The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-03-23

your time. Larry. dear" was all The
thanks got for my solicitude NJ
haven't lived ten years on the Riviera
for nothing r. (sllc had not. rs her
losses At Monte Carlo could testify --
''and I'm quite ab.cto take care Of my
self and my property. We have, fort
urn ely. outlived the days Of highway
robbcrics upon public thoroughfares. =
sly aunt had known Jack Moncrietf' 5
family In rast years. and was deeply
interested in my mission to Paris
Very reluctantly. 70 satisfy her almost
childish pleading. showed her jack
souvenirs. placed in my hands in trust
for his sitter. IL seemed sacriIcgc 20
produce them In such an atmosphere.
My annoyance was extreme when Aunt
Carriston begged 70 be allowed the
custody Of these valuables until even
ing. as she particularly desired to show
them to friend. | refused at first.
but her volubIe pleading at last made
me weakly give in.
A few hours later. as / was particu-
larly distinguishing myself over game
OF billiards. a fellow brought me note
summoning me to the Hotel dies Palm
iers. where my aunt lived. with all pos
siblc speed.
Here ! found a pretty state Of COM
motion. Mrs CarrisfCn, my aunt, had
been attacked in the avenue. and
robbed. the thief escaping with his
plumber As soon as had asccrtained
that my respected relative had come
of without bodily hurt. could not re-
press an unworthy feeling OF inward
triumph 1T MY astu;e prediction being
80 promptly and forcibly verified. but
!. If course. maintained discreet ST.
lence upon this point while listening to
the victims account Of her misfortune
II was returning to luncheon leis-
urely enough" she began. "when, on
turning into that quiet bit Of ilcx-waIk.
! was startled by man jumping over
the hedge and saying something to me
which ! did not understand. Then.
all in dash. he pushed me back
against tree, clappcd one hand over
my mouth--oh. such dirty hand -
and with the other tore of my bag. the
chatclainc. md all the rest Of it. He
| got some Of my bracelets. too, though
don't quite know how many. Then
he boltcd. and how did yell! but 1t
was OF no use. A cloud Of walters went
scudding down the road after the ras-
cal. but he was too quick for them.
I'm very sorry, Larry, but those
medals and things Of poor young Mon
Grief were in the bag They were fort
unatcly not Of much value. and 1
don suppose"
Good heavens you don't mean to
say the thief has got Jacks last gifts
10 his sister r. cried, in Mortified dis
may.
Eyes. they are gone; but what are
those bits Of things compared with my
black pearls the real Indian filigree.
and"
| / interrupted with some exclamation
more forcibie than polite, ! fear for
was vaguely conscious Of my aant's
gazing at me in high dudgcon.
What fool l had been to allow
Jacks trust to leave my hands for a
moment! Twas no more fitted to be
given such a mission than any rascalIy
blackleg. Could | ever hold up nv
head again At the bare thought OF
Mora Moncrieff' whom / had 50 wrongcd
with my dastardIy carelessncss ? and
I = for looking in her face, how could
1 dare do that, unless these stolen goods
could be recovered ?
They must be recovered; IL II took
my last penny. would win back poor
Jacks legacy. or never know light
conscience again.
..What was the fellow like, aunt.
who made the attack p" asked. with
flattcring eagerness. provided my de.
sire had been to search for her stolen
treasures.
"A shortish. stumpy man. with q
broad nose. and small, dark eyes. One
OF his hands had the letters s. M
branded on the back. y
This was useful and important
clew which the police officers noted
with avidity. and shortly had the as
surancc that the best measures possible
for tracing the criminal would b
taken at once.
My state Of mind bordcrcd on dcs'
peration. and l could not see no Gle I
way ont Of my difficulty. shrank
from presenting IN, self before Miss
Moncricff minus her brothers. gifts,
and vet she must wonder At my non
appearance. having been told Of my
mission BY Dysart. On the other hand
loathcd the idea Of tarrying at Men.
tone, where the mishap had occurred.
In the midst Of my pcrpIcxitics
heard the day after the robbery thai
suspicious characters had been traced
to Marscilles. one Of whom might turn
out TO be the man we desired TO cntrap
Marscilles Dcin0 step towards Nora
decided TO bctakc myself thithcr, <
find out IL there was any satisfactory
truth In this statement.
My only companion In the railway
carriage was sharp-fcaturcd lady q
uncertain age. with multitudinous par
GELS aud bags. Not wishing TO ammo,
~ "a -