Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-17

naie TO pay for IL, some two or three pieces Of
money slipped from the lpld geutiemsn's hand
and helped him TO look for them; he thanked
me. paid the waiter, called tor petit rerre, and
we naturally commenced talking together.
Curiously enough the conversation turned upon
the isciiity OF detecting persons who wished to
disguise themselves, the old gentleman main
tanning that, as with individuals, so with ma
tons, no person could hide his peculiarities, or
the pecuiarities OF his race. "For instance"
he went on, ''let a m .litary, man dress bonr-
geois, or civilian put on q uniform; French
man have his clothes made in London, or an
no doubt but that men of an ordinary obser-
vance could easily distinguish what the individ-
ual really was. Thus" he continued, ''no one
could mistake Monsieur to be anything but an
Englishman, and one who has most probably
been in military employment in his own country.
In the same way, l." meaning himself, "could
not pass for anything except Frenchman, a
faneu, and an unmistakable frequenter Of the
boulevards."
He was such chatty, genial old gentleman
that the time passed away impereeptibly. We
talked about the success of Schneider in Lon
don: about the Emperor's health; about the
French elections, and what not. L accepted
pinch Of snuff from him, and he tried one of my
regalia cigars. AT last, as the time drew near
when Bergnet ought to have made his appear
ance, i began to look at my watch, and to
glance round TO see whether the police agent
had taken up his quarters on any OF the chairs
after-breakfast coffee-drinking crowd of well
dressed middle-class Paris idlers. Seeing was
looking for some one, my companion said
perhaps Monsieur is expecting a friend?"
yes" replied al made an appointment with
a gentleman to meet me here about O'Clock,
and am afraid shall miss him i'm the crowd.
gentleman; ''Is Monsieur's friend short srlct
little man? IL his name Bergnet? because if so,
he Is at MOpsieur's disposition"
With this the old gentleman took off his hat,
hrin r,,fya fbA falls iIa v,H
back hair he wore; he Slaughtered himself as
he sat in his chair, and, behold, Monsieur Berg
net was before me. i had actually sat and
talked to him for upward of an hour; without
having the least idea to whom il was that was
speaking. Rather than be beaten agan-which
| felt certain would be the case if continued
Bergnet the five napoleons had lost, and begg-
ed that he would subject me to no more humil-
Iation by taking me in again as to his appear
ance and disguise
CHAPTER VI.-FOUND.
The day following that on which Bergnet had
twice deceived ME by Disgusting himself, he
bonds of which was in search. When learned
from him, and indeed, saw with my own eyes,
that he called upon nj. Treves, the French
Guilty, who wanted to discount a bill, as a young
Swiss who wanted employment as a clerk, and
as German who had got some bank notes
which he wished to get rid of quietly, as being
these DISCUSSES he was found ont, began to be
less ashamed for having been taken in. Ger
tainly, in some matters the old saying in the
Crimea, ''They manage these things better in
France" holds good. How 1t was brought
about never knew Except that had to pay
about IS for the business.) but within week
after put the matter into Nj. Bergnet's hands
Nj. Treves' only clerk was arrested for cOmpli-
city of fraud in something or other. 1 don't
think he was guilty, and am quite sure he was
not detained very long by the police. for 1 saw
ris
a II enjoying very agreeable holiday. But
in the meantime NJ. Treves engaged young
Swiss with naxen hair as his employe, and that
Swiss bore very strong resemblance to my
friend Bergnet. This young Swiss clerk had a
friend who often came to him at his masters
Office, and who must have been twin brother to
subordinate agent OF the police, who was very
clever in all the blacksmith's work, and who
had a curious fancy for taking wax impressions
OF all the keys thai he came across. Be that as
II may, the Swiss clerk had not been more than
week with NJ Treves when was shown By
NJ. Bergnet copy of the Endorsement which
certain bonds, contained in the safe OF the
money-lender, bore This copy So far satisfied
me that there remained but one thing to be
done, and that was to get hold of the originals.
NJ. Bergnet had conducted the affair so very
well that resolved to put myself entirely i'm his
the Guildhall or Bow street the way set to
work would have been considered quite justi-
fable.
Acting, therefore, under advice. and anxious
to get back the bonds with as little scandal as
possible, called one afternoon upon NJ. Treves
and asked to see that gentleman alone. The
Swiss clerk at once admitted me to his master
but not before had noticed that i'm the ante
room there was a person who looked uncOm-
monty like an individual had seen in the Rue
de Jerusalem, but who now did not wear his
uniform. Nj. Treves. who was a gentlemanly
man Of about 30, seemed to think / had come
upon some business which would be profitable
TO HIMSELF and asked me In the blandest tone
what he could do to serve me. did not beat
ahOnt i m hat TON
months previously young man of such name
had ned ron IN EuroPe to and tia.
GER ain bonds, representing such a sum of
money. These bonds belonged to such and such
a firm in London, and they had authorized me
% pay 100 for their recovery. That if Nj.
treves was willing to accept my offer the little
business could be got over at once; but that if
not, there was police agent outside into whose
custody 1t would be my very disagreeable duty
to consign him pending an Investigation before
the authorities of having received stolen prop
erty knowing it to be such.
AT first the money-lender clustered good deal
transaction. am afraid said that letters had
been received from the young man confessng
where the bonds were that he had pledged.
But be that as it may, the documents were
gwen up after very short parley, and M.
Treves received from me in French gold sum
representing $500 in English sterling coin Of
The Swiss clerk disappeared that evening.
and was never again seen at Nj. Treves' Offices
But cursiously enough his own clerk reappear-
ca the next day, saying that it was all a mis-
from custody. NJ. Bergnet was seen the same
forenoon to enter Lafitte's bank, and to come
out buttoning his pocket az if there was some-
thing more valuable than usual therein. For
my own part, can only say that received the
thanks of the firm that had employed me- and
with those thanks check which took three fig
ures to write.
An ExUerimemt that BALLAD