The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1875-01-14

l.
down to await the appearance of the un-
known thief
But [ saw nothing. Just at day-break
madame softly entered the room and
spoke to me- [ arose unsteadily to my
feet and stepped from behind the cur
tains. She gazed at me in surprise for a
moment, and then smiled little ironical-
ly.
Monsieur slept well, / perceive"
ayes, madame, if well means soundly,' v
| replied. "The coffee was drugged"
'tDrugged /" she echoed, staggering back
a pace or two.
"Yes, madame. Permit me to ask who
made it?'
She covered her face with her hands
for an instant, and then dropping them,
reeled over to the cabinet. In moment
she was beside me again.
"Who made it?" she repeated in deep,
hollow tones "Mlle. De Grayl And
and, the money is gone!"
But" [ answered, in some vexation,
"Mademoiselle, of all others, should not
not have known of my presence here"
"Ah, monsieur, | was most careful"
she returned sorrowfully. at is mys-
terry how she gained the knowledge"
"Well, madame" | answered, after a
few moments deliberation, 1--WE will meet
Mademoiselle on her own ground. Per-
NIT her, if you please, to prepare another
cup of coffee tonight She will no doubt
count upon its effects.
That night received another steaming
cup. But it was received only, and con-
sequently l was not found mapping. l
had watched patiently for two hours or
more when the door softly opened, and a
pale, slender, little old woman, wrapped
in crimson dressing gown, and about
whose head foated few scanty gray
locks, stole noiselessly into the room. She
carried bunch of keys aud lighted ta-
per in small bronze candlestick. Clos
ing the door carefully behind her, she
proceeded at once to the cabinet "Can
this weird-looking woman be Mile. De
Gray?' | thought, gazing at the singular
apparation "No, it cannot be- Certain
ly, Mademoiselle is young This might
be some old relative or friend of Mad
ame"
Quickly and noiselessly she approach
ed the cabinet, and in moment it was
unlocked and the secret apartment
opened.
After carefully Withdrawing the notes
deposited there by madame few hours
previous, she snapped the spring and re-
closed the desk Then turning quickly
away, she went over to the store closet.
l now left my hiding place and eau
tiously followed. | reached the door, she
was in the act of removing the false bot
tom from large Japan box in one cor
ner. Dropping it on the floor beside her,
she took from the box a roll of notes, and
after adding the notes just stolen, return
ed the bundle to it's hiding place again.
Hastily restoring the box to its former
order, she rose and turned away.
| stepped back pace or two with the
design of seizing her outside the closet.
In moment she appeared and con-
fronted me, and for the first time l OBJ
tanned a fair view of her features. But
instead of the horror and dismay which l
had been anticipating, [ was the one to
fall back aghast My outstretched hands
fell hopelessly as, with swift tread and
strong pace she past out of the room.
'And this is the solution!" [ muttered,
drawing deep breath Of relief as the
door closed upon her. "What will mad
anne say? Will she readily credit the
report [ must give?"
Without deciding on the question /
dropped on the sofa and made myself
comfortable for the rest of the night.
As ON the previous morning, madame
sought me early She looked at me scru-
tinizingly.
"Ahl Monsieur has had another good
night without the aid of drugs" she re-
marked somewhat tartly.
"Yes, madame, very good one," I re-
piled, "but | first earned the right"
"Ah" calculated madame again; but
this time very TREMENDOUSLY "Then you
have-you-
'Yes, madame" / answered, finding
she could not finish the sentence. "And
now will you kindly allow me to see Made
moiselle De Gray?"
"No, monsieur! mol" she replied with
hasty emphasis "My poor Antoinette has
sinned no doubt, but she shall be pro-
tected You shall not see my poor child,
monsieur" she concluded passionately.
| "Heayen and l will make good woman
of her yeti"
@My dear madame, you quite mistake
me-" l answered feelingly. "Madamois-
ellie is innocent" l was hardly prepared
| for the little Frenchwomans outburst of
joy.
"My Antoinettel My pure darling
My wronged angel! Sweet heaven, thank
theer y she cried tearfuly.
And before 1 could say any more she
had darted from the room. In few
moments she returned leading tall, ele-
CANT, golden-haired girl, whose proud
| eyes glittered with tears. The fair Wis
ion of youthful beauty left madame's s
Slue ana CAME ONeT W NE. Il Cnank you,
monsieur" she said, with simple earnest
dignity. II thank you most truly"
II have done little or nothing to entitle
me to your thanks, Mademoiselle,"
smiled in response. "But have you no
desire to learn the name of that guilty
party?'
aAh, truel" exclaimed madame II
forgot all but my infinite JOY. Tell us
all about it, monsieur"
"First, madame" answered, 'permit
me to restore your stolen money. You
have your keys, l see; will you be kind
enough to open the treasure box?"
And Fastening to the closet / brought
out the japanned box.
Madame knelt down and wonderingly
turned the key. l then lifted the lid
and removed the false bottom. An as
tonished exclamation parted Mademoiselle
De Gray's lips, but madame leaned over
| the box ike one in dream and could NOT