The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-29
p.opyright iSaa by Irving Bacheller.l

some were of remarkable size and bril-
liancy. | carefully sorted them and
placed them in belt about my waist
for safe keeping until l could restore
them to their owners.
We touched at Liverpool, where the
iron chest of diamonds from Benita
was turned over to the agent waiting TO
receive them. and | sent a short tele-
gram to Mr.. Forsythe ut New York say
ing was on my way home. l ala not
mention his brothers horrible death.
as thought II best to wait until had
unearthed the whole chain of thieves
and had them safely secured. by
waiting my triumph would be all the
greater. and l rather shrank from In
forming my employer abruptly OF the
fact that his brother was the prime
mover in the theft.
From Liverpool we steamed to Havre.
where | bade good-by to the staunch
little boat that had borne me so safeiy.
and made my way to Paris. l was all
eagerness to follow up the trail or NJ.
Francois Droubet. and the very even
ing of my arrival I sauntered up to the
door of the little fruit stand In the Rue
de Nalcdin and walked in.
1t was Il dingy little room. odorous
of neglected and shrunken apples ana
oranges being the only stock In view.
A large stout woman. with hair and
eyes of Jet black, slouchily dressed In u
faded print gown, was behind the
counter reading novel.
She looked up as | entered, but did
not rise from her chair.
rs m sier in?" | asked, raising my
hat.
She looked at me steadily over her
book and shook her head.
''Will he return soon?" | persisted, In
my best French.
who are you?" she asked abruptly.
"A friend of an intimate acquaintance
of NJ. Droubet," replied. somewhat
awkwardly.
Your name?" she demanded. without
moving q line of her stolid counten-
ance.
hesitated; then remembering that l
must of necessity be wholly unknown
in Paris. | replied:
John Andrews"
"Your friends name?"
Pardon me. madame, I will contide
that to M. Droubet"
She nodded, and glanced at door,
way at the back Of the little room.
Come tomorrow at nine" she said.
and turned to her book with an unmis-
taxable air of dismissal,
I retired, but before l left the neigh
borhood l walked through an alley and
satisfied myself that the building con-
tanned a rear room much larger than
the one had seen.
Promptly at nine the next morning I
re-entered the fruit store, and found
the lady settled In the same spot and
seemingly as intensely interested as be-
fore in her story.
As she saw me come in she reached
forward under the counter and l heard
the faint tinkle of bell somewhere in
the distance. I remained immovable
and soon heard a door opened and
closed and the sound of approaching
footsteps. Then the rear door of the
shop opened and man appeared in the
doorway.
He was small man, with STOPPING
shoulders, a scraggly beard and small.
keen eyes, which fastened themselves
upon my face and scanned me closely
while he said in low voice:
viii monsieur please step this way?"
I bowed and entered the rear room.
the man holding open the door and
closing II carefully behind me.
The room / stood in was dimly light
ed and entirely without furniture. 1t
was probably about ten feet deep and
directly back of the first door I saw
another. but made of heavy oak and
bound in stout iron-a suspicious look
ing door. ! thought
NJ Droubet was still searching my
face with his sharp eyes and had no
chance to observe further.
What Is your wish. m'sier?"
I had prepared my story over night,
and now answered, readily:
81 am dimand-cutter by profession.
and only lately arrived in Paris. I was
recommended to you as one who might
offer me employment. / assure you
-"
/ stopped abruptly, alarmed at the
set look Of NJ. Droubet's face. His eyes
were staring at me with painful fixity
and large drops OF perspiration broke
out upon his forehead. He noticed my
surprise, and drew his sleeve across his
brow. whilst ne moistened his lips with
his tongue and replied:
"a diamond cutter. Surely, msier,
you are mistaken. What have T, a poor
fruiterer, to do with cutting diamonds ?
An error. m'sier." speaking more conf
IDENTIFY, evidently a serious error! May
/ ask who sent your
This ! also was prepared for. I must
invent some fictitious reference, and as
no one was less likely to he known in
Paris than my sweethearts father,
used his name for convenience. T was
recommended to you by M. Jules Gro
neau.'
He gave n cry and started back with
an expression Of unmistakable fear upon
his pale face. and was about to i'm
prove my advantage, although I, too.
was surprised and mystiHed, when an
room.
NJ. Droubet dashed opon the door,
| and over his shoulder saw that Mother
Videaux's barrel of cOcoanuts was
standing In the middle of the room.
Evidently II had Just been delivered
to its consignee. but what arrested my