1
12 THE OtfAIIA DAILY 111 : ? * . , A rUllOAY , JlIIiT 24 , 1807.
iJr H -t
STHE STRANGE EXPERIENCE !
5 { OF ALKALI DICK * Rtfr
I ( CopyrlRht , ! ; , by lint lUrto. )
* Ho wflfl a "cowboy.1 A reckless and dafti-
t Ing rider , yet mindful of Ills homo's needs ;
goo.l-bumorcd by nature , but quick In quar-
f rel ; Independent ot circumstance , yet shy and
ccnsltlvc of opinion , abstemious by education
and general habit , yet Intemperate In relax.v
, . tlon , Belf-ccnteiied yet possessed of a cblld-
' Ish vanity ho was a characteristic product
t of the western plains , which he should never
i have left. Hut lecklost ) adventure after ad-
i venture had brought him Into difficulties.
from which there wag only one equally ad-
j
> vcntcroiifl escape ho joined .1 company of
Indians engaged by Iluffalo Hill to simulate
before civilized communities the uporu and
customs of the uncivilized. In divers Chris
tian arenas of the nineteenth century he rode
.aa u northern barbarian of an earlier date
might have disported before the Roman
1 populace , but harmlcsily , of his own fr e
will , and ot ome little- profit to himself. He
I threw his lasso under the curious eyes of
8 * languid men and women of the world , eafior
; for some new cnt.\tlon , wllh admiring plaudIts -
> Its Ironi them nnd a hil ( contcniptouc ego
tism of hlH own. 'Hut ' outside of the arena
, ho was lonely , lost and Impatient for ex-
rltcmcnt. An Inguilouu nttumpt to "paint
the town red" did not commend Itself as a
spectacle to the householders who lived In
the vicinity of Karl's court , London , anil
Alkali Dick was haled befou- respectable
i magistrate by a eerloue policeman , and
; fined as If he had been only a drunken
V coaler , A later attempt at 1'urls to "In-
r cardtno" the neighborhood of the Champ dc
* Mars , and "lound up" a number of boulc-
vnrdler * . met wllh a more disastrous result ,
the gleam of steel from mounted gendarmes
nnd n mandate to hla employers. So It came
that one night , after the conclusion ot the
performance , Alkali 'Dick rode out ot the
corral gate of the hippodrome with his last
% wcek'i salary In his pocket and on Imprcca-
f tlon on hla lips. He bad shaken the cawtl'ist
if of the eham arena from his high , tight-Ill-
t ting bunts ; ho would shake olt the white dust
of France , and the effeminate soil of all
Europe also , and embark nt once for bla
own country nnd the far west. A more pra > -
tlcal nnd experienced man would have told
k his horse a' tl.c neairat market and taken
tialn to Havre , but Alkali Hick felt hlmse'f '
Incomplete on terra flrina without his nuis-
' tnnn It would be hard enough to part from
, It on embarking and he had determined to
tr riile to the seaport. Ho was Ignorant of
I the langiuge , but with "Havre" upon his
lips and a western faculty ot finding roads ,
ho would succeed. Besides , he would be lefa
. likely to be tro'ibled with foreign company
t on the- load than In a train.
| * The spectacle of a lithe horseman , clad In
* a Rembrandt sombrero , velvet jacket , turnover -
' over collar , almost Van Dyke In Its proportions
tions , white trousers nnd high boots , with
long curling hair falling over his shoulders
nnd a pointed beard and mustache was n
plctuicsqtip one , but still not a novelty to
the late-supping Parisians , who looked up
under the midnight gas as he passed and
only recognized one of those men whom
Parlti had agreed to designate as "Uorllo
Bits" going home. A few gendarmes looked
suspiciously after him. Hut Alkali Dick's
vanity was already surfeited with thu Im
pressionable admiration displayed by male
and female Paris for him and his com
panions , and he was too eager now to get
F- away to wish even a hilarious conflict with
the police. Ho kept bis tongue and his
temper until he had passed the "barriers"
w ' - and fortifications , and It was ouly when he
§ was fairly on the road to St. Germain that
ho gave vent to a characteristic yell nnd
loosened the reins of his mustang. At 3
o'clock he pullc'd up at a wrfyslde cabaret , or
Inn , preferring it to the publicity of n larger
hotel , and lay till morning. The slight con-
uternatlou of the cabaret keeper and his
wife over ( his long-haired phantom , with
glittering , deep-set eyes , was soothed by a
royally Hung gold coin and a few words of
French slang picked up in arena , which
with the name of Havre comprised Dick's
knowledge of the language. But he was
touched with their ready and Intelligent
comprehension of his needs and their genial
If not so comprehensive loquacity. Luckily
tor his quick temper , he did not know that
they had taken him for a traveling quack
doctor going to the fair of Yvetot and that
madame had been on the point of asking
him for a magic balsam to prevent migraine.
Ho was up betimes and away , giving a wide
berth to the larger towns , taking byways and
cutoffs , yet always with the western path
finder's Instinct , oven among these alien
poplar-haunted plains , low-banked , willow-
fringed rivers and clovcrlern meadows. The
white aim shining everywhere on dazzling
arbora , summer houses and trelllsBt > on light
green vines and delicate- pea rows ; on the
white trousers. Jackets and shoes of smart
shopkeepers or holiday makers ; on the white
head-diesseA of nurses and the white-winged
caps of the sisters of St. Vincent all this
grew monotonous to this native of still raort
monotonous wastes. The long black shadows
of short , blue-skirted eabotted women and
short , blue-blouscd , sabotted men slowly
working In the fields with slow oxen , or
etlll slower heavy Norman horses , the same
horses gayly bedecked , dragging , slowly ,
not only heavy wagons , but their own ap
parently most monstrous weight over the
whlto road , fretted his nervous wcntcrn
energy and made him Irnpatlent to get on.
At the cloeo of the second day he found
some relief on entering a. trackless wood
111 : MAHIA HTIP TOWAHDS unit.
not tin. ' usual formal avenue of cqul-dlatunt
trees , leading to nan live , and stopping upon
the open field but apparently a genuine
forest as wild aa one of his own "Oak Dot-
toms. " Qnarled roots and twisted branches
Hung themselves across his path , his mus
tang's hoofs sunk In deep pita of moia and
last jeai's withered leuvra. trailing vines
caught hid heavy stlrruped foot , or brushed
his broad eotnbrero , the vista before him
Eecmcd only to endlessly repeat the oamu
sylvan glade , and ho was In fancy once more
In tha primeval western forest and encom
passed by Its vast dim silences. lie did not
know that he had In fact only penetrated an
ancient park , which In former days echoed
to tbe winding fanfaie of the chase , and
was ctlll , on stated occasions , tw pt
over by accurately green-coated Parmacs
and green -plumed OIar.cu , who had come
down by truln. To him It meant unfettered
and utiprc-scrlpted freedom. He rose In hla
ttlrrups and neut a characteristic yell ring
ing down the dim aisles before him. Hut
alas ) at the same moment his mustang , ac
customed to the firmer grip of the prairies ,
In lashing out stepped upon a slimy root
and fell heavily , rolling over his clinging
and still unsteady rider. For a few seconds
both lay etlll. Then Dick extricated him
self with an oath , rose giddily , dragged up
hlg horse , who , after the fashion of his race ,
was meekly succumbing to his reclining
position , and then became aware that the
unfortunate beast was badly sprained In the
ehoulder and temporarily lamel The sud
den recollection that be wu oine tullco
from the mad , and that the aim was sinking ,
concentrated his scattered faculties. The
prospect of sleeping out In that summer
woodland was nothing to the pioneer-bred
Dick ; he could nrnHp himself and hla horse
comfortable anywhere , but ho was delaying
his arrival at Havre. He must regain the
high road , or some wayside Inn. He glanced
around him , The westering sun was a guide
to his general direction ; the .road must
follow It north or couth ; he would find n
"clearing" somewhere. But hero Dick was
mluakcn ; there seemed no Interruption of ,
nor encroachment upon , this sylvan tract , BS
In his own western woods. Them was no
track nor trail to be found ; ho in I wed even
the ordinary woodland signs that denoted
the pith of animals to water , for the park ,
from the time a Norm an duke had first alien
ated It from the virgin forest , had been
rigidly preserved.
Suddenly , rising apparently from the
ground before him , ho saw the high roof
ridges and tourcllca of n Ions , Irregular ,
gloomy building. A few steps further showed
him that It lay In a cup-like' depres
sion of the forest , and that It was still a
long descent from where ho had wan
dered to where It Blood In the gath
ering darkncre. His mustang was moving
with great difficulty ; hi- uncoiled his lariat
from the saddle-horn , ami , electing the
mcst open space , tied one * end to the trunk
of a large tree the forty feet of horsehair
rop'i riving the- animal a mMllcient degree
of glazing fieedom. Then he strode more
quickly doun the forest side toward the
InilldliiK which now revealed Its auatcto
proportions , though Dick could sot' that
they were mitigated by a strange formal
[ lower garden , with quaint datum and foun
tains. There weie grim black alleys of
clipped treea a curiously wrought Iron gate ,
anil twisted Iron espaliers. On one side the
and try to obtain a nearer view of her. There
wna a fringe of lilac bush MI running from
thp Harden up the slope ; If he could gain
their ehadons he could descend Into the
garden , Whkl he should do after bin ar
rival , he had not thought ; but he had onp
Idea he knew not why that If ho ven
tured to speak to her he would not be met
with the abrupt rustic terror he had ex
perienced at the hands of the servants. She
wan not of that kind ! He crept through the
hedge , reached the lilacs and began the de
scent softly anil securely In the shadow.
Hut at the same moment she arose , called
In a youthful voice toward the open window ,
and began to descend the steps ; a half ex
postulating reply came- from the window ;
but the young girl answered It In the laughIng -
Ing capricious confidence of a spoiled child
and continued her way Into the garden. Here
she paused a moment nnd hung over a rene
tree from which she KB the : oil a flower which
she thrus * Into her belt. Dick paused , too ,
half crouching , half leaning over a lichen
stained cracked stone pedestal from which
the statue had long been overthrown and
forgotten. To bin surprise , however , the
joung girl following the path to the lilacs be
gan cautiously to ascend the hill , swaying
from side to side with a youthful move-
mcnt , and anlnglng the long stalk of n. Illy
at her side. In a few moments she would
be at his side. Dick was frightened ; hli
confidence of the moment before had all
gone ; he would fly and yet an exquisite
and fearful joy kept hlni motionless , She
was approaching him full and clear In the
moonlight. He could fee the grace
of her delicate figure In the simple white
frock drawn at the waist with broad satin
ribbon , and Its love knots of pale blue ribbons
bens on her nhouldrcm ; he could sec the cells
of her brown hair , the pal * olive tint of her
oval cheek , the delicate swelling nostril of
hrr straight , clear-cut ncsc ; he could even
smell the Slly > she carried In her little hand.
Then suddenly she lifted her long lashes ,
and her large g.ay eyes met hla.
Alas ! the same look of vacant horror came
Into her cjcs and fixed and dilated their
clear pupils. But she uttered no outcry
there waa something In her blood that
checked It scmethlng that even gave a dig-
TO HIS 8UKPRISU AND CONSTEKXATION llA SAW THU COIXm DROP OUT OF linn
FIinSH CIIKKKS.
edifice was supported by a great stone terrace -
race which seemed to him as broad as a
Parisian boulevard. Yet everywhere It ap
pealed sleeping In the desertion and silence
of the summer twilight. The evening breeze
swayed the lace curtains at the tall windows
dews , but nothing else moved. To the un
sophisticated western man It looked like a
scene on the stage.
His progress was , however , presently
checked by the first sign of preservation be
had met In the forest a thick hedge , which
Interfered between him and a sloping lawn
beyond. It vas up to his waist , but he be
gan to break his way through It , when
suddenly he was arrested by the sound of
voices. Before him on the lawn a man and
woman , evidently servants , were slowly ad
vancing , peering Into the shadows of the
wood which ho had Just left. He could
not understand what they were saying , but
ho was about to speak and Indicate his desire
sireto find the road by signs , when the
woman , turning to speak to her companion ,
caught sight of his face and shoulders above
the hedge. To his surprise and conaterna-
tlon. he paw the color drop out of her fresh
cheeks ; her round eyes fixed In tholr sock
ets , and with a despairing shriek , she turned
and fled toward the house. The man turned
at his companion's cry , gave the same horri
fied glance at Dick's face , uttered a hoarse
'Sacre ' ! " crossed himself violently and fled
also.
also.Amazed. . Indignant , and for the first time
In his life humiliated. Dick gazed speeohlemly
after them. The man , of course , was a
sneaking coward but the girl'was a rather
pretty one. It had not been -Dick's experi
ence to have women run from him ! Should
be follow them , knock the silly fellow's head
against a tree and demand en explanation ?
Alas ! he knew not the language ! They had
already reached the house and disappeared
In one of the offices. Well ! Let them gofer
for a mean , uncivil pair of country bump
kins he wanted no favcro from them !
He tinned back angrily Into the forest
to seek his unlucky beast. The gurgle of
water fell on his ear ; hard by was a spring ,
where , at least , ho could water the mustang.
Ho stooped to examine It ; thcie was yet
light enough In the suneet iky to throw
back from that little mirror the reflection
of hla thin oval face , hLi Hng curling hair
and his pointed beard and murtarhe. Yes ,
this was his face the face Jhat inmy women
In Paris had agreed was romantic and dl -
tlngue. Had these 'wretched / greenhorns
never seen a real man before ? Were they
ldlolaor _ Insinc ? A sudden recollection of the
silence and the seclusion of the building
fcuggested certainly an asylum , but where
were the keepers ! But It was getting dark
In the wood ; he made hast to recover his
horse , to drag It to the spring , and even
bathe Us shoulder In the wiUr mixed with
whisky taken from hie flask. Ilia saddlebag
contained enough bread and ir.oU for hU own
supper ; he would camp out for the night
where he was , and with the first light of
dawn make his way back through the wood
whence he came. As the light slowly faded
from the wood he rolltd hluiMlf In his ( addle
blanket and lay dawn.
But not to sleep ) His strange position , the
accident to his horrc , a singular Irritation
over the incident of the frightened servants
trivial as It might bave been .to any other
man and above all an Increasing childish
curiosity , kept him awake and restless.
Presently ho- could see also that It was
growing lighter beyond the edge of the
wood , and that the rays of a young crescent
moon , while It plunged the forest Into dark-
nes > and Impassable shadow , evidently wua
Illuminating the hollow below.He threw
aalde Ills blanket , and made his way to the
hedge again.He was fight ; ho could see
the quaint formal lines , of the old garden
more distinctly the broad terrace the queer
towered bulk of the house , with lights now
gleaming from a few of Its open windows.
Before one of these windows opening on the
terrace was a email white-draped table with
fruits , cups and glacses and two or three
chairs. As ho gazed curiously at these new
signs of life and occupation he became aware
of a regular and monotonous tap upon the
stone flags of the terrace. Suddenly he saw
three figures slowly turn from the corner of
the terrace at the further end of the bulld-
IiiK and walk toward the table. The cen
tral figure was that of an elderly woman ,
yet tall and stately of carriage , walking with
a stick , whcse regular tap he had heard , sup
ported on the one side by an elderly euro
In black soutalne and on the- other by a tall
and slender elrl in white. They walked
clsuiely to the other end of the terrace as
If performing a regular exercise and re
turned , stopping before the open French window -
dow where after remaining In conversation
a few moments the elderly lady and her
ecclesiastical companion entered. The young
clrl countered slowly to the steps of the
terrace and leaning against a huge vase ad
ehc looked over the garden seemed lent In
contemplation. Her face was turned toward
thu wood , but In another direction from
where he tood.
There was something so gentle , refined and
graceful In her figure , yet dominated by a
g rlleh > outhfulDets of movement and ges
ture that Alkali Dick was singularly Inter
ested. He had probably never seen an In
genue before ; he had certainly never come
In contact with a girl of that caste and
seclusion In bis brief Parisian experience.
Ho waa sorely tempted to Jeavo lila hedge
nlty to her recoiling figure and made Dick
flush with admiration. She put her hand
to her side , as If the shock of the exertion
of her ascent had net her heart to beating ,
but E-he did not faint. Then her fixed look
gave way to one of Infinite sadness , pity and
pathetic appeal. Her lips wore parted
they acemed to bo moving , apparently In
prayer. At last her voice came wonderIngly -
Ingly , timidly , tenderly :
"Mon Dleu ! c'est done voual C'est vous
quo Marie a cru volr ! Que venez vous falre
i Id , Armand do Fontonelles ? Hcspondez ! '
J Alas , not a word was comprehensible to
Dick ; nor could he think , of a word to say
In reply. He made an uncouth , balf-lrrt-
tated , half-despairing' gesture towards the
wood ho had quitted , 'ns If to Indicate his
helpless horro , but he knew It was meaning
less to the frightened yet exalted girl .be
fore him. Her little hand crept to her
breast and clutched a rosary within the
folds of her drets , as her soft voice again
rose low but appeallngly :
"Vous soiffrez ! Ah , mon Dlcu ! Peut on
voiis secourlr ? Mol meme , mea prlereo
| pourralent elles Interccder pour voua ? Jo
i pupplleral le clel de prendre en pltle Fame
j de mon ancetre. Monsieur le Cure est la.
Jo lul parlerai. Ma mere ot lul vous
vlendront en aide" " She clasped her.hands
appeallngly before htm.
| Dick stood bewildered , hopeless , mystl-
, fled ; he had not understood a word ; he could
. n-ot say a word. For an Instant he had a
I wild idea of seizing her hand and leading
! her to his helpless horse , and then came
! what ho believed was his salvation , a sud-
I den flash of recollection that ho had ECWI
j the word he wanted the one word that
) would explain all ! In a placarded notice at
i the Cirque of a bracelet that had been
"lost" yes ! the single word , "perdu. ' He
i made a step towards her , and In a voice
almost a faint as her own , stammered :
"Perdu. "
With a little cry that was more like a
sigh than an outcry the girl's arms fell to
her side , she too ! : a step backwards , reeled
and fainted away.
Dick caught her as she fell. What had
he said ? but more than all what should
he do now ? He could not leave her there
alone and helpless yet how could he Justify
another disconcerting Intrusion. He touched
i her hands ; they were cold and lifeless her
{ eyes were half cloicd , her face as pale and
drooping as her Illy. Well , ho must brave
I the worst now and carry her to the house
j even at the rluk ot meeting the othera and
repeating this ghastly farce. He caught her
I up ho scarcely felt her weight against nU
I breast and shoulder , anil ran hurriedly down
I the slope to the terrace which was still
deserted. If he had time to place her on
i seme bench beside the window , within their
reach , he might still fly undiscovered. But ,
as ho ranted up the steps of the terrace
with his burden , he saw that the French
window was still open , but the light seemed
to have been extinguished. U would be safer
for her. If he could place her Inside the hoime
If be but dared to enter. He was desperate
and tbe dared ! He found himself alone In
a long salon of rich but faded white and
gold hangings , lit at the other end by two
' tall candles , on cither side of the high
J marble mantle , whoso rays , however , scarce-
I \y \ reached the window where ho had en
tered , He laid his burden on a hlghbacked
sofa. In so doing the rose fell from her
belt. Ho picked it up , put It In bis breast
and turned -to go. But he was arrested by
a voice from the terrace :
"Henee ! "
It was the voice of the elderly lady , who
with the cure at her side had just rounded
the house from Its rear , and at the further
end of the terrace was looking toward the
garden In 'search of the young girl , His
escape In that way was tut off. To add to
his dismay the young girl , perhaps roused
by her mother's voice , was beginning to
show signs of recovering consciousness , Dick
looked quickly around him. There was an
open door , opposite he window , leading to a
hall which no doubt offered some exit on
the other side of the house. It was his
only remaining chance ! He darted through
It , closed It behind him and found hlmoelf
at the end of a long hall or picture gallery
strangely Illuminated through high windows ,
reaching nearly to the r of , by the moon ,
which on that side of tne building threw
nearly level bars pf light and shadows across1
the floor and the quaint portraits on the
wall. But to his delight he could see at
the other end a narrow , lance-shaped open
postern door showing thu moonlit pavement
without evidently the door through which
the mother and cure bad just paceed out.
He ran rapidly toward It. As ho did so he
heard the hurried ringing of bells and
voices In the room he had quitted the
young girl had evidently been discovered
and this would give him time , He bad
nearly reached It , when he stopped -cud-
denly his blood chilled with awe ! It was
his turn to be terrified he was standing ,
apparently , before himself ,
His first recovering thought was that It
was a mirror , BO accurately was every line
end detail of his face and figure reflected.
But a second scrutiny ehowcd some dis
crepancies of costume and be saw It wes a
panelled portrait on the wall. It was a man
of hla own uge. height beard , complexion
and features with lor.g curls llku his own ,
falling over a lace Van Dyke collar , which ,
however , again simulated the appearance of
his own hunting ehirU The broad-brimmed.
hat In the plc'urt , \ here dmoplnx plume was
lost In Khadow , was scarcely dlntlnct from
Dick's sombrero. Hut the likeness of the
facet to Dck was marvelous convincing ! As
, ho gazed at It tbo wjcked bhck eyes seemed i
to flash and kindle M his own Us Up curled i
with Dick's own sardonic humor !
He was recalled to himself by a step In
the gallery. It wag the cure , who had en
tered hastily , evidently In search of one of ,
the servants. Partly because It was man
and not a woman , paitly from a feeling of
bravado , and partly from a strange sense ,
excited by the picture that he had some
claim to be there , he turned and faced the ]
goc < l priest with a slight da < h of Impatient1
deviltry that would have done credit to the ,
portrait. But he w a sorry for U the next
moment ! The prlent , looking up suddenly ,
discovered whet seemed to him to be the
portrait standing before Its own frame and
glaring at him. Throwing up hU hands with
an averted head and an attempted "Rxorcls , "
he stopped short , wheeled and shuffled away.
Dick seized opportunity , darted through
the narrow door onto the rear terrace and ran
under cover of the shadow of the house , to ,
the steps Into the gorrtcn. Luckily for him , i
thh new and unexpected diversion occupied
the Inmate , ! too much with what waa going' '
on In the house to 'think of what might hap
pen outside. Dick reached the lll.ic hedge
tore \\p \ the hill and In a few momenta throw
himself panting on his blanket. In the
single look he had cast behind he had seen
that the half dark salon was now brlllantlj
lit where , no doubt , the whole terrilM
hcirchohl was now assembled. He had no
fear of being followed ; since his confrontation
with hla own likeness In the mysterious portrait
trait he understood everything , The appar
ently supernatural character of his visitation
was made plain to him ; his milled vanity was
soothed his vindication was complete. He
laughed to himself and rolled about until In
his suppressed merriment the rose fell from
his bosom , and ho stopped. Its Iros.mesa
and fragrance recalled the Inno eot young
sl'l he had frightened. He remembered her
gentle , pleading voice , and Mi cheek flushed !
well ! he had done the best be could In
bringing her back to the house at tl'e rla'c
of being taken for a burglar and she waa
safe no\V ! If that ntupld French parcon did
not know the difference between a living
man and a dead and painted one It wasn't
his fault. But he fell asleep with the rose
In his fingers.
He was awake at the first streak of down.
Ho again bathed his horse's shoulder , sad
dled , but did not mount him , as the beznt ,
although better , was still stiff and Dick
wished to spare him for the journey to still
distant Havre , although he had determined
to lie over that night at the first wayside
Inn. Lurktly for him the disturbance nt
the chateau bad not extended to the forest ,
for Dick had to le.ad his .horse slowly and
could not have escaped , but no suspicions of
external intrusion seemed to have been
nwnkcncd , and the woodland was , evidently
ccldom Invaded. By dint of laying his
course by the sun and the exercise of a little
woodcraft. In the course of two hours ho
heard the ereaklng of a hay cart and knew
that he was near a traveled road. But to
his discomfiture he presently came to a high
wall , which had evidently guarded this portion
tion of the wo'da from the public. Time ,
however , hid made frequent breeches In the
stones ; these had been roughly filled In with
a rude abattls of logs and tree tops point
ing toward the road. But as these were
mainly designed to prevent Intrusion Into
the park rather than egress from It , Dick
had no difficulty In rolling them aside and
emerging at last with his limping steed upon
the white hlghrpad. The creaking cart had
passed ; It was yet early for traffic , and Dick
presently eame upon a wine shop , a bakery ,
a blacksmith's shop , laundry and a some
what pretentious cate and hotel In a broader
space , which marked the Junction of another
road. Directly before It , however , to his
consternation , Mere the massive , but timeworn -
worn Iron gate ? of n park which Dick did
not doubt was the one In which he had
spent the previous night. But It was im
possible to go further In his present plight ,
and ho boldly approached the restaurant.
As ho was preparing to make his usual ex
planatory signs , to his great delight , he
was addressed | n a , quaint , broken English ,
mixed with forgotten American slang , by
the white-trousered , black alpaca coated pro
prietor. More than that he ws a social
democrat and an enthusiastic , lover of
America had , ho not been to "Bcstown" and
Now York and. penetrated as far west a ?
"Booflo ? " and had much pleasure In that
beautiful and free country ! Yes ! It was
a 'go-a-ed' country you 'bel-your-llf. '
One had reason to say so there was your
electricity jour street cars , your "steam-
bota" ah ! such steambots and your "rroll
rroads , " nh ! observe ! compare your rrall
rroads ami the buffet of the Pullman with
the line from Paris , for example and where
h one ? Nowhere. Actually , positively ,
without doubt nowhere ! "
Later , at an appetizing breakfast at
which , to Dick's great satisfaction , the good
man had permitted , and congratulated hlD-
oelf to sit at a table with a free-born Amer
ican , he was even more loquacious. For
what , then , be would ask , was this Incom-
petencs this Imbecility of Franco ? He
would tell. It was the vile corruption of
Paris , the grasping of capital and com
panies , the fatal Influence of the still cling
ing noblcfse , and the insidious Jesuitical
power of the priests. Aa , for example ,
Monsieur "theBooflebll' had doubtless
noticed the great gatesof the park before
the cafe ? It was the preserve the hunting
park of one of the grand old slgneurs , still
kept up by his descendants , the counts of
Por.tonelles hundreds of acres that had
never been tllied and kept as wild waste
wllderners kept for a day's pleasure In a
year BI1d , look you ! The peasants starving
around Its walls In their small garden
patches and pinched farms ! And the pres
ent Comto de Fonton-elles cascading golden
on his mistress In Paris , and the comterae ,
his mother , and her daughter living there to
feed and fatten and pension a brood of plot
ting , black cowl priests. Ah bah ! Where
WES your republican France then ! But a
time would come. The "BooP-blll" had ,
without doubt , noticed as ho came along the
road , the breaches In the wall of the park ?
Dick , with a. slight dry resarve , "reckoned
that he had. "
They were mode by thd Bcytheii and pitch
forks ot the peasants In the revolution of
' 93 , when the count was emigre , or. as rne
says with reason , "skedadslle" to England.
Let them look the next time that trey burn
out the chatpau "bet vour llf ! "
"Tho ch&teau. " said Dick , with affected
careletanes ? . "Wot's the blamed thing like ? "
It wa.i an old affair , with armour and a
picture gallery and brlc-a-brac. Ho had
never seen It. Not even a a boy It was
kept very secluded then. As a man , you
understand , lie could not ask the favor. The
Comics dc Fontonelles and himself were
not friends. The family did netlike
like a cafe near their sacred gates ,
where had stood only the huts of their re
tainers. The American would observe that
ho had not called It "cafe dc Chateau" nor
"cafe do Fontonellcs" the gold of California
would not Induce him. .Why did he remain
there ? Naturally , to goad them. It was a
principle , one understood. To goad them
and hold them In check. One kept a cafe
why not ? One bid one's principles , one's
convictions tint' was another thing. That
was the kind of " 'all pin , " was U not , that
he. Qustav Hlband , was like !
Yet for all him truculent socialism , ho VTPH
quick , obliging and charmingly attentive to
Dick and his needs. AB to Dick's horse , ho
would have the' best veterinary sur
geon there was an Incomparable one
ln > the perron > of the blacksmlth
see to him , ' and If It were
an affair of daysiand Dick must go , he him
self would be glad to purchase the beast ,
his saddle and accoutrements. It was an
affair of business an advertisement for the
cafe ! Ho would ride the horse himself , and
before the gate * of'the ' park. It would please
his customers. Ha ! He bad learned a trick
or two In free America.
Dick's first act had been to shave off hl < i
characteristic bear > l and mustache and even
submit his long curia to the village barber's
shears , while a straw hat , which ho bought
to take the plscet-of his slouched sombrero ,
compieled his transformation , Hlo heat saw
in the change only the natural preparation
of a voyager , but Dick had really made the
sacrifice not from fear of detection , for he
had recovered bin old , swaggering audacity
but from a quick dlsUeto he bad taken to
hla resemblance to tbe portrait. He was too
genuine a westerner and too vain a man to
feci flattered at his resemblance to an a.rlsto-
.ratic bully , as be believed the ancestral
Do Fontonelles to be. Even his momentary
sensation ae he faced the cure In the pic
ture gallery was more a vague sense that
llbertlcu had been taken with his ( Dick's )
personality , than that he had borrowed any
thing from the portrait. But he was not so
clear about the young girl. Her lender , ap
pealing voice , although he knew It had been
addressed only to a vision , utlll thrilled his
fancy. The pluck that bad made her with
stand hen { ear BO lojg until lie had uttered
that dreadful * ord still excited his admira
tion ! His curloolty to know what mistake
ho had made for he knew It must have been
eomo frightful blunder wns Ml the more
keen * ho had no chunco to rectify U.
What n bnite she must have thought him
of did she really think him a brute even
then , for her look was one mom of dcdpalr
and pity ! Yet she would remember him only
by that last word , nnd never know that he
had risked Insult and ejection from her
friends to carry her to n place of sifcty.
Ho could not bear to go across the- seas car
rying the pale unsatisfied fncc of that gentle
girl ever before his eyes ! A sense of del
icacy new to Dick , but alwajs the accom
paniment of deep feeling kept him from
ever hinting his story to his host , though
ho knew , perhaps because he knew , that It
would gratify his enmity to the family. A
sudden thought struck Dick. He knew her
house and her name. He would write nor
n note. Somebody would be sure to translate
It for her.
Ho borrowed pen , Ink and paper , and In
the clean solitude of his fresh chintz bed
room , Indited the following letter :
"Dear Miss Fontonelles Please excuse me
for having skecrt you. I hadn't any call to
do It ; I never reckoned to do It It was all
Jest my denied luck ! I only reckoned to
toll you I was lost In them blamed woods
don't you remember 'lost' perdoo ! and
then you up and fainted ! I wouldn't ha\i >
come Into your garden , only , you see , I'd
just skccred by accident , two of your help ,
rcg'lor softs , and I wanted to explain. I
reckon they allowed I was that man that
that plctcr In the hall was painted after.
I reckon they took me for him , .see ! But
ho ain't my style nohow , and I never saw
the plctcr at all until after I'd toted you
when you fainted up ( o yon house , or I'd
have had my kalkclations and acted accord
ing. I'd have laid low In the woods , and getaway
away without skcerln you. You see what I
mean ? It was mighty mean of me , I sup
pose , to have tetchcd you at all , without
saying 'excuse me , mlts , ' and toted you out
of the garden and tip the steps Into your
out and l ; ave you lying there on the grass ,
didn't seem the square thing for me to lite
own parlor , without asking your leave. But
the whole thing tumbled so sudden. And it
That's why. I'm sorry I skeert that old
preacher , but he came upon me In the plcter
hall so suddcnt , that it was a. mighty close
call , I tell you , to get off without a shindy.
Plecso forgive me , Miss Fontonelles When
you get this , I shall be going back homo to
America but you might write to me at
Denver City saying your all rlstht. I liked
your style , I liked your grit In standing up
'o mo In the garden until you had yoursnv
when you thought I was the Lord knows
what , though I
never understood a word you
not off , not knowing French. But It's all
the same " now. Say ! I've got your rose !
"Yours very respectfully ,
"Richard Fountains. "
Dick folded the cp.'stlo ' and put It In h.s
pocket. He would post U himself on the
morning before be left.
When he came down stairs he found his
Indefatigable host awaiting him , with the
report of the veterinary blacksmith. There
was nothing seriously wrong with the mus
tang , but It would be unfit to travel for sev
er il days. The landlord repeated hit former
offer. Dick , whose
money was pretty well
exhausted , was fain to accept , reflecting that
she had never seen the mustang and would
not recognize It. Hut he drew the line at
the sombrero , to which his host had taken a
qreat fancy. He had worn It before her !
Later In the evening Dick was sitting on
the low veranda of the tnfe , overlooking the
white road. A round white table was beside
him , his feet were on the railing , but his
eve * were resting beyond on the high moldy
Iron gates of the mysterious park. What he
was thinking of did not matter , but he wai
a little Impatient at the sudden appeiraii"e
of his host whom he had evaded during the
afternoon at his side. The man's manner
was full of bursting loquacity and mysterious
levity.
Truly , It was n good hour when IMch
had arrival nt FontoneIIe.i " '
"Just in time.1
Ho could see now what n world of Imbeciles
was France. What stupid Ignorance ruled ,
what low cunning and low tact could achieve
in effect , what Cretans and montebanks ,
hypocritical priests and licentious and lylne
noblesse made up existing society. Ah , there
bad ' been a fine excitement , a regular coup
d'thcater at Fontonelles ; at the chateau yon
der , here at the" village , where the news was
brought by frightened groom * and silly
women ! He had been in the thick of It all
the afternoon ! He had examined It inter
rogated them like a Judge destruction , sifted
It. And what wns It all ? An attempt by
these wretched priests and noblesse to revl/.j
in the nineteenth century the aee of elec
tricity and Pullman cars a miserable me
diaeval legend of an apparition a miracle !
Yes ; one Is asked to believe that at the
chateau yonder wan seen last night three
times the apparition of Armand do Fen
"
tonelles !
Dick started. "Armand de 'Fontonelles ! "
He remembered that she had repeated that
name. "Who's he ? " he demanded ab
ruptly.
'The first Comte de Fontonelles ! When
monsieur knew that the first comto had been
dead 300 years he would see the Imbecility
of the affair ! "
"Wot did he come back for ? " growled
Dick.
"Ah ! It was a legend. Consider Its art
fulness ! The Comto Armand had been a
hard liver , a dlralpated scoundrel , a reckless
beast , a mighty hunter of the stag. It was
said that on one of there occasions he had
been warned by the apparition of St. Hu
bert , but ho had laughed , for observe , he
always Jeered at the priests , too. hence this
story ; and had declared that the flaming
cross seen between the horns of the sacred
stag was only the torch of a poacher , and
ho would rhoot It. Good ! The body of the
comte , dead , but without n wound , was
found In the wocd the next day , with his
discharged arquebus in his hand. The arch
bishop of Rouen refused his body the rltrn
of the church , until a number of mafsca
were eald every year and paid forl One
understands , too , that the affair takes place
not In a cafe like this not In a public
place but at a chateau of the nobles n , and
Is seen by" the proprietor checked the char
acters on his fingers "two retainers , one
young demoiselle of the jioblcsso , daughter
of the chatelaine herself , and my faith !
It goes without raying , by a fat priest the
cure. In effect two Interested ones ! And
the priest his Ho IB nvignlflcent ! Superb !
For he saw the comte In the picture gallery ,
In effect , stepping Into his frame ! "
"O , come off the roof ! " said Dick Im
patiently ; "they must have eeen something ,
you know. The young lady wouldu't lie ! "
M. Riband leaned over , with a mysterious
cynical smile , and lowering his voice , said.
"You have reason to say no. You have hit
It , my friend ! There was a yomethlng ! And
if we regard the young lady you shall hear.
The story of Mllle. do Font"iellcs Is that fhe
has walked by herself alone In the garden
you oborvo alone In the moonlight , near the
edge of the wood. You comprehend ? The
mother and the cure- are In the hoiwe for
the time effaced : Here , at the edge of the
wood though why she continues a young
demoiselle to the edge of the wood does not
make Itself she beholds her1 ancestor as on
a pedestal young , pale , but very handsome
and exalte pardon ! "
"Nothing , " said Dick , hurriedly , "go on ! "
"She berceches him why ! He says ho Is >
la't ! She faints away , on the Instant , ther
regard me ! on the edge of the woods she
siyi ? . But her mother and M , le Cure find
licr pole , agitated , distressed rn the sofa in
the salon. One IB asked to believe that she la
transported through the air like on angel-
by the spirit of Armand de Fontonellea. In
credible ! "
"Well , what do you think ? " ald Dick ,
sharply.
The cafe proprietor looked around him rare.
fully , and then lowered his voice
, 'lgnlflcantly :
"A lover ! "
"A wlut ? " said Dlcki with a gaap.
"A lover ! " repeated Riband , "You
comprehend ! Mademoleelle has no dot the
property Is nothing the brother has every
thing. Mile , de Fontonelles cannot marry
out of her class , and the noblesme are all
poor , Mademoiselle U young-pretty , they
iay of her kind. It le an Intolerable life at
the'old chateau. Mademoiselle consoles hcr-
Clf "
M. Riband never knew how near he wes
to the white road below the railing at that
particular moment ! Luckily. Dick controlled
himself , and wisely , as M. Rlbind's next
sentence hewed him.
"A romance ! an Innocent , foolish llason ,
If you like , but all the same if known of a
Mile , do Kontonellcs a compromising a
fatal entanglement ! There you are look !
Kor this , then , all thla story of cock and
bulls and spirits ! Mademoiselle has been
discovered with her lover by some one
ThU pretty story shall stop their mouths !
"But vet , " Bald Dick brusquely , "wot if
tbe girl -was rtally * kcert at eomethlne.
aho'd seen and fainted dead away , t * she
mild nho and andho .
did and-- hi'si.ated
"somo elrfltlgcr camp nloni ; and picked her
up ? "
M , Riband looked at him pityingly ! "A
Mile , de Fontonelles Is picked up by her
servants , by her family but lot by the
young man In the woods , atone. It Is even
more compromising ! "
"Do you mean to > y , " said Dick , fu
riously , "that the ragpickers and Mi
that wade ar.ilind In the slurngalllon of this
country \\ould dare to spatter that joung
gal ? "
"I mean to say , yes asMirc.lly , ivMltlv
jesl" said Riband , rubbing hit hands with
a certain satisfaction at Dick's fury. "For
you comprehend not the petition of la
Jpuno flllo In all France ! Ah ! In America
the young lady she go everywhere , al.ono
I have seen her pretty , charming , f sclnat-
Ing alone nllh the young man I Hut hem ,
not never ! Regard me , my friend ! The
French mother she My to herdaughter's
fiance ; "Lcok , there h my daughter. She
has never been a'ono with a young man
for five minutes not even with you ! Take
her for your wife ! " It Is monstrous , It Is
Imprselblc ! It Is col"
There was a silence of n few minutes am' '
Dick looked blankly at the Ircn gatee of iho
park of Fontonellcs. Then he said'
"Give me a cigar"
M. Hlband Instantly produced bin cigar
rase. Dick look a cigar , but waved aside
the proffered match and , entering the cafe ,
took from his pocket the letter to Mile , dc
Fontoncllc twisted It In a spiral , lighted It nt
n candle , lit his cigar with It , and returning
to the veranda held It In his hand until the
last ashes dropped on the floor. Then he
Eald gravely to Ulband :
"You've treated me like a white man ,
Frenchy , and I ain't goln' back on yer tho'
> our waj's ain't my wa > s allez , and 1 reckon
In this yer matter at the Shotta you're- lit
tle too previous. For , though 1 don't as a
glnrtil thing tike stock In ghosts , 1 believe
every word that them folk said up thar.
And , " be added , leaning his hand somewhat
heavily on Riband's shoulder , "If jou'rc the
man I take you for you'll believe It , too ,
And If that chap , Armand dc Fontonelles ,
hadn't hcv plrkcd up that gal at that mo
ment he hcv deserve to roast In hell an
other 300 years. That's why I believe her
story. So you'll let these yer Fontonollcs
keep their ghosts for nil they're worth , and
uhcn you next feel Inclined to talk about
that girl's lover you'll think of me and shut
your head. You hear me , Frenchy. I'm
shoutln'IAnd don't you forget It ! "
Nevertheless , early the next morning M.
Riband accompanied his guest to the railway
station and parted from him with great ef
fusion. On his way back an old-fashioned
carriage with a postillion passed him. At a
slgu from its occupant the postillion pullet
up and M. Riband turning to the door , approached
preached the window , and the pale , stern
face of a dignified , white-haired woman ot CO
which looked from It.
"Has he gone ? " asked the lady.
"Assuredly , madainc ; I was with him at
the station. "
"And you think no one saw him ? "
' No one , madame , but myself. "
"And what kind of a man was he ? "
' M. Riband lifted his shoulders , threw out
his hands despairingly , yet with a world of
significance , and said :
"An American. "
"Ah ! ' . '
The carriage drove on and entered the
gates of the chateau. And M. Riband , cafe
proprietor and social democrat , straightene-l
himself In the dust and shook his fist after It.
Ooo't Stop SUDDENLY
To do so Is In
jurious to the
Tobacco
Nervous System.
Tlu > only Nulmitl
lie < Mir < for ( Ii
Tolmroo linlilt.
Has cured thous
ands wlifre other
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UUU UU1U vegptable&harniless
It the original writ
ten guarantee reme
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cure.
Fifty cents end $1 per box ; 3 Ijoxes ( guar
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ICAL , & Ml'G. CO. , I.n Croitm' , \\H.
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A Cure for nil
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Price too per bottle. Sold by all ilriiKglMs.
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An
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Mrs. Wlnslow's Sootlilne Syrup IIUB been u ed
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ami nil WHAIC.VKSS PflCtl
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STANLEY
WEYMAN'S
ROMANCE
ONE OF THE MOST
DRAMATIC AND IN
GENIOUS STORIES <
WEYMAN HAS YET
WRITTEN ,
Serial Publica *
lion Began
June 20
Hu
This Intcst story by the author ot
"A Gentleman of Franco , " "Under
the Hud Robe , " etc. , fully equals
those brilliant successes In vigor
and masterly delineation of char
acter , while It oven surrmsseB them
In subtlety and sustained interest.
In "Shrewsbury" Mr. Wcyinnn
f.or the first time leaves French soil
and brings his readers to England ,
where the adventurous times of Wil
liam III. , while plots and counter
plots kept tongues wagging and
hearts n-throb , afford him ample op
portunity for the nnfoldlng of a
powerful uuriut'ip.
The real hero Is Charles Talbot ,
the famous Dukeof Shrewsbury ,
but the story Is told by an Ignorant
country lad , , Dick Pi ice , first usher
In n grammar school , then
scribeto Mr. IJroome , the
writer of news letters , and eventu
ally , through his own Indecision of
character , involved lu > a network of
antl-Willlamlte Intrigue.
Price falls into the hands of
Ferguson , the notorious stormy
petrel of three rebellious , who iihcs
him as a go-between , but tint Duke
of Shrewsbury proves his friend In
need and on several occasions naves
him from danger and even death.
Price possesses a peculiar accidental
likeness to iho Duke and this like-
IICHS thu plotter , Matt Bmlth , seeks
to turn to Shrewsbury's ruin , by
forcing the clerk to Impersonate his
patron In an Interview with the
arch-rebel , Sir John Feinvirk. Hut
nt Fcnwick's trial all Is discovered
nnd the romance eojims to a dra
matic conclusion , leaving the sorely
tried Price to marry the girl of his
choice and retire from the buffets
of a busy world.
"A ( leiitleman of France , " by the
same author , wan probably the most
successful serial ever published.
"Shrewsbury" promises to eiiual It.
THE
OMAHA
SUNDAY
BEE
Watch for It. Re ad If