Year: 1879

For whole month there was no change
in the relations between Tisson and Coste.
Their quarrel had become the subject of
talk in all Montpellier but no one felt in
clined to play the part of peacemaker be-
tween the two old men.


At the end of that time the Professor
went away on his usual holiday trip. For
the last ten years Coste had been his CON-
panion on these occasion. They had visi
ted together Paris, the Pyrenees, Auvergne
and Switzerland. They had enjoyed them
selves everywhere. But now the Profess
ser started alone. He thought of going
first to Paris--and then? He had not set
| tied where. He wanted to leave Montpel-
| lier. He could not bear to remain there
any longer.


The Colonel stood at his window, hidden
by the curtain, when the cab stopped at
his neighbor's door. He felt heavy load
on his chest, and his eyes burned i'm their
sockets when he saw the Professor leave
the house with a heavy step and enter the
carriage. When it had driven off, Coste
hid his face in his bony hands and wept
bitterly; but he experienced sort OF re-
lief in the thought that Tisson was no
longer in his immediate neighborhood.
He walked up and down his garden sadly
and thoughtfully. feeling himself free and
unobserved. A kind of peace stole over
him; ond one day, when he got up in the
morning he wrote the following letter.


DEAR TIssON: l have made up my
mind to leave Montpelier and to return to
Algiers, where my old regiment is sta
toned, and where have still few COM
rades who will be company for me. They
cannot make up tor what have lost /; but.
at any rate, shall not feel as utterly lone
~ as do here. Before leave, never to
return, would like to meet you once
more as in the good old times. Therefore
beg you will write to me on receipt of this
to appoint place to meet in Paris. We
will, as in bygone days, have a stroll
through the big town. we will dine together
in the evening, and then bid each other
good night as we have done for the
last ten years. On the morrow I will
leave Paris. You will then be able to
think OF me rs of an absent friend from
whom YOU have parted in peace and good
will. My anger lasted but few days.
Since have become cool and collected,
feel the same old friendship for you which
! shall ever feel, even if you reject my pro-
posal. Believe me, dear Tisson, your
faithful FRIEND CAsI,IR CosTE.





dress The Professor was staying at a
small hotel in Rue du Helder The land
lord was from Montpelier, and Coste ard
Tisson had lodged there on several occa-
sions.


The second day after the dispatch of this
letter the Colonel received one from Paris.
He at once recognized the writing of his
friend, and tore open the envelope with q
trembling hand. The letter consisted of
few hurried and almost illegible lines:


| have sworn never to pronounce the
words which you require before re-enter-
ing my house; but / may tell you how
hard it has been for me to keep my VOW.
Forgive me the pain my anger has caused
you. |, too. have suffered much, and
remain till we are parted by death, your
faithful friend


IsIDORE TIssON.


The letter fell from the Colonels hands.
and all seemed dark for moment.
When he had recovered little he went
to Pascal. She had received no tidings of
her master. Coste then telegraphed to
the landlord in Paris, begging to be in
formed of the health of the Professor. In
n few hours the answer came back-Pro-
fessor Tisson had died suddenly. He had
been found dead in his bed on the morn
ing of the preceding day. The funeral
was to take place on the morrow. The
daughters of the Professor has been COM
municated with.


Coste started that same evening for
Paris. and arrived there few hours after
the funeral lie saw the daughters and
sons-in-law of his friend at the hotel.
They were in deep mourning, but ap-
peared to bear their loss with great equa-
nimity. They seemed surprised at the
Colonel's troubled countenance when he
entered their room unannounced in his
dusty travelling dress and they answered
his inquiries briefly and precisely. Their
father had had a stroke. He had gone to
bed in his usual health. at 10 O'Clock. and
had been found dead the next morning.
The doctor thought he must have died
about IL. At any rate, he had been dead
some hours when found; and he had died,
they hoped, without pain,


Coste went the next morning to visit the
grave. On his return to the hotel he was
informed that the family from the South"
had left Paris after ordering pretty
tombstone to be placed on the Professors
grave.


The Landlord, NJ. Doucet, great
talker, who had known Coste for many
Ntdi-- anu WIS iohu VI
Il chat with him under circumstances,
became unusually silent and reserved
when the Colonel asked him for the par
ticulars o his friends death. He was
evidently conceaing the truth, and Coste
was determined to find it out He bribed
the waiter. who at first held back but
when the Colonel promised faithfully not
to betray him, the man related in a ner-
vous, frightened manner all he knew


NJ. Tisson had arrived five days ago.
He went out little, dined alone in his
own room, and spoke to no one in the
house. On Friday morning he wrote sew
eral letters, which he posted himself.
About ten o'clock he ordered some tea,
adding that he did not wish to be disturbed
before the next morning.


..When knocked at his door on Satur-
day morning, at .. to give him a letter
that had arrived from Montpelier, re-
ceived no answer. and finding the door
was locked on the inside, l became
alarmed.


called NJ. Doucet. who sent at once