Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-29

III. Barron si4nceu Hfcuf.oosiy osH ~
tray.
srve seen acres u rings be replied, with
. curling lip. And be continued To button
his gloves
Is there anything can show you that you
are Interested infT continued Fontaine, po-
HseIy, replacing the tray. Family plate.
tableware, ehihlren's or ladies ornanH-nts
Mr.. Barton bad faced toward the door. He
turned about with feeble curiosity to ask:
What have you in the way Of ladies orra-
mentsz7
Fortains I'D his customer 10 a showcase
giittering with bracelets, combs, pins and
other bijoutFy-
The VARSITY has BEEN q little broken BY
our Christmas sales, he began
.sNo matter, need not trouble YOU in
terruptssi MIR. Barton '.There Is nothing
here that wish
lit is the best assortment in town. retorted
VERY likely. But I came from Paris only
six mouths since, aud shall return in the
spring think can afford To wait until
that time before buy
With some warmth Fontaine few u the
show window and caugnt up the loek~t- lie
put this before his scoriful visitor.
suere Is something You have never seen ex-
ceiIed in Paris or elsew here
Mr.. Barton looked at tine locket in silence.
He drew off his gloves and took up the jewel
He examined it infinitely, and said, at last:
These are genuine brilliantsf'
Guaranteed true diamonds
"a very handsome aifair-very handsome
This came from Franeen
versailles 1t Is u masterpiece, sr, known
as the Versailles locket-n
What Is the prieel'
'.Three thousand dollars"
Mr. Barton inspected 1t closely, and laid Il
down at last with manifest change of bear
ing. He looked at Reginald Fontain more
cordially, and said in an insinuating tone:
II presume you would shade that price .
little for cashf'
Il might, a very little" returned the
jeweler, now speaking coldly i'll his turn.
-Well, Ill see. I'll send my wife around to
look at it. She likes such toys, but whether
she will buy or not is quite uncertain
Luckily for me, she has money Of her own
For my part, $500 is too much to put into .
jewel"
-what is your business, Mr. Bartonn in
quired Fontaine.
supporter of oil paintings. am also COM
missioned by wealthy people TO buy works Of
art abroad, and usually make trip once q
year. Am here now to receive a shipment
from Antwerp. My wife and l are stopping
at the Desplaines house"
He laid down an embossed card, neatly en-
gravei with his name and bearing his crest,
bowed and sauntered out.
Three days later a messenger came to Regi
maid Fontaine with this note:
GU, b-i, h. o.
Desplaines house, at 2 O'Clock this afternoon. My
wife wishes to 1t, and is unable to leave the
hotel can't promise you that she Will buy, but,
as you like to show your wares, would be pleased
u have you submit your ocket to her.
Yours, F. F. BARTON.
Reginald; Fontaine thought a moment.
Then his dignity asserted itself. He called
his trllsty brother and showed him the note.
Jean, I'll let you wait on these people. Sell
the locket if you can Get 5000 if you
can't do any better. Take good care Of the
locket"
A porter led Jean that afternoon to room
"a, and knocked upoa the door.
Enter said voice within.
Jean went in lovely young woman,
richly clad with pale face and languid air,
reclined i'll an easy chair. Before her on
center table was /. tray of wine glasses Mr..
Barton stood opposite, aid still upheld
newly opened bottle, from which he had just
poured tiny glass of dark wine He lowed
to Jean.
"You are from the jeweler'si7
ayes, sir"
"Step forward, if you please"
The porter went out and closed the door.
Jean banded forth the locket, which Mr. Bar
ton passed to his wife.
How beautiful"
She held it to the light and examined it
critically.
Had you not better take this nowi" said
Mr.. Barton, protfering her the glass of wine.
She took it, and looked toward Jean
"Perhaps this gentlenan--' she said, sug-
gestively.
Certainly" replied Mr.. Barton He
poured out two more glasses, and pushed one
toward Jean. viii you join us, siri 1t is
port. Do you like sweet wnet
Jean was very temperate and unused to
liquors But here Were couple, evidently
OF high social rank, accustomed no doubt, to
the foreign of wine. 1t mi INT give Of
Tense to refuse, and bargains zen hang on
trifies- He responded conrteous.y, and slipped
the sweet port to the bottom of is glass.
Take a seat here" sad the lady
Jean accepted a large easy chair by her side.
She turned her bright, dazzling eyes upon
him
You certain these are real damonds!'
"Warranted genuine, madam" returned
Jean.
His voice sounded thick TO his own ears,
strange oppression rose into his brain, the
world seemed rocking upon endless waves,
and the lady and the locket appeared to float
away-away
When Jean awoke twilight filled the room
with fantastic shadows, and rays from tho
street lamps fell pickering on the walls
He knew he i'll a place he had seen be-
fore. but all was so unwonted and the langor
that lay upon him was so delicious and en-
chanting that he felt sure he was In a dream
from watch he hated to awaken
Eyen the loud knocking at the door failed
to rouse him to reality, and when he heard
his brothers voice crying out in alarm,
Jean, JEAN it only stirred his wrath, as if
summoned at an unwelcome hour
Then followed silence, and he sat marvel
ing at the luxurious surroundings and the
mystery OF his presence here.
The turning of a key was followed by the
quick entrance of the hotel clerk and Regi-
maid Fontaine The jeweler darted forward
Ii
into his dilatei eyes and bewildered face and
cried:
Jean Jeanl What is the matteri Where
Is the iocket:'
The locketl Jean sprang up. His le;hargy
departed He understood and, lettering to
ward his brother, fell senscless at his feet
Ten days later the French salesman reap
peared. In vain Reginald Fontaine recounted
these facts ami urgel delay until the swindler
was captured aud the locket recovered. Tho
Frenchman only shrugged and listened, and
at the end repeated, settlement
Fontaine at last drew check for the
amount OF his Indebtedness and the French
man disappeared
Time passed. No trace was found of Bar
ton nor his lovely wife. One day, in New
York, Reginald visited the rogues gallery ct
police headquarters. He saw many faces
there not in the collection of lis home
ofiicials-among these, +. F. Barton and the
French salesman who had commissioned tho
locket.
Although the police could not explain this
coincidence and secuted his conclusions.
Fontaine always believed himself the victim
of double conspiracy; that the knayes
traveIe the globe with ample capital, one
placing jewels stolen abroad in the hands
OF responsible d alers in small American
towns, the her following to recapture the
prizes, Gnd the original conspirator returning
to demand Payment for the loss
But whi,e he never placed hand or eyes
again upon the French salesman, he had the
satisfaction of adding his testimony to the
catalogue of evidence against Mr. Barton at
later day, and Of seeing him consigned
to prison The Versailles locket, however.