The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-17
A TWO EDGED SECRET

come from her bOudoir and he from his
racing stables, training courses, pad
docks, ETC., at Yirohay. Absorbed all
day long in business in Paris, he had
fallen into the habit of visiting his stud
of evenings, in order to be present at
dawn during the speeding of his horses.
Baron Karl SLIDER, an Austrian bank
Ell and financier, was an unknown no.
body 10 years before. Now you could
not open morning journal of COM
merce, sport or anything else without
running across some mention of his bust
ness, his races and racers, his dinners or
his wifes beauty.
Above all, his wifes beauty, for Silber
who denied himself nothing, had in
dulged himself at 40 in the dangerous
luxury of marrying charming Marguerite
de Francnont, 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 wife's really uncommon
intelligence, did nothing-save in mat
tiers of tinance-without consulting her
with frank and tender Difference.
Then" said lie presently, rolling n
last strawberry to sugar, "Gucrin did
Gomez"
Yes, last night, just after you had
started for Viroflay. ! saw him and en-
planned to him fully how you wcr. the
victim of inliscrctions that brought sus-
picion upon you. Everything that passes
at the stable, said L. is reported straight
way to the boollmakers of the Rue Vivi-
r'hn1- 1-,.n,N- al,
horse will r,1n or be withdrawn; what
horse carries the stables money or is
meant TO VIM briefly, daily and regu-
larly, we are betrayed by some one. But
by whom? 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 men,
NO special one, by Jove. L simply
suspect them all"
Precisely what 1 told him, where
upon he took notes and his departure.
assuring me that special agent would
be ut once put i'll charge of so delicate n
matter. He will report so soon as he
discovers anything"
(Which will be soon, l hope. You
have had no other visitor, my DEAR"
Not one. L dined alone and spent the
evening with mother. But you, Karl,
what did you do at Virofay?"
Always the same thing-audited ac-
counts, paid out money, examined the
colts, and by 3 o'clock was out with the
trainers speeding the racers. Kronstadt
is not doing rs we'll as he should. We
shall have hard pull to keep him in
shape for the 25th. Why, hello, it's 10
o'clock. I must 60 It's time for bust
| ness"
But you seem so fatigued, my poor
Karl"
POUNDS! ought to be. was up
before the SUM-"
But need you go to Virohay SO often,
KARL"
Every day if could, my dear. THE
| eye of the MASTER you lnow-above all,
i'll the care of race horses. And l have,
praise heaven. an eye that sees clearly"
Undoubtedly, my DEAR" Marguerite
assentcd calmly. tracing the tablecloth
with the tip of her rosy nail. tBut
Guerin, l trust, will see clearer still 1t
is really as amusing as a play to me,
dearest. to have anything to do with q
detective whom they talk so much of as
they talk of this Guerin."
= X
Two hours later Karl SLIDER, lying
back in an easy chair III his Office in the
Rue Richelieu, smoked with half closed
eyes the purest products of the Havana
tobacco fields. Near him in a chair no
less luxurious and with weed drawn
from the same source between his lips,
young De Payzac-with q somewhat
doubtful past-lolled and talked with
wide open eyes, making the most of his
position of intimate friend of so rich and
renowned 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 i'll Paris today. Just think
of it, the pot of money you've made at a
single stroke-more than l would need
to amuse me q whole, long year
Zone would say that fact annoyed
you,' SLIDER returned lazily, without
stirring himself
Annoyed me? Not the least in the
world, baron. Tyn too much your friend
for that. But when contrast our two
destinies! Why, everything in the world
succeeds with you. Your business, look
at it. 1t goes like confagration. Your
racing, too, which heaven knows why
you took it into your head to try-wheth-
er your own horses win or lose. it mat
tiers not-you find way to win with
the horses of others
"In word" SLIDER interrupted, with
some show of temper, you mean to i'm
ply, like the rest, that purposely allow
my own horses to be beaten?"