The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-04

the others to do the same. The next mo-
ment the stiffness was broken by dull
report and the falling of shattered
glass. We started forward. The glass
lay broken in small bits; a portion of
the stone coping had been torn away;
the bottle was nowhere visible.
l knew little of chemistry. Whether
the man Jackson had made great dis
covery, in producing a material upon
which the action of certain kinds of
liquids was necessary to bring about a
conclusion. by absorbing with the vari-
Gus degrees of strength contained in the
fluid the hard outer coating OF his pre-
paration and bringing the delicate in
terror into contact with some foreign
substance; or whether such methods
are generally known and practiced by
the profession, l cannot tell. l only
thought at the time. that the last link
i'm the chain of proceedings Ewas now
without doubt in my hand.
At nine o'clock that night Ray. an
other man and myself. We're stationed
I'm the hall of Mr.. IS great house at
Tuxedo. We had been substituted for
three detectives who were to have been
sent down in the usual way. / had
placed Ray at the entrance to the ball
room, myself near the Vestibule of the
about. We had not long to wait. The
guests of the evening We're early to ar
rive-the great man short-breathed,
ponderous, but genial: his young wife
handsome and gracious. Behind them
came a small sprinklinG of more or less
famous politicians, members OF the Tor
eign legation and handsome young at
taches in the full uniform of their
countries. Among these last were two
men who at once attracted my atten-
ton; the first. by a slight popularity
in his figure, his quick nervous move
ments. the glances full of suspicion and
of watchfulness which he constantly
threw about-all these signs identified
him strongly with the man who had
kept silence the night before at the
House with Green Blinds. The other
was as easily discovered; the tall. well
set up figure. Ornamented by a snowy
uniform which he now wore, the firm
lips curving into a smile that was al
most insolent: the large, well-shaped
head; the delicate aroma of Turkish
cigarettes which fioated with him
more, he lighted one as he reached the
smoking-room, into which l could see
from my station. and sent ring after
ring of smoke curling upward. Once
before ] had seen him do it, but never
dHotneT man SO pFettlly.
I sent Ray to watch the two closely
and returned to my post. Again / had
not long to wait. | had turned to reply
to some trivial question which had been
addressed to me, when the voice for
which had been waiting tioated clear
ly towards me-a low. delicious laugh.
l looked eagerly about. In the smoking
room. talking gaily to small group
of its occupants, was the hero of the
English trial-the escaped convict of
Portsmouth prison-the boy who had
followed Miss Cutting. But l saw no
one anywhere about to resemble
Madame of the White Shoulders. From
where | stood l watched this man until
he turned to go, and then drew nearer.
As he passed Rays tall Russian, I heard
him say lightly: Tout va bien," and
then he lost himself in the crowd. /
saw him go in and out among the
throng. looking unostentatiously but
carefully about him, and managed for
a time to keep in his wake. Then lost
him entirely. For an hour | searched
hither and thither, cursing my own stu
pidity. but without avail. ] was grow
ing desperate. fearing that, after ALL
/ should be too late, when again that
voice came to my straining ears. 1t
was in the supper room. where the
1ingling glasses were playing a grace
full accompaniment. I stumbled hastily
forward. This time / was not disap-
pointed. I could not but recognize her,
though had never seen her face uncOv-
cred before. Perfect in outline as a
statue by st. Gaudens. faultless in COL
oring. and lighted by those glorious
eyes which had flashed upon me through
the mask-eyeS | had seen matched but
once, and then by those of the boy I
had just so clumsily lost sight of. Her
superb. squarely- shoulders
cleaned richly in the well-arranged
lights. For the merest instant her
eyes rested upon mine and their pupils
widened. | feared that she had pene-
trated my disguise. Then she turned
again to her companion-none other
than the illustrious guest in the inter-
est of whose safety / was working. ]
was very near them. Looking about I
saw both the men who had been in the
House with the Green Blinds lowering
near the doorway. Behind them lowered
Rays well-set head. I signaled him to
close in. His orders We're to arrest
them as quietly as they would permit
1t to be done. and to await in the car
riaGe which had been provided, my ar
rival with madame.
She was standing. with her compan-
ion. near one of the tables, and I saw
MN pour a glass of champagne and
hand 1t to her. He watched her. smil-
ingly, as she daintily put it to her
lips. and then turned to find one for
himself AS he did so 1 saw madam's
hand go steadily into the bosom of
her gown, and. taking out q small
silver vinaigrette. hold it carelessly for
an instant over her glass
The great man furpc1 IN bo, q, ro;..
and lightly touched her glass with his
own.
May fortune bring you everything
which has not already escaped her."
he said. gallantly.
ITO health like that. monsieur"
replied her marvellous voice, .in my
country it is custom to change
glasses. that each may drink the good
fortune of the other"
"A very pretty CUSTOM" he said.
with heavy laugh. Let us follow
it,"
The glasses changed hands. II he
should swallow that deadly thing
Good heavens! / threw myself for
ward, falling heavily against him. Half
the wine went trickling down his coat
and he turned about with savage i'm
precation. I seized the glass and
poured what remained through my fin
gers until they touched the hard little
pellets 1t contained. Knowing that
they had not been there long enough
to soften. and that there was no dam
ger from them. put them i'm my pock-
ct, and, with w<hat sang froid I could
muster turned to madam and offered
her my arm.
Madam" stammered. sis forgetful
and mistaken. In her country no way
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