Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-23

done only in romances."
Sand in life, too, dearest; but come, we
are late; the carriage awaits us"
K Y X \
"Put the papers there, NJ. Megre ON
the desk, and leave us. And now, mon
sieur," said the Project of Police, courte-
ously addressing NJ. dAloys, who had fol-
lowed his card closely, "what can do for
your
This, M. lie Project" and he went on
to lay the facts before him. "Our hotel"
he concluded, "is in the Rue Monceau,
and somewhat large; our train of servants
as well. 1t is three months, think, dur
ing two days absence from home, since
the first trinket disappeared from my wife's
casket."
The Project turned over the papers the
employe had laid upon his desk.
"Hum-m-yes; and those two days
were passed at Etretat; the trinket a
bracelet with brilliants and an emerald
clasp"
The Comte started. aAh you know
that"
The Project smiled.
Anything else, monsieur? Was that
all?"
"Unhappily, no. Once again, and dur
ing an absence of forty-eight hours-a
visit to relative-we lost cross valued
by the Comtesse very highly"
ga second theftr and the officials tone
was less of surprise than satisfaction
Describe it, monsieur"
"a gold cross-the cross of Russia;
twenty-four brilliants at the top; at the
sides opals in clusters; in the center an
other opal as large again as the eight
Others"
"Was it part Of a necklace"
Formerly, yes
And you suspect no one, NJ. dAloysT
mo one. Our domestics were all in the
employ of the Comtesse's mother
"Nearly all, not ALL"
"Eh! HowW' cried the Comte, con-
founded.
Il said nearly all, not all"
True; but those who have entered the
household at more recent date accom-
panied us in these trips. Naturally, it
was neither of them"
NJ. dAloys' naturally" obtained no re-
Spouse. The Project was rummaging his
papers. Presently he laid them aside.
an" Fou Suggest. sdiu lie, question:
ingly.
ho aI9a' adksn' be introduced into my
"The ides is excellent"
"Ah, then -
$50 excellent that we have one there
already. Your thief has been under sur
veillance for two months past. monsieur
1.-Two months past In my house ~
cried the Comte, bewildered.
" Ask me no more" said the Project,
seriously /" the affair is graver than you
suspect. Do not mention even to Nine.
dAloys what you have learned here to-
day and another essential recommended
ton | would make to you, monsieur: let
there be no change in your manner to those
who serve you, neither with those who are
pleasing to you nor with those who are
less agreeable. Remain and the Pre-
feet looked his visitor full in the face, why
dAloys could not have told you, but as the
piercing eyes met his own the chestnut
bandeaux under their velvet Golf and the
big black eyes of Mile. Albertine seemed
to focus before him" remain, l say, as
benevolent as ever to all your people, and
also to Nine. dAloys, who, as you have
said, exacts little service from her femmes
de chambre. | have the honor, monsieur,
to salute YOU"
Little servicep murmured dAloys
aloud in the street again, hat in hand
and still dumfounded. "'Little service
femmes de chambre . as | said p but said
nothing at all-nothing whatever-to that
devilish man %
X
'Then am i to understand that you
have nothing to say to this marriage-you
decline it utterly?' demanded the Con-
tesse, seated in the boudoir where we have
seen her the night before, beside her the
inevitable Albertine, putting in order the
drawer of chifonier in which 'aces and
ribbons were somewhat confused.
Madame is very kind" responded the
young woman, but marriage is not to my
taste"
You will, however, sooner or later, my
good Albertine, be compelled to make a
choice. Young girls like you are not in
tended for old maids
A singular smile that Nine. dAloys.
who had turned aside, did not see, crossed
Albertine's thin lips.
"Auguste is not only handsome boy,
but has banked his savings, and myself
should do something for you" pursued the
Comtesse.
MADAME is benevolence itself"
" Not at all, but content with your serv-
ice-sure of your probity, that is great
deal" and Nine. d'Aioys recalled that
among all her domestics Auguste and AL
bertine were the only ones she had been
unable to suspect. Reflect and reflect
well before you say no."
81 have reflected, madame
"Droll girl But tell me, have you a
lover, perhaps, or fiance, over there in
your own country. Do you desire to re-
turn TO it,"
The singular smile again crossed the
cameriste's lips.
Neither lover nor fiance As for re-
turn to my country, | am able to assure
madame that nothing would be less agree
able" And Albertine closed the drawer
with a brusqueness so different from her
usual habit that her mistress wheeled
quickly.
ave will speak of it no MORE" said she.
a trifie coldly. "You are free; put the
bracelets in place again, and-ah, it is you,
Henri y as the door opened and her hus--
band entered the room.
Yes-I-Suzanne- bad humor.n
You, Henri ?"
" Yes, and with reason that COMPOUNDED
Auguste and his notion for marrying y
A start of anger, quickly repressed but
none the less violent, escaped the placed
Albertine.
He's stubborn as donkey, that fell
low; he won't give up, and what do YOU
think? persists in demanding to talk to
Albertine in our presence. He saws he can
persuade her."
IT'S useless, Henri. Aibertine will not
hear of it, and, frankly, | myself have
heard enough of it."
|, too, dearest, but you see Pve prom
ised, and he's waiting outside there. Au-
guste, Anguste, | say p
The door opened two cries resounded
simultaneously from the Comtesse as
her husband seized her by the waist and
dragged her to the end of the room; the
other from Albertine, grasped by the strong
arms of two agents OF the police, who had
entered at the heels o: the amorous valet
de chambre- Gells, curses, kicks and bites
from Albertine. Trithing forms, quick or
ders, and at lasf the flash of broad,
cleaning blade Suddenly whislsed from
Albertine's corsage
L L