Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-09-03
so much as that

81 lubIli u lItt
Every true. Nevertheless, my brave
Solange. il I were to pay You every day
this sum of one hundred thousand francs
and continue those payments, not for a
week, or a month, or a year, but for
fourteen years, I should still have paid
you barely the value in gold represented
by this little boxful of stones. They are
worth, in other words, at least five hun.
dred million francs"
The soldiers jaws gaped, but came to-
gether again without a sound. His bluff
visage became pale. He stared stupidity
around him. He moistened his dry lips
with his tongue, but still was unable to
utter a word
"You perceive, therefore, " the emperor
continued, that, as I said, it is no light
errand that You are to undertake. 1t is
not too much to say that you win have
not only my fortune, but the future of
the empire in your hands"
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." gasped So
lange at last. "Great God! It is a night
marel ENTHUSIASTICALLY
"Come, come; we are wasting time"
said the emperor briefly. "You must
fix your mind. not upon the millions, but
upon the disposition you are to make of
them. You will carry the gems packed
in this box as part of your baggage, but
to protect you against custom house in
vestigations they will be prepared in a
manner that will be afterward explained
to you. You will proceed from here to
New York, whittier a letter has already
been sent, informing the consignee there
Of the probable date of your arrival and
of other necessary particulars. The
name Of this consignee is Harry Trent;
he is a diamond merchant in New York,
and a man personally known to me. He
is instructed to retain them in his keep
ing until further notice-until the issue
of tho coming war is decided. If we are
victorious the gems will be returned here,
if otherwise | shall follow them there.
Do you understand meg"
81 do, SIRE" replied the soldier, who
had by this time recovered his self pos
session, and there was a new air of pride
in his demeanor, showing that he had
begun to appreciate the distinction that
had been conferred upon him.
1.-THE route you vii! take" continued
the other, "will not be the usual one
across the Atlantic. War might break
out before you arrive and your vessel
might be captured by the enemy's cruis-
ers. You will therefore cross France to
the Mediterranean and proceed thence
by way of Egypt to the Red sea, and so
by way Of Australia to the Isthmus of
Panama. At Aspinwall, On the northern
side of the isthmus, you will take a
steamer to New Orleans, whence you
will travel by railway to New York.
You will, of course, receive a memo
randum of this itinerary and of all the
other details of your journey. Do you
wish to say anythingT"
'Only one thing, sire. 1t is possible
that death may overtake me on the
route. In that case"-
ain that S you win have done your
best, and 1 shall regret the loss Of a
faithful servant even more than of the
millions. No scheme that mortal mar
can devise is free from the liability to
error or miscarriage. Disaster may over
take this, as well as others; but l shall
have the satisfaction of knowing that l
adopted the surest means of success with
in my reach. However, we will antici-
pate your safe arrival. Meanwhile, go
and prepare yourself for the journey,
and come to me tomorrow morning.
shall probably order you to set out by
the noon train to Marseilles."
"Sire, you shall be satisfied with me-"
said Solange, retiring.
~ fully believe it," returned the en-
peror graciously. "Raoul," he said to
the secretary, who entered as Solange
disappeared, 'slet two of our best de-
t~ectives follow that man, and never lose
sight of him. If he is seen to speak more
than a minute to any one, let him and
the one to whom he spoke be instantly
! arrested and brought hither. Go! Be
quickr"
AS Raol vanished Napoleon replaced
the box in its corner, and then, reseat.
ing himself in his chair, Lit another Gig
arctic.
ITO BE CONTINUED.