The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-10-16
they will do all that is possible to re-

by sympathizing friends, but nothing
more was heard of the stolen jewel until
the following day.
Early in the afternoon the countess
was about to start for her daily drive in
the Bots. The frozen snow lay deep
upon the ground, and her sleigh, with
it's two jet black Russian horses jingling
their bells merrily in the frosty air,
stood waiting in the courtyard 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 Comtesse concerning the lost dia
mond.
Certainly, said madame graciously.
"Let the officer be shown into the
boudoir. ;"
Into the boudoir presently came the
countess, stately, beautiful, fur clad,
buttoning her little gloves Near the
door stood short, wiry looking man,
with keen, black eyes, closely cropped
hair and compact, erect, military figure
The small man bowed profoundly while
10 said, with the utmost respect, at the
same time laying letter upon the table:
81 am sent by order of the chief of
police to inform Nine. la Comtesse 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 Nine. la Comtesse will have
the goodness to intrust the fellow earring
to the police for 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 I
bring corroborates my statement. -
The countess glanced hastily through
the letter, and, ringing the bell, desired
that her maid might be told to bring
the remaining earring Immediately.
This was done, and the dapper little
man, bowling deferentially, departed
with the precious duplicate safely in his
possession.
The countess descended to her sleigh
and drove to the club, to call for her
husband en- route for the Bots. Crossing
the Place de la Concorde she related to
the diamond earring.
"You never were induced to give up
the other - cried Count Ivanoff incredu-
lousy.
''But I tell you, mon ami, an officer
Of the police came himself to fetch it,
bringing a letter from his superiors
vouching for the truth of his state
ment. ="
eff the project himself had come,
don't think should have been cajoled
into letting him have it after last nights
experience, laughed her husband.
"However, for the second time of ask
ing, we will go and inquire"
The coachman turned and drove, as
directed, to the bureau of police at
which the count had lodged his COM
plant the night before. After a some
what protracted delay, the count re-
joined his wife with a look of amuse-
ment upon his handsome bearded face.
''The poll e know nothing of your de-
tective or his epistol&ry Efforts" he
said, drawing the fur rug up to his chin
as the impatient horses sped away over
the frozen snow. "Your second earring
has been net+ed by another member of
the light fingered fraternity, and, upon
my honor, I think he was the more &C
complished artist of the two!''
And from that unlucky day to this,
the Countess Ivanoff's celebrated dia-
mond earrings knew her pretty ears no