Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-11-07

q arequest. Depend upon il, you have been
the victim Of a thief made up as Du-
mont
"Impossibler' cried the countess in
her turn. 1.-The affair is absolutely as !
tell you 1t was the veritable NJ. Du-
mont / see opposite who came into this
box and took away my diamond. Only
wait little and he win bring it back
intact.
"To wait a little is to lessen the
chance Of its recovery. Twill 60 and in
quire Of Dumont, if / can get at him,
whether he has been seized with a sud-
den attack of kleptomania, because the
idea of the empress having sent him
roaming about the theater borrowing a
lady's jewels / regard as preposterous.
All, these Persian 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 be-
fore he returned. In the meantime the
countess perceived that she was an OBJ
ject of interest to the occupants of the
imperial box.
at 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 en-
press never sent him or any one else up
on such an errand. 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 commiserated
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 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 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
he said, with the utmost respect, at the
same time laying letter upon the table
IT am sent by order of the chief Of
police to inform Mime. Ia 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
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 httl'
man, bowling deferentially, departed
with the precious duplicate safely in hi
possession.
The countess descended to her sleigl
and drove to the club, to call for he
husband en- route for the Bois. Crossing
the Place de la Concorde, she related t
him the latest incident in the story o
the diamond earring.
"You never were induced to give u]
the other |" cried Count Ivanof incredu
lously.
"But tell you, mon ami, an office
of the police came himself to fetch it
bringing a letter from his superior
vouching for the truth Of his state
ment.
"If the prefect himself had come,
don't think should have been cajole
into letting him have it after last night
experience" laughed her husband
However, for the second time of ask
ing, we will go and inquire"
The coachman turned and drove, q
directed, to the bureau of police q
which the count had lodged his com
plant the night before. After some
what protracted delay, the count rt
joined his wife with look of amust
ment upon his handsome bearded face.
"The police know nothing of your de
tective or his epistolary efforts" b
said, drawing the fur rug up to his chi
as the impatient horses sped away owe
the frozen snow "Your second earrin
has been netted by another member {
the light fingered fraternity, and, upo
my honor, think he was the more ~
complished artist Of the two!'
And from that unlucky day to thi
, the Countess Ivanoff's celebrated di;
. mond earrings knew her pretty ears Z
, re.-San Francisco Argonaut.
Food of the Future.