Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-07-04

could help looking at.
So, as has been said already ,M.Choui.
not was walking behind Mile. Daurel.
Suddenly he saw that she had dropped
something on the pavement. He was
about to call her attention to the fact
when an idea presented itself to his
mind.
Never trust first impulse thought
he.
No one happened to be passing at
the moment. Why should he not take
possession Of the article, provided it
was worth the trouble? !?
NJ. Chouinot opened the purse, for it
was purse that Mile. Daurel had let
fall, a mignen little purse with her name
on it in neat silver letters. contained
a fifty-franc bank note, several scraps
of paper and letter in an envelope
ready to be posted.
M. Chouinot rapidly looked over the
pieces of paper. They were letters that
showed signs Of having been read and
re-read many times. They were almost
in pieces. and all bore the same signa-
ture. Henri
The letter in the envelope was ad-
dressed to NJ. Henri de Prejaillss.
So the owner of the purse was an
swering love letters.
Ma, ha 7 exclaimed NJ. Chouinot to
himself. Then he found some cards
bearing the name, Mile. Daurel,' and
NJ. Chouinot began to think deeply.
Mile. Daurel to male friend, Henri
de Prejailles, who is bitterly opposed by
her father. Excellent affair.
Without tremor he opened the en-.
velope, and taking out the letter began
to read.
Ut remains to be seen now whether
Mile. Daurel is rich,' said NJ. Chouinot
to himself. IN any case it will be suf.
6cient if her friend is. Henri de Pre-.
jailles sounds we'll. / will find this out
as quickly as possible
Talking thus to himself NJ. Chouinot
gept following Mile. Daurel. When he
saw her stop in front Of the postofice he
stopped also. 1t was the decisive
moment.
She wants to post her letters now
and discovers that her pccketbook is
lost continued M. Chouinot ia mono.
logue. u will approach her very po
litely and beg her to come to my Office
for news of the lost article. There I
shall tell her my conditions
NJ. Chouinot's deductions were per.
fectly accurate. Is it necessary to say
that when Mile. Daurel heard M.Choui.
not address her she turned in surprise,
which rapidly changed to confusion
and terror, and lett her without word
ofreply
As soon as she recovered her self
possession, NJ. Chouinot, who had turned
upon his heel as soon as his little speech
was concluded, was already disappear.
ing down the street.
Thus she found herself at the mercy
Of this man. Doubtless he had opened
the pocketbook, had read her letters,
and now would only restore them to
her in return for large reward. Mile.
Daurel faced the situation.
There is no use hesitating, she
thought; u must 90 to this man.
And she went.
M. Chouinot was waiting for her, and
as soon as she had made known her
name she was introduced into the pri-
vate Office of the man of business.
NJ. Chouinot rose to meet her and
bowed.
Here is your pocketbook,' he said to
to her, holding out the article he had
picked up shortly before on the paye-
ment.
Mile. Daurel, little surprisad, was
about to thank him warmly, when he
began:
Il hand you back your pocketbook, but
honesty compels noe to state that it does
not return to you intact. 1t still con-
tains, indeed. the note for fifty francs,
because money is always sacred. You
will also find here your visiting cards.
But l thought it was imprudent of you
to keep your letters there. An inds-
cretion is go easily committed. There
fore, will take care Of them for you
on, the utmost care, assure you.'
Mile. Daurel understood. The man
had laid trap for her, aud she had
tumbled into it.
'Mais, MONSIEUR she stammered.
>The pocketbook you haye picked up Is
my property. You have no right to
keep it. whateyer it may contain
YOU think so?