The Arizona champion., 1891-03-07

died"
 "True, and this time it was a two days absence at the house of your brother-in law"
 "With Auguste and Albertine"-
 "Auguste and the inevitable Albertin yes"
 ''Henrip cried the comtesse in a re proachful tone, 'you have never beel able to abide that poor girl"
 ''Too strong a word, Suzanne; had been as you say, you'd have sacrificed your cameriste unhesitatingly."
 "Yes, at once; all the same, Henri you do not like her. She is, however perfection"
 1t is the perfection, perhaps, do no like"
 '.She arranges hair so admirably" ''U know, madame, that your hair i tho best coiffed in Paris, but then-witl hair like yours" the young hus band, proud and fond of his wife breathed in the slight fragrance tha came from the chevelure as if it were the aroma of flower. Suzanne shool her head with an air of determination.
 No" said she, your flatteries cannot make me forget your exactions."
 "Exactions, Suzanne?"
 "I repeat it, exactions that forbid my employing femme de chambre for-oh well, a thousand and one cares of the toilet Neither Albertine nor Rose l through your caprice, can enter my apartments even when 1 am more 1 clothed than for ball. Do you realize, monsieur, what crowd of things you | force me to do for myself?' "I do not wish that others should sC. you; have particular ideas, very par ticular ideas, upon the subject; but see, dearest, are you not ready?'
 "Yes, but we must dectde something regarding this ugly affair. To go on suspecting everything and everybody in this way IS abominable"
 ''Then the only thing to do is this: To morrow will go to the prefect of police, state the case to him, and have him send some one to watch our people, .''
 "Our people? Here in our house? Impossible! They would perceive it!'
 No, my child, in a thousand ways it could be done-a footman more, say He would send us an agent disguised g
 "A la the Vaudeville, the Varieties and the comic feuilletons! Such things are done, Henri, only in romances."
 "And in life, too, dearest; but come, we are late; the carriage awaits us."
 
 "Put the papers there, M. Megre, on the desk, and leave us. And now, mon- sieur," said the prefect of police, courte ously addressing M. d'Aloys, who had followed his card closely, ''what can l do for you?"
 ''This, M. le Prefect," 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 ser wants as well. It is three months, think, during two days absence from home, since the first trinket disappeared from my wife's casket."
 The prefect 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. "Ah! you know that?'
 The prefect smiled. all?'
 "Unhappily, no. Once again, and dur ing an absence of forty-eight hours-a visit to a relative-we lost a cross valued
 
 by the comtesse very highly"
 "A second theft!' and the officials tone was less of surprise than satisfac- tion.
 Describe it, monsieur"
 "A gold cross-the cross of Russia; twenty-four brilhants 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 suspectno one, M. d'Aloys:' "No one. Our domestics were all in the employ of the comtesse's mother - Nearly all, not all"
 "Ehl How" cried the comte, con- founded.
 'I said nearly all, not all"
 "True; but those who have entered our household at more recent date accom- panied us in these trips. Naturally, it was neither of them"
 NJ. d'Aloys' naturally" obtained no response. The prefect was rummaging his papers. Presently he laid them aside 'tAnd you suggest" said he, question ing!y.
 "That an agent be introduced into my house."
 1.-The idea is excellent" "Ah, then''- ''So excellent that we have one there Your thief has been under for two months past, mon sieur." Two months past! In my house." cried the conte, bewildered. Ask me no more," said the prefect, 1 seriously; ''the affair is graver than you suspect. Do not mention even to MIAe. | d Alloys what you have learned here to- day; and another essential recommenda- | tion l 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 prefect looked his visitor full in the | face, why Alloys could not have told 1. you, but as the piercing eyes met his ] own the chestnut bandeaux under their 1 velvet coif and the big black eyes of | Mile. Albertine seemed to focus before | remain, say, as benevolent as ever to all your people, and also Mime. i d'Aloys, who, as you have said, exacts . little service from her femmes de cham l bre. I have the honor, monsieur, to salute you"
 Little servicew murmured d'Aloys ] aloud, in the street again, hat in hand and still dumfounded, Little service! femmes de chambre! as I saidr but said ! nothing at all-nothing whatever-to that devilish man."
 
 "Then l am to understand that EyOu have nothing to say to this marriage you decline it utterly:' demanded the seated in the boudoir where we have seen her the night before, beside her the inevitable Albertine, putting in