The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1882-03-24

He asked Madame to call her maid
and talk to her on some indifferent sub
ject. This was done, and watched his
face during the time the woman was
present; bat he merely looked at her
once, and continued tllking 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 were once seen near the police-oilice
his occupation would be gone, as
he would be no longer of any real
use as an agent of the police So an
appointment was made to meet at the
Cafe du Helder on the Boulevards,
where a more detailed description of
the lost property should be given to
him lie 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 acquaint-
ance of some standing. Before arriving
at the bottom. | found my friend had
managed to dirty his coat in manner
which nccesstated his turning into the
concierge's lodge to borrow clothes
brush, thereby gaining an opportunity
OF casting an eye round the small room
and on its occupicr. 70 me, being
initiated, the object was palpabe,
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
whether this could be really done, pro-
vided the parties to be deceived were
on the lookout for such deception. NV
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. | accepted the challenge,
and staked the price of a dejcuner at
any cae he would like to name. He
agreed, and the very same day won the
bet in the following manner:
Shortly after leaving the detective, |
met an old friend, who asked me to dine
with him at Versailles that evening. |
agreed to do SO, but could not leave
Paris as early as my friend intended to
do and therefore told him | should 90
down by the $50 train from the Care
st. Lazare. l did so and as | got into
a iirst-class carriage, remarked short,
gentlemanly-looking 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 revcaled
before me as my friend, the detective!
How he had managed to find out that |
was going to Versailles which | had no
idea of myself when left him-or how
he had SO etlectuaily 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 ilattered at the
amazemcnt l displayed; but beyond
showing me with some pride his wig
and moustache, he was very reticent,
and would enter into detail That he
had fairly won the breakfast there could
be no doubt, but he said he would rather
put off the event until he 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, | 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 STAYING
told me that Il 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 |
1t better to come TO me than to 90 to my |
friend house in the Faubourg st. Ger
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 day, about two
P. m, and to Jake my friend with me.
We did so, and found that what the de-
tectiye had told me was true Among
other valuables that had been stolen was
a canvas bag containing between two
and three hundred napoleons. These
had disappeared; but the jewelry, the
plate, and, what was still more srrpris-
ing, the bonds, payable, as all such doc
uments are in France, an p0rtelr to |
the bearer), had been found, and were
ready for my friend to identity. This
was easily done, but nothing was al
lowed to be touched for the present, as
1t 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 at the Prefecture |
the concierge had been arrested for
conniying at the theft, and in the lodge |
was found, in hidden cupboard, the |
bag containing the money In word,
without fuss, publicity, or loss of time,
the whole of the property which had
been stolen a week before was in the |
hands Of the police. In ten days more
the trial was over The concierge and |
two of his relations were each con
demned 10 five years of traraur forces
Qenal servitude), my friend got back
the whole of his property, and, what to
me asan Englishman seemed much more
extraordinary, the total expense of the
proceedings came to something like one
hundred francs. Even this payment
was nearly all voluntary, for my friend |
upon making a small present to
the detective, who had done his work
so well.