The Portland daily press., 1886-05-01
visitor, who she could still solemnly declare,

j. KNOWS n0LnlDS OIL youl SelAhS, aAus
needless to say, the empress never sent him
or anyone else upon such an errand. L have
put the matter into the hands of the police,
and they will do all that is possible to recov-
er it,
REALLY! How very droll!' remarked the
countess with calm nonchalence-for she
belonged to that order of impassive statu-
esque women, who remain mistress of them
selves through any quantity OF 'china-fall;;D
81 will take out the other earring, or peo-
pie may fancy | am trying to set the fash
ion of wearing an odd one;' and she hand
ed the fellow to the purloined jewel to her
husband.
The play came came to an end, as even
that most excellent feast of reason, a good
French play, well acted, must do sooner or
later, in common with all things mundane.
The countess was duly commiserated by
sympathizing friends who one and all de-
clared, behind her back, that they would
never have been guilty of the imbecility of
trusting SO valuable possession to the ten
der mercies of however fascinating a stran-
ger; but nothing more was heard of the stol-
en- 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 disap-
peared through the agency of his counter
part he had taken an early opportunity of
interviewing the chief of the police, who as
sured him he had good reason to believe the
thief had already been traced as far as Brus-
sells.
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 its jet-black Russian horses jingling their
bells merrily in the frosty air, stood waiting
in the courtyard while the countess donned
her furs.
A servant entering announced that an or
ficeref police in plain clothes asked permis-
sion to speak with Nine. la Comtesse con-
corning the lost diamond.
''But certainly" agreed madame, gracious
ly; ''let the officer be shown. into the bou-
doir''
Into the boudoir presently came the count
ess, stately, beautiful, sfur-clad, buttoning
her little glove. Near the door stood short,
wiry-looking man, with keen black eyes
closely-cropped hair, and compact, erect mil
itary figure. The small man clinked his
heels together and bowed profoundly in the
presence of so much high-born loveliness,
while he said with the utmost respect, at the
same time laying a letter upon the table:
81 am sent by;order of the chef de police to
inform Nine. la Comtesse that the stolen dia-
mond has been satisfactorily traced but
there is unfortunately some little difficulty
connected with it's Identification. | am
charged, therefore, to beg that Nine la Com
Jesse will have the goodness to intrust the
fellow earring to the police for short peri
cd, an order that it may be compared with
the one found in the possession of the sus-
pected thief. Madame will find that the let
ter [ bring, corr0borateS my statement"
The countess glanced hastily through the
letter, and ringing the bell desired that her
earring Immediately; this was done, and the
dapper little man, bowling deferentially, de-
parted 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 for the Bots. Crossing the Place de la
Concorde, she related to him the latest incl
dent in the story of the diamond earring.
"You never were induced to give up the
otherw cried Count Ivanoff incredulously
''But tell you, mon ami, an officer of po-
lice came himself to fetch it, bringing let
ter from his superior vouching for the truth
of his statement
eff the project himself had come, / don't
think l should have been cajoled into letting
him have it, after last nights experience %
laughed her husband. However, for the
second time of asking, we will go and in
quire."
The coachman turned and drove as direct
ed to the bureau of police, at which the count
had lodged his complaint the night before.
After somewhat protracted delay the count
rejoined his wife with semi-grim look of
amusement upon his handsome hirsute face
''The police know nothing of your detect
i've or his epistolary Efforts he said, draw
ing the fur rug up to his chin as the impa-
tient horses sped away merrily over the fro
zen snow; sit was the wrong man they had
got hold of at Brussels. Your second ear
ring has been netted by another member of
the light-fngered fraternity, and upon my
honor think he was the more accomplished
artist of the two!"
And from that unlucky day to this the
Countess Ivanhoff's celebrated diamond ear
rings knew her pretty ears no more.