The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-11-13

pegs That you VIII lntrust one OF your
pen1ant to her care for a few mo-
ments, as the only satisfactory method
of disposing of her vexed question. I
will myself return it the instant her
majesty gives it back into my keep
ing"
''Witb the greatest pleasure,
agreed the countess, detaching the
precious jewel forthwith, and deposit
ing it without misgiving in the out
stretched palm of the imperial mes
senger. The countess bestowed a
smile and gracious bow of dismissal
upon her majesty's distinguished en-
bassador, who responded by a pro-
foundly respectful inclination as he
made his eTist.
Shortly afterward Count Ivanoff re-
turned. 81 have been talking to Du-
mont, he remarked, as he seated him
self. "Clever fellow, Dumont. l am
not surprised at the emperor's par
tiality for him; he must find him use
full when he il in want of an idea"
"Who is Dumont?" inquired the
countess, with languid interest.
"That israther difficult question,
replied the count, smiling; "there are
several editions of his biography-all
different, probably none of them true.
Look, he has just entered the emper-
or's box the man in the black coat.
'Is that NJ. Dupont?" exclaimed the
countess; 'if SO, he has been here
while you were away. He came on
the part of the empress, and carried
of fore of my earrings, which her
majesty wished to compare with one
of the Countess Woronzoff's.
"Dumontl Impossible I was talk
ing to him the whole time was alb.
sent, and he only left me at the top of
the staircase two seconds before l re-
turned"
Nevertheless, mon ami, he has been
here, and has taken my earring. See
it is gone.
effectively" agreed the count,
with grim smile; "but Dumont has
not taken it. 1t is to the last degree
unlikely that the empress would make
such a request. Depend upon it, you
have been the victim of thief, made
up as Dumont."
"Impossible /" cried the countess,
in her turn. ''The affair is absolute
ly as I tell you. 1t was the veritable
NJ. Dumont I see opposite who came
into this box and took away my dia-
mond. Only wait little, and he will
bring it back intact"
"To wait little is to lessen the
chance of its recovery. l will go and
inquire of Dumont, if / can get at
him. whether he has been seized with
q sudden attack of kleptomania; be.
cause the idea of the empress having
sent him roaming about the theatre,
borrowing lady's jewels, l regard as
preposterous. Ah, these Partisan
thieves! You do not know what
scientific geniuses they are in their
way"
With this the count departed, and
the second act was nearly at an end
before he returned. In the mean
time, the countess perceived that she
was an object of interest to the occu-
pants of the imperial box.
'I was right" whispered the count,
re-entering and bending over his wife's
chair; "Dumont knows nothing of
your earring, and, needless to say,
the empress never sent him or anyone
else upon such an errand. l have put
the matter into the hands of the po-
lice, and they will do all that is possi-
BILE to recover it. "
The countess was duly commiserated
by sympathizing friends; but nothing
more was heard of the stolen jewel un'
til the following day.
Early in the afternoon the countess
was about to start for her daily drive
in the Bois. The frozen snow lay
deep upon the ground, and her sleigh,
with its two jet-black Russian horses
jingling their bells merrily in the
frozen air, stood waiting in the court
yard while the countess donned her
furs.
A servant entering announced that
an officer of the police in plain clothes
asked permission to speak with Nine.
la Countess concerning the lost dia-
mond.
Certainly" said madame, gra-
ciously: ''let the officer be shown into
the boudoir. "
Into the boudoir presently came the
countess, stately, beautiful, fur-clad,
buttoning her gloves. Near the door
stood a short, wiry-looking man, with
keen, black eyes, closely-cropped hair,
and compact. erect, military figure.
The small man bowed profoundly
while he said, with the utmost res
pect, at the same time laying letter
upon the table:
'I am sent by order of the chief Of
police to inform Nine. la Comtesse
that the stolen diamond has been sat-
isfactorily traced, but there is unfor-
tunately some little difficulty con-
nected with its Identification. / am
charged. therefore, to beg that Nine.
la Comtesse will have the goodness to
intrust the follow earring to the police
for a short period, in order that it may
be compared with the one found in
the possession of the suspected thief.
Madame will find that the letter l
bring corroborates my statement.
The countess glanced hastily through
the letter, and, ringing the bell, de-
sired that her maid might be told to
bring the remaining earring immedi-
ately this was done, and the dapper
little man, bowling deferentially, de-
parted with the precious duplicate
safely in his possession,
The countess descended to her sleigh,
~