II
baplt. fat and induigcnt. prcsidcs at
- desk. and takes your money.
leiccletse and Meme. madamc's
nteccs. In charming bib aprons,
hring the desirable beverages.
pumars. with true Creole luxury,
was sippins his absinthe. with half
e3osed eyes. IN . swirl Of cisnres
cunohe. R66SIns vas looking evsr
~ xornins PA. detsceing. - young
uspsrtsrs Win. she gro~s biundsrs In
~ makeup. and ths envious blus.
psncilinss ~ own stun ma received
This item. in the advertising col
umns. caught his eyeA and with an
exclnmation os suddsD interest he
nd Il aloud TO his frieuti:
Public Auction--At three O'Clock
ohis afternoon there win Be soid 20
- highest bidder all the common
pBopsrty Of the Little Sisters Of ga
maria. at the home OF tho Sister
hood. In Bonhomme Street The sale
win dispose of the building ground
and the complete furnishings Of the
house and chapel. without reserve
This notice stirred the two friends
20 a reminiscent talk concerning an
episode In their journalist career
that had occurred about two years
before. They recalled the incidents,
went over the old theories. and dis
cussed It anew from the different
perspective time had brought.
There were no other customers IN
the cafe. Madame's fine ear had
caught the line Of their talk. and she
came over to their tabIe--for had II
not been her lost money--her van.
ished twenty thousand dollars---that
had set the whole matter going?
The three took up the long g.aban.
doned mystery. thrcshing over the
old, dry chaff of II. II was In the
chapel Of this house Of the Little
Sisters OF Samaria that Robbins and
Dumars had stood during that eager
fruitless news search OF theirs, and
looked upon the gilded statue OF the
Virgin.
'Thass 80. boys" said madame
summing up. "Thass YER wicked
man. M'sieur NORM Everybody
shall be cert he steal those money
plaze in his hand for keep safe.
Yes He's boun' spend that money.
somehow" Madame turned a broad
and comprehensive smile upon Du'
smars. Il ond'stand you, M'sieur
Dumars. those days you come ask
me fo' tell ev'ything I know bout
M'sieur NORM. All. yes, l. know
most time when those men lose
money you say 'Chcrchez la
femme'-there Is somewhere the
woman. But not for M'sieur NORM.
No, boys. Before he shall die. he IL
like one saint. You nights we'll
Msieur Dumars. go try to find those
money In those statue of Virgin
Mary that Msieur Norm present at
those ptite soeurs. as try find one
femme"
At Madame Tibault's last words,
Robbins started slightly and cast q
keen. sidelong glance at Dumars
The Creole sat. unmoyed, dreamiIy
watching the spirals OF his cigaret
smoke.
II was then nine o'clock In the
morning and. a few r-'nutes later.
the two friends separated, going dif.
ferent ways to their days duties.
And now follows the brief story OF
Madame Tibault's vanished thou.
sands:
New Orleans will readily recall 10
mind the circumstances attendant
upon the death Of Mr.. Gaspard
NORM. In that city. Mr.. NORM was
an artistic goldsmith and jeweler In
the old French Quarter, and a man
held In the highest esteem. He be.
longed to one OF the Oldest French
families, and was Of some distinc.
ton az an antiquary and historian.
He was a bachelor, about fifty years
Of age. He lived In quiet comfort,
at one OF those rare old hostelrics
In Royal Street. He was found In
his rooms. one morning. dead from
uurn Ia Page 8. Column y