The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-15
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER Is, 1895.

] lrdorQiudrF that i venture to say YOU
should explain why you make IT,"
/ Il make it in the hope that may get
a clue 70 the person who has stolen the
/ state papers,"
But how in the name Of common sense
do you expect to get clue by being shut
! up IN nay bedroom for half an hour?"
I 1t is not for me to answer that Ques-
! ton now Indeed, I must respectfully de-
cline 10 answer it. And. unless you allow
\ me TO proceed in my own way, and &C
/ cording to my lights, ! shall have 10 re-
tire from the case altogether"
For two or three minutes the count
seemed unable to make up his mind;
| but at last said:
Very well. your request shall be COM
/ piled with. although il seems to me an
/ eccentric one. But cave no right 10 die
/ tate TO you how you should conduct your
own business. Therefore. I will instruct
my valet to receive you and show you
up stairs"
Il have one more request" 1 added.
| 1T is this: ] must particularly impress
/ upon you the necessity of keeping this ar
/ rangement from coming to the knowledge
/ of any living soul except your valet, and
1 beg that you win order him to keep the
| secret"
Well. of course, since I have gone so
/ far, l suppose 1 must hOmor you in this"
/ he answered
You will find the valet an intelligent
| and excellent fellow, and if he can be of
/ service to you I am sure he will be-
| But l gather from what you have told
me that he knows nothing about the rob
berry"
NO; he has not been told"
Then please let him be kept in ignor-
ance."
The count consented to this. but from
the expression on his face. and the strange
| look in his eyes, l fancy he thought /
u Of q
intelligence and reasoning power as would
entitle me TO be regarded as absolutely
sane II any such thought as this really
fitted through his mind he would proba-
bly, have justified himself by saying that
| was acting in a way that was quite be-
yond his comprehension. No doubt ] was;
but he did not consider that the ways Of
the trained detective are not the ways
of the layman. He was very polite. how
ever. and bowed to me as I withdrew.
At luncheon time l returned. the foot
man who admitted me seemed little sur
prsed when 1 asked for the counts vale;
de chambre, and showed a disposition to
inquire my business, for l had not seen
this man before. But the valet who, o.
course. was expecting me. appeared on the
scene. and as ! followed him up the grand
staircase the turnkey looked as though
his pride had been rather severely hurt
In obedience to his instructions. the valet
led me to his masters room, where he
fingered, as though he did not quite like
the idea of leaving me there. So l re-
minded him that / could dispense with his
service for the time being, and accord
ingly he withdrew. Then l locked the
door, and remained shut up in the apart
ment for something like half an hour
At the end of that time l had obtained
the clew which / anticipated / should
get, and throwing open the door, l fourd
the valet waiting for me on the landing.
He regarded me curiousy. and his face in
dicated that he was burning to question
me; but my bearing and manner toward
him gave him no encouragement. He
therefore, remained silent, and led the
way down stairs, where I requested him
10 supply me with writing materials, as
wished to. address a note to the count
He showed me into small waiting ROOM
where I penned the following letter:
your EXcellency-
81 have obtained an important clew
which am DESTROYS of following up with
your assistance. To this end l must ask
you to receive as your guest this evening
a person with whom am very intimately
acquainted-a French priest. named PAU
Verney He does not speak English, and
is a singularly reserved man. You will
be good enough to allow him to dine al
your table, and kindly take no notice Of
anything he may do or say, however &C.
centric il may seem If he wishes to go
he desire to remain all night | pray you
will let him have a room. Your eXcellency's
strict observance of these details win
probably facilitate the recovery of the
missing state papers. But should my
friends movements be hampered in any
way my attempts to solve the mystery win
be entirely thwarted. Subject to the re-
port made to me by my friend, the priest,
l will call upon you myself in the course
of tomorrow or the following day.
~ have the honor to be your excellen-
cys most 'obedient servant,
''Dick Donovan"
Sealing this letter up l marked it 'Pri-
vate and confidential" and handing it to
the servant babe him deliver it to his mas
ter without a moments delay, as the let
ter was of very great Importance. That
bit of business finished. 1 took my depar-
ture.
The count evidently followed out my re-
quests TO the letter, for when in the
course of the afternoon my friend Paul
Verney called and sent up his card ne was
at once admitted to the ambassadors
| presence, and later on he dined with the
count and his friends. Nerney was
smooth-faced man. with flowing slvery
! hair that gave him venerable appear
ance. Having very weak eyes he wore
smoke colored glasses. His clerical attire
was fautless, and from his neck was sus
pended a little golden crucifix. The dinner
y
Guiding the counts son and two minis
tiers of the English cabinet
1t was o'clock before his eXceliency
rose from the table and the party began
to separate. Almost Immediately the
priest stepped out of the ROOM and a lit
tie while afterwards he was driving in
hanson cab that was Following another
cab, both of them going west. He alight-
ed near Hyde Park corner, and disap-
peared in the darkness.
al tha
the following day. but the day after that
did so. He received me at once.
4 am glad you have Gomez he said,
but l confess that you are altogether
mystifying me. Why in the name of good
ness did you consider 1t necessary that 1
should entertain your friend Verney?"
Il hope he did not do anthing or say any
thing that was not strictly in accordance
with etiquette" | exclaimed, anXiouslv.
"Oh dear no." answered the count. "On
the contrary, he was the pink of polite
ness, and exceedingly good company. 1
honestly confess l was taken with the fell
low, but when we were about to retire to
the smoking room he suddenly slipped
away without saying word to me. and I