Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-03-17

taken, he merely glanced at it, looked
at the lock for n moment, and turned the
conversation.
He asked Madame to call her maid
and talk to her on some Indifferent sub,
jcct. This was done, and | watched his
face during the time the woman was
present; but he merely looked ut her
once, and continued tilking to me.
The only point on which he seemed
really anxious was to obtain fuller
description of the articles lost than that
he had been already furnished with.
My friend offered to give him details
then and there, but he declined to wait
for it, on the plea that by prolonging his
visit he might arouse suspicion among
the servants. We suggested meeting
him near the Rue de Jerusalem; but
he laughed at the idea, saying that if
he We're once seen near the police-oilice
his occupation would be gone, rs
he would be no longer of any. real
use as an agent of the police. So an
appointment was made TO meet mt the
Cafe du Hclder on the Boulevards,
where more detailed description of
the lost property should be given to
him. He then took his leave, but
asked me to accompany him down
stairs, so as to impress the concierge
with the idea that he was an acqtpint-
ance of some standing. Before arriving
at tue bottom, found my friend had
managed to dirty his coat in u manner
which recessitated his turning into the
conciergc's lodge TO borrow a clothes
brush, thereby gaining an opportunity
of casting an eye round the small room
and on its occupicr. To me, being
initiated the object was palpable,
though quite unsupported by the in
dividual in question. When the brush
ing was over we walked out together,
and in the course of conversation we
touched upon the way in which some
persons can so disguise themselves as to
hide their individuality from their most
intimate friends.
expressed myself as being doubtful
'vided the parties to be deceived were
on the lookout for such deception. My
companion differed from me, and Of
fered to disguise himself SO effectually
that he would, in the course of the next
twenty-four hours, speak to me for at
least ten minutes without arousing my
suspicious. L accepted the challenge,
and staked the price of dcjeuner ut
any cafe he would like to name. He
agreed, and the very same day won the
bet in the following manner:
Shortly after leaving the detective, L
met an old friend who asked me to dine
with him at Versailles that evening.
agreed to do so, but could not leave
Paris rs early rs my friend intended to
do, and therefore told him | should go
down by the $3.50 train from the Care
st. Lazare. did so; and rs got into
n tirst-class carriage, remarked short,
gentlemanly-lookin man, with white
hair, who followed me into the same
compartment. Frenchman-like, he be-
gan to talk about things in general, and
we chatted, more or less, nearly all the
way to Versailles. When within ten
minutes or so of our destination, my
new friend quietly took off his hat,
pulled off a wig, got rid of moustache,
and to my utter amazement sat revealed
before me as my friend, the detective!
How he had managed to find out that l
was going to Versailles-which had no
idea of fmyself when l left him-or how
he had SO etlectually concealed his APP
pearance that |, sitting within three feet
of him, had no idea he was the man |
had left some four hours previously, are
problems which | cannot solve. The
detective himself only laughed when
asked him how he had contrived it. He
was evidently greatly flattered at the
amazement l displayed; but beyond
showing me with some pride his wig
and moustache, he was very reticent,
and would enter into no detail. That he
had fairly won the breakfast there could
be no doubt, but he said he would rather
put off the event untilhe could see his
way as to whether or not he should be
able to recover a part or the whole of
the property which my friend had lost.
We then parted, he taking the train
| back to Paris, l going on to the house
where | was engaged to dine.
This was on Thursday evening. On
the next Monday, about eleven a. m. the
waiter of the hotel where | was stavino.
told me that gentleman wished to
speak to me He was shown up. and
this time the detective was not dis
guised. He told me that, for reasons
which would learn later, he thought
| it better to come to me than to oo to nv
| lTleuu ) lfOuSc Ill lDt fuUDOurp OF. ler-
main. He said he had GOOD news: for
that he believed the greater part of the
stolen property had been recovered,
and asked me to 90 to the Prefecture de
Police on the following dav. about two
p. m. and to Jake my friend with me.
We did so, and found that what the de-
tective had told me was true. Among
other valuables that had been stolen was
canvas bag containing between two
and three hundred napoleons. These
had disappeared; but the iewelry, the
plate. and what was still more snrpris-
ing, the bonds, PAYABLE, as all such doc
uments are in France. an Dorteur Ito
the bearer), had been found, and were
ready for my friend to identify This
was easily done, but nothing was al
lowed to be touched for the present, as
it would have to be sworn to at the
trial, which would shortly take place.
When my friend returned home, he found
| that while, he WAS Mt the prpfprtlira