The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-05-28

II 3rlSCOCrHUlC IeaCureS OF tnlS nigh
bred imperial emissary sudd emily lost
their serene expression of digniied
gravity, and relaxed into a triumph
ant Mephlstopheleaa grin.
Shortly afterward Count Ivanoff
returned, II have been talking to
D." he remarked, as he seated him
self. Clever fellow,D. l am not sur
prised at the emperor's partlality to
him; he must find him so useful when
he is i'll want of an idea"
"Who is D-?" inquired the count
ess, with languid interest.
"That is rather difficult question:"
replied the count, smiling; There are
several editions OF his BIOGRAPHICAL
different, probably none of them true.
He is successful, which is the chief
point; moreover, he is entertaining,
and at any rate, looks a%ndspeaks like
a gentleman, which in these evil days
is somethins-even much. Tenez, he
has just eutered the emperor's box
the man in the black coat"
as that M. D-?" exclaimed the
countess, waking upto a mild interest
in the subject; if so he has been here
while you were away. He came on the
part OF the empress, and carried off
n OF my earrings. which her majesty
wished to compare with n 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
staircase two seconds before I return
ed"
Nevertheless. mon ami, he has been
here, and has taken my earring. See!
it is gone"
effectively" agreed the count, with
q grim smile; "but D--hasnot taken
it. 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-
guished looking d"
"Impossible!" cried the countess, in
her turn. "The affair is absolutely as
l tell you. 1t was NJ. D., the verita.
BILE M. ID see opposite, who came
into this box and took away my dia-
mond. Only wait a little, and he will
bring it back intact"
"To wait a little is to lessen the
chances OF its recovery. In any case
| will 60 and inquire OF D., if l can
get at him. whether he has been seized
with a sudden attack OF kleptomania;
because the idea Of the empress hav-
ing sent him roaming about the thea
tire, borrowing q lady's Jewels l regard
as preposterous. Ali these Partisan
titous! You do not know what scien-
titic geniuses they are in their way"
With this the count departed, and
the second act vas 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 aristocratic-looking 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's
chair; D--knows nothing of your
earring, and, needless to say, tho en-
press never sent him or any one else
upon such an errand. Ihave put the
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 she belonged to that or
der OF impassive statuesque women,
who remain mistress OF themselves
though any quantity OF china fall;'
III will take out the other earring, or
people may fancy l am trying to set
the fashion of wearing an odd one"
and she handed the fellow to the u
lolned jewel to her husband.
The play came to an end, as even
that mostsexcellent feast of reason, a
good French play, well acted, must do
soonef or latter, in m with all
things mundane.
The countess was duly commisser-
ated by sy%mpathizing friends who one
and all declared, behind her back, that
they would never have been guilty OF
the imbecility o%ftrusting so valuable a
possession to the tender mercies OF
however fascinating a stranger; but
nothing more was heard of the stolen
jewel until the following day at noon,
when Count Ivanoff received a 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 ofhis counterpart,
he had taken an early oDDortnnity of
Interviewing the chief ~ the noI;ca
who assured him he had rood MASON
10 believe the theft had alreadv hean
traced as far as BRUSSELS
Earlvin the afternoon the co,ntess
was about to start for her daily dr;ye,
in the Rois Tb trozan snowlovdaen
upon the ground. and the et.b]aek
Russian horses iinplino Their bells ner.
rilv IN the frosty air. Stood wa;tinu !,
the courtyard while the countess
donned her furs.