The National tribune., 1881-09-10
THREE REVOLVER SHOTS.

L.
Naturally, considering the nature of my call
ing l have been always particularly attracted by
the scores of stories-nOt, am inclined to think,
always based upon actual occurTences-whlcht tell
of the ingenious plots contrived by scoundrels to
gain possession of other peoples jewels, especially
diamonds. In many cases such stories are, OF
course but pure fiction. But as to those which
profess to narrate facts, whether plain or colored,
I have only too much reason from personal eX-
perience, to suspect that the real owners OF jewels
have, very often, more to do with their dlsap-
pearance than easily imagined brigands, swindlers
or thieves. Nevertheless, there is enough sub
stratum of truth to make even purely invented
stories of this kind probable Mine is not an in
vented story: but my reason for telling it is not
so much its truth as its supremely extraordinary
character Its like, in any single detail, never
happened to anybody else in the world. Were it
not for this, would assuredly refrain from add
ing to the pile of jewel stories in which some
jewelers. agent plays the part of hero or victim.
For was myself agent to great firm of jewellers
in London-I need not say to whOm-when there
happened to myself that terrible experience, ter
rible almost beyond the power Of words to de-
scribe which l am, for the first time in my life,
about to try TO tell in words.
remember, as if it were yesterday how one
of our partners called me into his private room
and said to me:
morris, must ask you to be good enough to
start for Paris this very evening-that is to say
by the very first possible train. You know that
parure Of the Princess Mouranov that we had
put into new settings?"
"Of course do
well, you know the Princess as a customer;
she is rather fiighty, but she's too big gun for
us to disregard her whims The parure is just
out of hand and was TO have been delivered to
her in Portland Place tomorrow morning; but
it's lust like her-she'S taken it into her head to
set off on voyage to America, and an hour after
she took the whim into her head she was off, so
/ hear. It's just like her. anyhow. | believe
she goes TO Patagonia, where her diamOnds-that
is to say, her parure-she thinks, viii be indis
pensable to her. | shouldn't have thought so
myself, but | suppose she knows. Anyhow, she's
going to spend the whole Of tomorrow in Paris.
and her diamonds must be delivered TO her there
and paid for-you understand. If we don't de-
liver the parure she'll never forgive US; and if
she doesn't pay before going off-heaven knows
where-why, we shall never forgive ourselves.
You'll have to be sharp, for it doesn't follow that
she'll stay in Paris a whole day because she says
she will, and you'd better avoid having to follow
her if you possibly can.
Naturally! Where is Madame to be found 2"
"At place called Les Bosquets. It's outside
Paris; but here's the address written down. |
needn't tell You to be cautious"
"Why?" asked |. 1T all seems simple enough
I've only pOt to give the parure ia the Princess
into her own hands, of course-receivet the money,
give and take a receipt, and come away There
will be no difficulty about the Prncesss money,
] SUPPOSE"
"NO. But, don't you see, I'm afraid you're still
a trife young, Morris. Those Mouranov dia-
mOnds are as well known TO all the diamond
hunters in EurOpe-and they swarm abroad-as
they to me. Better than they are to you, by
long way. By some means or other, you may
take your OATH one of those gentry will know you
TO have the charge of them. It's no good taking
precautions against that; they'll know all the
same, and precautions only way of putting
people on the trail Take care you 20 to the
right house, my friend. Take care you see the
right lady. Don't eat and don't drink however
much you may be pressed, till you're safe back at
your hotel Don't shut your eyes till it's all over.
If a strange woman speak to you, cut her dead
if a strange man, knock him down. And"