The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-01-19
mission, ! will set up all night in your
ladyship's easy chair


Madame Pauline Lucca glanced at
the cupboard. Her blood ran cold;
she thought she saw the handle turn.
What course was she adopt? She
dared not give Ter maid the slightest
hint Of the real state Of matters she
felt the girl would 90 into fit then
and there, and thus bring on crisis.
Scarcely knowing what she was doing,
Madame Lucca replied at random:
Murder us What for p
What for, your ladyship? Why,
for your money-for your jewels, to be
sure; everybody knows you have
plenty Of them !"
The girl might have been uncon-
sciously sharpening, 80 to speak, the
knife by which she and her mistress
were doomed to perish.
"What absurdityv' said Madame
Lucca, with forced laugh. As she
spoke her eye wandered from the key
hole Of this dreaded cupboard to that
of an adjoining room. In the latter
there was a key. Her face flushed,
and smile, as it were, of proud in
spiration lighted it up, though only
for q second.
Jewels she replied. "Why every
one with grain of sense must know
that should not bring them about
with me as rule. They, of course,
are generally safe under lock and key
at Berlin. 1t is a strange thing,
though, Editha, that to-day is an ex-
ception. | expected the Countess Won
Wartenstean to call, and / brought
down all the jewels presented to me at
my last visit to ST. Petersburg, to
show her"
"Your ladyship did ? Oh, but sup
posing thief"
"Well, if a thief did know it, he
might easily make his fortune !" she
observed, interrupting her compan-
ion.
"By numbering US, and running of
with the jewels ~
Madame Lucca glanced at the cup
board then raising her voice, she con-
tinued
"Oh There would be no necessity
for murder. The door which leads
from that room to the garden is I'm
locked forgot to lock it. A thief
would merely have to walk in from
the garden, and take my jewel case
from the table near the window. He
might make his escape richer by
10000 or 10000 thalers, and never be
detected. That's better than murder
ing people, is it not ?"
"Oh yes--your ladyship. And he
might get over to England or Amer
lea" n
Nothing easier, replied Madame
Lucca. However, thss reminds ME.
If may as well lock the door leading
into the garden. Run into the dining
room. You'll find the key on the
table. Do not be long.
"Editha Editha T. cried Mad
anne Luccs, an instant afterward. Il
have made mistake. The key is in
the Baron's study. Pshaw she does
not hear me, she continued, speaking
loud. II must 60 and fetch it my
self"
With these words, she left the room.
No sooner had she done SO, than the
door Of the cupboard cautiously open
ed A man put his head out and
glanced around. Perceiving no one
he darted into the adjoining chamber.
The next instant the door was shut to
and locked behind him But not by
him By Madame Lucca When
she left the room, The did rot proceed
two spaces she stood outside, listen
ing. As she was in darkness, she
could, without being visible herself,
see all that was passing in her bed
chamber. She beheld the stranger
leave his hiding place and dart into
the adjoining room. She glided after
him with the steadiness of tigress,
and the courage of heroine. The
reader knows what followed.
Aarappirtw Caught she cried,
rushing across the room with the key
in her hand.
'Ican't find any" began Editha
entering the bed chamber. But Mad
anne Lucca, pushed her one side, dis
appeared. Editha looked alter her in
mute establishment, and remained as
though rooted to the spot till her mis-
tress re.entered with revolver in her
hand.
"Oh your ladyship wha-a-t-at's
that ?" inquired the maid, with n
strong presentment that all was not
right.
"The Baron's revolver, thank good
ness p replied Madame Lucca.
"Why thank goodness, your lady
ship?" inquired the maid.
Madame Lucca pointed to the door.
Some one on the other side was turn
ing the handle. Editha turned dead.
ly pale, and dropped the lamp she
was carrying Presently there was a
knocking and voice exclaimed
"Open this door directly, or ="
The rest was inaudible. Editha's
screams drowned aught else. Madame
Lucca waited until the girls first stock
of breath was exhausted, and her sec
opd nnt xot orr;ya1 aha than said