The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-05-28

night. 1t used TO worry me when it
got to be midnight aud he had not re-
turned, but after while we got ac-
customed to his ways. He would take
the key and let himself in when he
chose. This went on for some time,
One evening hostler told us that while
he had been bathing his horses, he
thought he saw the grandee swimming
like fish, far out IN the river. When
| saw him again / told him to oe care
full about the weeds, but he didn't
seem to like it, He was vexed be-
cause he had been seen, / suppose
Finally, one day, or rather one morn
ing, his room was empty and his bed
had not been slept in. After looking
all around / discovered note in the
drawer of his table, and with it fifty
Spanish gold pieces which were worth
about 5000 francs, and also a sealed
box with diamonds in it that were
worth 10000 more. The note said
that, in case he did not return, the
gold and diamonds were to be ours,
provided we had masses said in thanks
giving for his safety and escape. My
husband, who was living then, started
off to look for him, and-this is the
curious part of the whole affair-when
he came back he brought with him the
Spaniard's clothes. He had found
them under big stone on the bank of
the river, almost opposite the Counts
chateau. After reading the letter he
burned the clothes and we said he had
escaped. My husband thought he was
drowned, but didn't. | thought he
was in some way mixed up in Nine.
de Merret's affair, the more so as
Resale, her maid told me that the
cruciix which her mistress was so
fond of that she had it buried with her
was of ebony and silver, and when the
Count Feredia first came here he had
one of ebony and silver, too, but /
never saw it with him but once. Now,
tell me, sir, ought to have any re-
morse about the 10000 francs, and
aren't they honestly mine?"
Certainly they are. But where can
| find Rosalie? p
She told me, and after l had found
the ex-waiting maid, and crossed her
palm with silver, she narrated the fol
lowing strange story
The room which Nine. de Merret
occupied in the chateau was situated
on the ground floor. The wardrobe
she used was little closet about four
feet deep, which had been built into
the wall Three months previous to
the particular evening of which l am
to tell you, Nine. de Merret had been
so i'll that her husband had removed to
the floor above. Through some one OF
| those fortuitous circumstances that can
never be foreseen, Nj. de Merret, on
this particular evening, returned from
his club fully two hours later than he
was accustomed to DO. His wife
thought him Mt home in bed and asleep.
He had gotten excited over a game of
billiards, and he had lost forty francs
AN enormous sum at Vendome, where
every one is niggardly. For some time
past M. de Merret had contented him
self with asking Rosalie if his wife
were asleep, whereupon-her answer
being always in the atfirmative-he had
gone to his own room with that easy
indifference that is born of habit and
confidence. But on this evening he
decided to see Nine de Merret and tell
her of his misadventure. 1t may be
that he hoped she would console him.
AT dinner he had noticed that she was
particularly well dressed. On his way
home from club he told himself that
his wife was better, that convalescence
had improved herlooks---a circumstance
which, after the fashion of husbands,
he had been little late in perceiving.
Instead, therefore of calling Rosale,
who happened to be in the kitchen
watching the cook and coachman play
cards. NJ. de Merret went directly to
his wiie's room. His step which was
easy to recognize, echoed through the
arches of the corridor. Just as he was
on the point of entering the room, he
thought he heard some one shut the
closet door, but on going in be found
his wife standing alone before the fire.
At first he fanced, innocently enough,
that Rosalie was in the closet, but
suddenly, with abrupt suspicion, he
looked at his wifes face. The ex-
preston which it wore was vaguely
suggestive of excitement and anxiety.
"You are late she said. Her voice,
ordinarily clear and musical, seemed to
him some what troubled He made
no answer, for at that moment Rosalie
entered. His wonderment deepened
With his arms crossed before him he
paced mechanically up and down the
room, going from one window to
another.
"Have you heard any bad news ?
Are you i'll ?" his wife asked, timidly,
while Rosalie was helping her to un.
dress. Still, he made no answer.
you may co. Nine. de Merret said
to her maid, 81 will do my hair my
self" Her husbands face showed
clearly that something had gone wrong
and she wished to be alone with him
When Rosalie had gone, or was
supposed to have gone-for as a mat
ter of fact she fingered in the corridor
M, de Merret stepped forward to
where his wife stood. looked straight
at her and said, coldly, Madame,
there is some one in that closet"
She returned his gaze calmly and
said, with an air of candor, No there
is no one" ......
To NJ. de Merret this reply was an
added torture. He did not believe it,
and yet his wife had never seemed
purer and more innocent than she did
at that moment. Nevertheless, he
made movement as though to open
the closet. Nine. de Merret caught
his hand, looked sadly at him, and
said, in voice that was singularly
touchinp ....
"If you lind no one, remember that
all will be at an end between u.s."
The supreme dignity of her attitude
inspired her husband with a renewed
respect for her and brought to him st
the sane time one of those ideas which
need only vaster theatre to become