Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1896-02-25

earrings, which her majesty wished 10
compare with one Of the Countess Wo-
ronzof's "
"Dumnt Impossiblel was talk
ing TO him the whole time was absent,
and ne only left me at the top Of the
staircase two seconds before I returned.
Nevertheless, mon ami, be has been
here and has taken my earring. seel IL
Is gone"
Effectively, agreed Tho count. with
grim smile, ''but Dumont has not
taken H. II Is to the last degree un-
likely that the empress would make such
arequest Depend upon Il, you have been
the victim Of a thief made up as Du-
mont -
'Impossibloi'' cried the countess in
her turn. ''The affair Is absolutely as /
tell you. Il was tho veritable M. Du-
mont SEQ opposite who came into this
box and took away my diamond. Only
wait little and he win bring It back
intact
ITO wait a little Is 20 lessen the
chance Of its recovery. Twin 90 and in
quire Of Dumont, II can get at him,
whether he has been seized with sud-
den attack Of kleptomania, because the
idea Of the empress having sent him
roaming about the theater borrowing O
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 returued In the meantime the
countess perceived that she was an OBJ
ject Of interest to the occupants of the
imperial box.
'sI 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. I have put the mat
ter into the hands of the police, and
they will do all that is possible to re-
cover II.
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. Tho frozen snow lay deep
upon the ground, tnd 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
- ufr -.
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:
IL 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 III order
that it may be compared with the one
found in the possession Of the suspected
thief. Madame will find that the letter
bring corToborates 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 Bois. Crossing
the Place de la Concorde, she related to
him the latest incident in the story of
the diamond earring.
''You never We're induced to give up
the otheri'' cried Count Ivanoh incredu-
lousy.
''But tell you, mon ami, an officer
Of the police came himself to fetch it,
bringing a letter from his spperiors
vouching for the truth Of his state
ment. 4"
''If the prefect 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 win 60 aud inquire. "
Tho eOachman 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 protraoted delay, the count re-
joined his wife with a look Of amuse-
ment upon his handsome bearded face
''The police know nothing Of your de-
tectiye or his epistolary efforts. he
said, drawing the fur rug up to his chin
as the impatient horses sped away over
the frozen snow. "Xour second earring
has been netted by another member Of
the light fingered fraternity, and, upon
my honor, think he was the moro 40
compliahed artist Of the twoP'
And from that unluclzy day 70 this,
the Countess Ivanofi's celebrated dia-
mopd earrings knew her pretty ears no
more. --san Francisco Argonaut.
The annual consumption ok lemons In
the United States amounts to 1900, 900
boxes