The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-09-05
A TWO EDGED SECRET


MERGE, sport or anything else without
running across some mention of his bust
ness, his races and racers, his dinners or
his wife's beauty.
Above all, his wife's beauty, for SLIDER,
who denied himself nothing, had in
dulged himself at 40 in the dangerous
luxury of marrying charming Marguerite
de Francmont, with whom all Paris had
danced during four successive seasons,
but whose poverty had reserved her for
a marriage of this kind.
They lived happily enough, and SLIDER,
recognizing his wifes really uncommon
intelligence, did nothing save in mat
tiers of without consulting her
with frank and tender Difference.
"Then," said he presently, rolling a
last strawberry to sugar, "Guerin did
GOMEZ"
Eyes, last night, just after you had
started for Virohay. saw him and ex-
planned to him fully how you were the
victim of indiscretions that brought sus-
picion upon you. Everything that passes
at the stable, said I, is reported straight
way to the bookmakers of the Rue Vivi-
enne. They know in advance what
horse will run or be withdrawn; what
horse carries the stables money or is
meant to win; briefly, daily and regu-
larly, we are betrayed by some one. But
by whom2 Know this we must, for they
are beginning to accuse us of dishonest
practices
"And he said?"
Nothing, but asked if you suspected
any one of your menu"
mo special one, by Jovel simply
suspect them all.
Precisely what 1 told him, where
upon he took notes and his departure,
assuring me that special agent would
be at once put in charge of SO delicate a
matter. He will report so soon as he
discovers anything"
(which will be soon, I hope. You
have had no other visitor, my dear?"
mot one. l dined alone and spent the
evening with mother. But you, Karl,
what did you do at Virohay"
always the same thing audited &C
counts, paid out money, examined the
colts, and by 8 o'clock was out with the
trainers speeding the racers. Kronstadt
is not doing as well as he should. We
shall have hard pull to keep him in
shape for the 25th. Why, hello, it's 10
o'clock. l must CO. It's time for bust
ness"
"But you seem SO fatigued, my poor
Karl"
"Zoundsl I ought to be. was up
before the sum-"
''But need you go to Virofay SO often,
Karl?"
every day if I could, my dear. The
eye of the master, you know-above all,
in the care of race horses. And have,
praise heaven. an eye that sees clearly"
Undoubtedly, my DEAR" Marguerite
assented calmly. tracing the tablecloth
with the tip of her rosy nail. "But
Guerin, I trust, will see clearer still. 1t
is really as amusing as play to me,
dearest, to have anything to do with a
detective whom they talk SO much Of as
they talk of this Guerin."
Two hours later Karl SLIDER, lying
back in an easy chair in his Office in the
Rue Richelieu, smoked with half closed
eyes the purest products of the Havana
tobacco fields. Near him in chair no
less luxurious and with weed drawn
from the same source between his lips,
young De Payzac-with somewhat
doubtful past-lolled and talked with
wide open eyes, making the most of his
position of intimate friend of SO rich and
renowned q man as the Baron SLIDER.
1.-THE fact is, baron" said he, contin-
uing the subject upon which he was
launched, ''you are or ought to be the
happiest man In Paris today. Just think
of it, the pot of money you've made at a
single stroke-more than ! would need
to amuse me a whole, long year"
lone would say that fact annoyed
you," SLIDER returned lazily, without
stirring himself.
"Annoyed me2 Not the least III the
world, baron. I'm too much your friend
for that. But when l contrast our two
destiniesl Why, everything in the world
succeeds with you. Your business, look
at it. 1t goes like a confagration. Your
racing, too, which heaven knows why
you took it into your head to try-wheth-
or your own horses win or lose. 1t mat
tiers not-you find way to win with
the horses of others
I'm word" SLIDER interrupted, with
some show of temper, ''you mean to i'm
ply, like the rest, that l purposely allow
nv own horses to be beatenr"
Payzac continued with an imperturb-
able calm and lightly shrugged shout
der.
s'But all Of which is as nothing" said
he, compared with the fact that not
only are you the legitimate possessor of
the most beautiful woman in Paris, but
you also know one not less lovely who
lives in more mysterious quarter Of the
city
This time the banker sat erect, as If
pulled with spring, and looked about
him uneasily.
"Payzac," said he, "h-s-shl You risk
too much at times. You, and you only,
are to know that side of my life, Sc
cret that must not be noised abroad"
"Of course" said Payzac, II know 1t,
for to whom else than me do you owe
the acquaintance of the fair and beauti-
full Wanda9"
''Also the happiness Of being loved for
myself alone" assented SLIDER CRATE
fully. "That poor foreign girl. with her
sensitive soul positively, Payzac, she
loves me like faithful dog, though l
seek always to treat her like acompanion
and friend. Nothing SO binds women to
us as letting them believe they fully
share in our lives. The baronne, for in
stance, who thinks tell her everything
because I've the air of deciding nothing
without consulting her. The RESULT An
occupied mind for her and an affection
for mccain, possibly, but solid and
devoted"
'Who could doubt it" cried Payxac
fervently, diligently blowing smoke
rings above his head "But then, as l
said, baron, everything succeeds with
you. Your Virohay combination Is sim
ply a masterpiece, which, by the way,
reminds me, SLIDER, that I've favor to
ask of YOU" And the needy parasite,
judging the ground we'll prepared, came
to the true object of his visit.
y
A fortnight later the baron and bar