The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-10-23
THE LITTLE LADY.


) colonnade, when a tall, elegant.
dressed gentleman asked permission
t to light his cigar by mine. I saw a
once that he was q Frenchman, al
: though his English" was nearl.
perfect.
"Have you heard the news?" hi
inquired.
'ENo."
'Is it possiblel Why, all Paris il
alive with it at this moment"
''What has happened?"
"The Countess de Marville, tht
fairest of the fair, was found muir
} dered in her bed last night, her bu
reau broke open and ten Thousand
francs missing from it. 1t was ter
rible! The brute who did the deec
effected his entrance through the win
dow of her chamber, near which, un
fortunately, was tall tree planted by
the distinguished grandfather of the
Countess years ago. Little did he
imagine what q terrible use would
be made of it. p"
'This is bad news. How any mar
could harm a woman thus in colo
blood is more than I can imagine"
"Ah, monsieur, if you had ever seer
the Countess you would wonder still
more. She was beautiful-beautifu.
as an angel" he added, stroking his
whiskers with an unmistakable air o1
vanity; 81 knew her well"
"Indeed."
"Oh, yes. There are in Paris few
popular women unknown to me"
His manner now was decidedly
conceited, and I felt disgusted. My
coldness evidently repelled him, fol
he soon left ME.
Afterward 1 heard from others ac-
counts of the late tragedy.
Among the details of the affair was
one which peculiarly impressed me
and which my first informant had
not spoken of-an oversight which
surprised me, as the occurrence he
had not mentioned was of that kind
which would be most apt to strike
the fancy.
Upon the throat of the Countess
the murderer, in throttling her, had
left mark from ring he wore-the
impression of chariot wheel with a
star in the centre.
''This, said my latest informant,
"may lead to the discovery of the
murderer. Jean Mosqueau is al
ready visiting the jewelers. shops to
find out from which and by whom q
ring with chariot-wheel device was
purchased"
"Who is Jean Mosqueau?"
"What! Mosqueau, our famous de-
tective? Although his courage is
well known, you would not, to look
at his fair, delicate face and form, be
lieve that he could fight gnatl'
A week later I was aboard the
steamer, bound from Calasis to Do
ve-.
Among the passengers I behelc
one whose face looked familiar to me
I was not long in recognizing this
person as the same [ had seen IL
front of the Hotel Windsor, and who
had first informed me of the murder
of the Countess.
He was certainly very handsome
man, although his conceited air was
blot upon his good looks.
He moved languidly hither ant
thither, turning his brown eyes ad
miringly upon the pretty lady pass
engers, while stroking his whisker
with one white hand, upon the mid
) die finger of which was superb dia-
mond ring.
I am rather Of a suspicious nature
which, combined with q lively imag-
nation, had often led me into singu-
lar errors.
Now, a strange impulse moved M
to advance and hold out my hand t.
the man whom I had inyoluntaril,
disliked from the first, in order tina
I might have chance to glance a
his ring. Somehow the idea pos
sessed me that I should discover 4;
chariot wheel. device upon the glitter
ing bauble.
The strnnger did not at first rec
ognize me. He soon did, however
and frankly extended his left hand
which was not the one containing tht
: ring.
My brain fairly reeled; the man.
behavior was a confirmation of m,
! suspicious.
'The other hand, if you please"
, said, in low, stern voice.
"Monsieur will please excuse me
| my other arm is lame with the rheu-
matism.''
He beheld me glance toward the
half hidden ring, and I was sure !
saw him start and turn pale, at the
same time looking much surprised
He, however, opened his right hand
as if perfectly willing Tor me to shake
it if I chose to.
Then I had good look at thu
ring, and felt ashamed of my suspi
cions. The device was a common
heart, which certainly bore no re
semblance to a chariot wheel.
After a general conversation, to re
cover my self possession, I turned
away resolved in the future to have
a better opinion of my fellow-crea
lures.
The strangers good looks seemed
to attract the attention of a good
many of the ladies. One especially,