Great Falls weekly tribune., 1895-11-15

'DumOnt lmpOsSlDle! L was talk
ing to him the whole time J. was absent,
and he only left me at the top of the
staircase two seconds before returned. ="
Nevertheless, mon ami, he has been
here and has taken my earring. See! 1t
is gone"
"Ei1ectively," "agroed the count, with
grim smilo, "but DumOnt has not
taken it. 1t is to the last degree un-
likely that the empress would make such
arequcst. Depend upon it, you have been
the victim of a thief made up as Du-
mont.
"Impossiblo!" cried the countess in
her turn. ''Thc affair is absolutely as
tell you. 1t was the veritahle M. Du-
mont | see opposite who came into this
box and took away my diamond. Only
wait {, little and he will bring it back
intact -
"To wait little is to lessen the
chance of its recovery. Twill 70 and in
quire of Dumont, if l can get at him,
whether he has been seized with sud-
den attack Of kleptOmania, because the
idea Of the empress having sent him
roaming about the theater borrowing
lady's jewels | regard as prcposcrols,
All, these Persian thieves! You do not
know what scientific geniuses they are
i'll their way"
With this tie count departed, and
the second act was nearly at an end be-
fore he returned. IN the meantime the
countess perceived that she was an OBJ
i,n t,f i,,t, t>1 l,, ,T
imperial box.
81 was right" :. ,.hispercd the count,
re-cntcTing and bcndiDG over his " ioa
chair. "Dumont knows nothing Of your
earring, and, needless to say, the en-
press never sent him or any one C'Eo up
on such an Grand have put the mat
ter into the hands Of the police and
they Will do all that is possible to re-
cover it, -
The countess was duly commiscratcd
by symTuthizing friends, but nothing
more was heard Of the stolen jewel until
the following day.
Early i'll the afternoon the countess
was about to start for her daily drive in
the Bois. The frozen snow lay 6ocp
upon the ground, and her sleigh, with
its two jet black Russian horses jingling
their bells me1rily in the frosty air,
stood waiting in the courtyard while
the countess donned her fllrs.
A servant entering announced that
an officer Of the police i'll plain clothes
asked permission to speak with Nine.
La COmtesse concerning the lost dia-
mond
"Cortainly, " said madame graciouslv.
'Lot the officer be shown into .uo
boudOir. "
Int the boudoir presently came the
countess, stately, beautiful, fur clad,
buttoning her little gloves. Near the
door stood Il short, why looking man.
with keen, black eyes, closely cropped
hair and compact. erect, military figure.
The small man bowed profoundly willie
he said, with the utmost respect, at tic
samo time laying Il letter upon the table !:
81 am sent by order of the chief of
police to inform Mnc. la Comtessn that
the stolen diamond has been satisfac-
torily traced, but there is unfortunately
some little difficulty connected with its
identification. am charged, therefore.
to beg that Mmc. III COmtCGSc Will have
the goodness to iDtrUSt The fellow earring
to the police for a sho't pcriol in order
that it may be cnmpaIcd with the ono
found in the possession Of the SUSPECTED
thief. Madame will iind that the letter ]
bring currobDratos my sta;cmcnt."
Tic countess glanced hastily thre H"h
the letter, and, ringing the hcll, desired
that her maid migIt be told 10 bring
the romarin2 earring Immediately.
This WAS dome, AND tho dappm lit Io
man, bowling dgiHcHtially, Iap4rtcI
with the p, ciou} duplicate safely III his
POSSESSION.
Tho countess descended to her sloigh
and droy" to the cIuD. 10 call fer hcr
husband cn route for Inc Hois. Crossing
the Place de In Concordr, She related to
him the latest incident in the story Of
the diamond earring.
"You ncypr wore induced to give up
tho othcr!' cried Count lyanolr ipcrodu.
louslv.
"But tell sou, mon ami, an officer
Of tho police came himself to fetch it,
bringing Il letter from lis supeTiors
vouchiDg for the truth Of his state
mont
"lf the project himself had come, l
dOn't think should i&yo boon caialCd
into letting hl1n hoyoitaftcr la-tuign;s
experiences, lrg4hed her husband.
"HoWovcr, for the tccond time OF ask
ing. we viii Ga and inquire,