Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-05-20

ana ne only left me at the top of the
staircase two seconds before 1 return
ed
Nevertheless, mon ami, be has been
here, and has taken my earring. Seel
it is gone.'
effectively" agreed thecount, with
a grim smile; "but D---has not taken
1t. 1t is to the last degree unlikely
that the empress would make such a
request. Depend upon it, You have
been made the victim of a thief gotten
up as an accurate copy OF the distin-
impossible cried the countess. in
her turn. THE affair is absolutely as
tell you. 1t was NJ D., the verita.
ole NJ. D-I see opposite, who came
INTO TINS box and took away my dia-
mond. Only wait little, and he will
bring it back intact"
TO wait little is to lessen the
chances OF its recovery. In any case
l VIII go and inquire of D., if / can
get at him, whether he has been seized
with sudden attack OF kleptomania:
because the idea of the empress hav-
ing sent him roaming about the thea
.
as preposterous. All! these Partisan
titousl You do not know what scien-
tihc 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-
ceived that she was an object of inter
est to the occupants OF the imperial
box, and notably to the "double" of
her late MISUNDERSTANDING visitor,
who she could still solemnly declare,
had stood before her in the flesh.
81 was right" whispered the count,
re-entering and bending over his wife,
chair; D-knows nothing of your
earring, and, needless to say, the en-
press never sent him or any one else
upon such an errand. have put tie
matter into the hands of the police,
and they will do all that is possible
to recover it.
REALLY How very droll!" re-
marked the countess with calm non
chalence-for size belonged to that or
der OF impressive statuesque women,
who remain mistress of themselves
though any quantity of ''china fall"
II will take out the other earring, or
people may fancy am trying to set
the fashion of wearing an odd one"
and she handed the fellow to the pur-
loIned Jewel to her husband.
The play came to an end, as even
that most excellent feast of reason, n
good French play, well acted, must do
sooner or latter, in common with all
things mundane.
The countess was duly eommisser-
ated by sympathizing friends who one
and all declared, behind her back, that
they would never have been guilty of
theimbecility of trusting so valuable a
possession TO the tender mercies OF
however fascinating stranger; but
nothing more was heard OF the stolen
jewel until the following day at noon,
when Count Ivanoff received @ 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 OIL his counterpart,
he had taken an early opportunity of
interviewing the chief of the police,
who assured him he had good reason
traced as far as Brussels.
Early in the afternoon the countess
was about to start for her daily drive
in the Bots. The frozen snow lay deep
upon the ground, and the jet-black
Russian horses jingling their bells mer.
rily III the frosty air, stood waiting.in
the courtyard while the countess
donned her furs.
A servant entering announced that
ain officer of police in plain clothes
asked permission to speak with Nine.
la Comtesse concerning the lost dia-
mond
..But certainly" agreed madame,
graciously; ''let the officer be shown
into the boudoir."
Into the boudoir presently came the
countess, stately, beautiful, fur-clad,
buttoning her little glove. Near the
door stood a short, wiry looking man,
with keen black eyes, closely cropped
hair, and compact, erect military fig
ure. The small man clincked his heels
together and bowed PROFOUNDLY in the
presence OF so mnch high-born love-
illness, while he said with the utmost
respect, at the same time laying a let
ter upon the table:
al am sent by order of the chef de
police to inform Nine. Ia Comtesse
that the stolen diamond has been sat
isfactorily traced, but there is unfor-
tunately some little difficulty connect
ed with its Identification. am charg-
ed, therefore, to beg that Nine. la Com
tesse will have thegoodness to intrGst
the fellow earring to the police for a
short period, in order that it may be
compared with the one found in the
possession of the suspected thief.
Madame will find that the letter l
bring, corroborates my statement.
The countess glanced hastily through
the letter, and ringing the bell desired
that her maid might be told to bring
the remaining earring Immediately;
this was done, and the dapper little
man. bowling deferentialiy, departed
with the precious duplicate safely in
possession.
The countess descended to her sledge
and drove to the club. to call for her
husband en- route the Bots. Cross
ing the Place de Ia Concorde, she relat-
ed to him the latest incident in the
story of the diamond earring.
"You never were induced to give up
the other" cried Count Ivanoffincr
ulously.
. "But / tell you, mon ami, an officer
OF police came himself to fetch it,
bringing Il letter from his superior
vouching for the truth OF his state
ment."
ali the project himself had come, I
don't think should have been cajolea
into letting him have it, after last
nights experience" laughed her hus-
band. However for the second time
of asking, we will 90 and inquire"
The coachman turned and drove as
directed to the bureau of police, at
which the count had lodged his COM
plant the night before. Aftera some
what protracted delay the count re-
Joined his wife with q semi-grim look
OF amusement upon his handsome
hirsute face 1.-The police know moth
ing OF your detective or his epistolary
efforts. +" he said, drawing the furrug
up to his chin as the impatient horses
sped away over the frozen snow; sit
was the wrong man they had got hold
of at Brussels. Your second earring
has been Melted by another member
OF the light-fingured fraternity, ana
upon my honor | think he was the
more accomplished artist OF thetwo!'
And from that unlucky day to this
the Countess Ivanoff's celebrated
diamond earrings knew her pretty ears
no more.
Suntlowers For Fuel.
grow one acre of them every year,
and have blenty of fuel for the stove
the whole year round and use some in
the other stove beside. Iplant them