Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-03-05
him; he must find him so useful when

he Is successful, which is the chief
point; moreover, he is entertaining, and
at any rate, looks and speaks like gen.
tleman, which in theseevil days is some
thing-even much. Tenez, he has just
entered the emperer's box-the man in
tie black coat" a. 1853
lis that M. d." exclaimed the
countess, waking up to a mild interest
in the subject; eff SO, he has been here
while you were away. He came on the
part OF tie empress, and carried off one
of my earrings, which her majesty |
wished to compare with one of the
Countess VS."
Cd! Impossible! was talking !
to him the whole time was absent, and |
he only left me at the top of the stair |
case two seconds before returned"
Nevertheless, mon ami, he has been
here, and has taken my earring. See!
it is gone"
"Effectively,'' agreed the count, with
grim smile. 'sbut D. has not taken |
it. It is to the last degree unlikely that
the empress would make such request.
Depend upon it you have been the vic
tim Of thief, got up as an accurate
copy of the distinguished-loekin
*tImpossible!" cried the countess, in
her turn. ''The affair is absolutely as I
tell you. It was M. D., the verita.
BILE NJ. D. I see opposite, who came
into this box and took away my diamond.
Only wait little, and he will bring it
back intact"
"To wait a little is to lessen the
chances ct its recovery. In any case, I
will 60 and inquire of D., if can
get at him, whether he has been seized
with a sudden attack of kleptomania;
because the idea of the empress having
sent him roaming about the theater,
borrowing lady's jewels, regard as
preposte1ous. All! these Partisan
flous! You do not know what scientific
geniuses they are in their way"
With this the count departed, and
the second act was nearly at an end
before he returned.
| In the meantime, the countess per-
ceised that she was an'object of interest
to the occupants of the imperial box,
and notably to the "double" of her late
misunderstanding visitor, who, she
could solemnly declare, had stood before
her in the flesh.
II was right" whispered the count,
re-enter1ng and bending over his wife's
chair: Cd knows nothing of your
earnings, and, needless to say, the EN-.
press never sent him or anyone else
upon such an errand. I have pus the
matter into the hands of the police, and
they will do all that is possible to re-.
cover it"
''Really! How very droll!" remarked
the countess, with CAIN nonchalance-
for she belonged to that order of i'm.
passive statuesque women, who remain
mistress Of themselves through any
quantity OF "china fall;" ''I will take
out the other earring, or people may
fancy am trying to set the fashion of
the fellow to the purloined jewel to her
husband.
The play came to an end, as even that
most excellent feast Of the season, q
good French play, we'll acted, must do,
sooner or later. in common with all
things Mundane.
The countess was duly commiserated
by sympathizing friends, who one and
all declared, behind her back, that they
would never have been guilty of the i'm
becility of trusting so valuable a posses
sion to the tender mercies of however
fascinating a stranger; but no more was
heard of the stolen jewel until the
following noon, when the count received
q note from D---to the effect that, as
he could not help considering himself
partly responsible for the loss of the
diamond which had disappeared
through the agency OF his counterpart,
he had taken an early opportunity of in
terviewing the chief of police, who as
sured him he had good reason to believe
the thief had already been traced as far
as Brussels.
Early in the afternoon the countess
was about to start for her daily drive in
; the Bois. The frozen snow Law deep
} upon the ground, and her sledge, with
} it's two jet-biack Russian horses jingling
; their merry bells in the frosty air, stood
; waiting in the courtyard while the
countess 0onned her furs.
: officer of police in plain clothes asked
permission to speak with Nine. la Com.
tesse concerning the lost diamond.
:. But certainly, agreed madame, gra.
ciously; "let the officer be shown. into
the boudoir."
Z Into the boudoir presently came the
/ countess, stately, beautiful, fur.clad,
buttoning her little gloves. Near the
J door stood a SHORT, wiry-looking man,
with keen black eyes, closely-cropped
hair, and compact, erect, military fig.
ure. The small man clicked his heels
together and bowed profoundly in the
3 presence of so much high born lowell
ness, while he said with the utmost re-
> spect, at the same time laying letter
< upon the table:
: II am sent by order of the chef dc
/ police to inform Nine. la Comtesse that
the stolen diamond has been satisfacto
: rily traced, but there is unfortunately
r some little difficulty connected with its
: Identification. I am charged, therefore
| to beg that Nine. Ia Comtesse will have
the goodness to intrust the fellow ear
ring to the police for short period, ir
order that it may be compared with the
one found in the possession of the sus
, pected thief. Madame will find that the
: letter I bring corroborates my state
! ment."
e The countess glanced hastily through
the letter, and ringing the bell desired
> | oAAtS' A1SA 'Af1AA No NOAu " OIAuk
d the remaining earring immediately; thii
was done, and the dapper little man
: bowling deferentialJy, departed with tn.
o precious duplicate safely in his posses
!, sion.
Il The countess descended to her sledg,
: and drove to- the club, to call for he
husband en- route for the Bots. Cross
I ing theP]ace de Ia Ooncorde, she relat
$ ed to him the latest incident in tn,
}. story of the diamond earring.
"You never we're induced to give u,
Q the other!" cried Count Ivanof incred
d ulously.
i '.But I tell you, mon ami, an Office
: of police came himself to fetch it, bring
. ing a letter from his superior vouchinl
It for the truth of his statement"
a eff the project himself had come,
= don't think should have been cajoiei
j. into letting him have it, after last night
It experience" laughed her husband
y "However, for the second time of ask
4