The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-01-06
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settle it,
"All right. What's the row?'
Monsieur Dard has done me the
honor of arresting me- explained.
"Ah! what fOr?'
picking pockets at Spa
"Serve you right, you know
'' AS being one Thompsonne, with an
infinity of aliases who picks pockets gen
orally everywhere. Is it not SO, Monsieur
Dard!'
SO Eh, bien, oui that individual raped
out ; for me, confess, you are Thomp
some. Unless And he glanced inter
negatively at We're. Which Jarceur shook
his head obviously.
" "Such,' he said, is human depravity
that, in spite of his ingenious counte.
nance, it's possible he may be Thomp-
sonne On the neck of my conscience
Dick, l can't say you're not swell mObs.
at Spa.'
"'Allons done! muttered Monsieur
Dard impatiently.
Z" But, continued We're, L can say that,
except in the legitimate way of whist and
billiards, you have never picked mine
And moreover, Monsieur Dard, though
you may be right, and society in general
wrong, am bound to add that by society
in general, and by myself in particular,
this person has hitherto been held to be
one Richard Langley, and that, if not
honest, he is at least written down honor
able in Debrett.'
"'Diable diable diable = in the three
different keys from Monsieur Dard again
at this.
"' So that We're concluded, before al
together renOuncing him, perhaps l had
better hear all about it.
"Wcll, the upshot of it was that we all
three beat up the nearest Commissaire !;
that my identity was duly vouched for,
and that it was arranged we should meet
the victimized Bourbon, and the English
detective Bokerre, before the same official
next day, when matters were partially
cleared up. Monsieur Bourbon declared
that though very strongly resembled the
Individual who had stuck to him so per-
tinaciously at the roulette table, yet that
eyes on me before. And the English de-
tectiye decided as readily that | was not
his man.
"Only you see, sir Sergeant Rokerre
explained, you really are SO uncommon like
tie rascal-that it amt no wonder we was
put wrong. You had been noticed hurry
ing off to the station we thought we was
tracking him all the while. Our descrip-
tioA of him hit you off SO well, that we got
that information about your gray jacket,
and that queer cap you wore, and SO on.
Then again the description of you we tele-
sraphed here quite fitted with the one
tbox-,I srof Of L,,,, A1tbnurh cir Won cac
it weren't our fault. Besides. you'd been
seen with red pocket-book down at Spa,
and you'd been seen with one at the sta
ton here. Which that were odd start,
too, you're having your pocket cut that
way, wern't it, sirg'
81 had arrived at that opinion already
but as | had about enough of this Comedy
of Errors by this time, cut Mr.. ROkerres
discourse as the 'Chorous' ruthlessly short
here
"Impassible as ever again, Monsieur
Dard had played an almost silent part in
the last scene. When it was over he
saluted us cOmprehensively, and departed
without word. AS his friend and con-
.frere Rokcrre had remalffao all things
considered,' the mistake of the French
agent was excusable enough 1t was
nevertheless, though, a mistake, and 1t
punished Monsieur Dard's infallibillty
sOrely to have to own it was
"'But,' he said in the course OF brief
conversation we had before | left Paris
but, en- reDancbc, think l can promise
you, Monsieur Langley, the recovery OF
the money you were robbed of on the
night of your arrival
"You have a clue, them inquired,
not over hopefully.
al have my little theory. If | get
carte Uanche to act upon it, will answer
for success this time
every good but remember, Monsieur
Dard, don't know the number of single
note, to begin with
"'That is of no consequence you can
identify the portefcuille?
"'Of course
60 Well, it is part of my theory that the
money is in that portefemlle still, exactly
as it was when it was stolen.
"'The only thing, then, is to discov-
er the portefeuille, Monsieur Dard:' /
laughed.
a. Precisely he responded. If as |
say, am allowed to act, L consider that
discovery certain. 1t shall be my an,ende
honOraIe'
with that Monsieur Dard took his
leave can't say that he left me with
any very abiding hope of getting my
note-case again. 1t was, nevertheless,
destined to become an affair not yet for
gotten at the Prefecture.
"On the Boulevard, three months later,
| ran against We're one afternoon.
"s Well, my Thompsonne,' said the t1r-
ceur, 'and how is business, eh? Faxed
any more fat note cases lately? suppose
SO. for YOUR old friend Dard was inQuiring G
for you just now.
"What did he want me for
"'I couldn't gather the precise crime
you'd been perpetra'ing; but he asked SC
suspiciously when you'd be back that
| thought it more easy to- answer him vO
cally out of Kathleen Mavournecn'-
- 1t might Mt be for years, and IL might Mt be for
| ever"
at which he seemed annoyed SO at last
proposed for a certain sum down to be
tray you unto him tonight
:" Don't be fool! What do yot
mean:'
al mean that I'm going to order /;
mirob0laRt dinner in here, and that yOl
are to pay for it like bird At least,
shall think but poorly of you if you don't
when have told you that-keep cool nov
that our Dard has recovered the coli
you bOned frOm-I mean the coin that wa
boned from you, you know
Bah (!
9" And that your formal Identification O
your purloined note-case is all that i
wanting to put you once more in posses
sion of your ill-gotten gains, when, as
matter of course, you will invite us all u
dancing supper at Brcbants.'
"Imay as well add at once that | Wa
eventually let in for this entertainment
and then leave Monsieur Dard TO finisl
the flair of the Red POrtefeuille' in hi
fashion without further interruption.
:" My theory he said, was this
Monsieur Langley, not being my Thomp
some, had neither robbed Bourbon nor
as had given him great credit for doin
himself; but, on the contrary, Monsieu
Langley had individually been robbed b.
some one else. Now was it not thin
unnatural, almost impossible, to suppos
that or the same day, in precisely Tn