The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-19

Au8, WoAk~& UkWkAy AoWus bno hIkobt, pub
instoad II sntsring The telegraph ofiice he
continued his course along the Rue st.
Honore, through the Place Vendome into
the Rue do Ia Paix and turned into jew.
eler's shop.
M. Girardin was In his private office,
alone, and the man presented him with the
telegram form without comment Mon
sieur Recognized bis wiSe's handwriting,
and his brow clouded ominously; but, hav-
Ing read the dispatch, he instructed the
man to send 1t from the nearest telegraph
Office without delay. For an hour after
ward he sat In his office still and dumb,
driving his thoughts into q cool, practical
channel His plans matured, he called his
manager and made arrangements to be alb.
sent few days; then he left the shop and
walked quickly to his bank, where he drew
a substantial sum Of money In conven-
lent form. He was startled, but not other
wise surprised, at the clerks statement:
Had you arrived three minutes earlier,
monsieur, you would have met Mime. GU
rardin here" .Tr
"Oh, he replied In as careless tone as
the sudden announcement would permit
him to assume. "Mme. Girardin has been
on a similar errand to mine, dare say2''
HOnly on larger SCALE monsieur"
smiled the clerk. Madame exhausted her
account 7$ NJ.
"Ah" repeated M. Girardin as he pock-
eted his money He made no further re-
sponse nor did he invite further remark.
He knew more Of madame's reason for
withdrawing all her money that day than
that bank clerk could tell him.
At Paris terminus madame from
corner of one compartment, furtively
watched man enter another. There was
less risk of discovery leaving Paris thus
than together, and when the train glided
out of the station the sweet breath Of relief
famed madame's face, but 1t was only
transitory. Danger would .lurk until the
frontier was safely crossed and the Ian
guage and costume changed from French
to German.
Madame was unaccustomod to solitary
travelling, and full ten hours had to crawl
by ere Metz could be reached. Certainly
she had much to reflect upon, but in
state of nervous tension it is difficult to
impel ones thoughts along any desired
route. Her tumultuous meditations re-
suited in sleep, and she awoke to find
Pagny, tho French frontier station, sink
ing into the evening twilight and No
veane, the German custom house, in near
view. Then she breathed more freely than
she had dared during the past fortnight.
Immediately danger was in the rear. What
tho future would bring was a question for
the future.
The train crawled into Metz Just as
darkness settled down in earnest The
station was indifferently illuminated, and
as she alighted she usually swept the plat
form The smile that she had summoned
vanished and her heart gave downward
throb of bitter disappointment.
Where was he? Had he changed his
mind and alighted at an intermediate
station2
A voice spoke over her shoulder.
"Surely your English friend has not
played you false"
Madame turned quickly and confronted
her husband
II either exhibited embarrassment, 1t
was certainly not madame. M. Girardin
In the course of the journey from Paris
had drawn several mental pictures of this
meeting, but the actual differed from them
all. She stood before him with eyes filled
with love-that sober love exhibited at a
crisis before the passionate outburst
II have known Dick Halston from child
hood, she replied, land he never broke
faith with anybody. But VIC cannot talk
here"
She led the way to the stufiy though
half deserted waiting room.
"Where is lie, them" satirically inGuir-
cd monsieur. You appointed to meet
him herc?" rem -..
'He Is in Paris, A." she replied
He turned coward before your depar-
ture
How blind you arc, Victorl Cannot
you guess what Dick is going to do in
Paris during our abscnce9"
Solving conundrums is not my forte.''
''Dlch is London detective. He is in
Paris on professional business. Cannot
you guess nowP"
again, nor
"Victor!" the name broke from her like |
a cry. wont you confide in me? Dick |
and l have conspirod to save you. do |
not believe that you are guilty of-of what
they would have arrested you for but for
Dick S timely warning and schcming /
know there is some explanation; that you
arc not-what they say. Won't you con-
tlde in mo? We are sufe now, dear. Dick
says they will not follow you over the from
tier, and''-
She stopped. The amazomcnt in his
face puzzled her
winnie" he said, "what do you mean?
l fail 10 understand your illusions"
II meant mean the coming. Oh, you
know! Won't you confldc in me now?"
ION my honor, Winnie your words arc
riddles to me-" He spoke emphatically,
truly
Then she explained to him how tho Lon
don police had suspected that English coun-
terfeit coins were being imported from
Paris; how they had gained the co-opera-
ton of the French police, who had tracked
tho coiners to M. Girardin's jewelry shop,
and how Dick Halston had been sent to
Paris to superintend their arrest. To all
Of which M. Girardin listened with stupe-
action. Then he emphatically denied all
of the affair and vowed that the
Paris detectives had made egregious asses
If themselves.
"They arc to make raid on your shop
added Winnie. "That is why
We lured you here today, taking advantage
If the jealousy you had displayed at Dicks
lists and my silence. And Dick fclt Ger
ain that the man you had employed to
watch his comings and goings would take
ny telegram straight to you"
M. Girardin had begun to knit his
rows. He consulted a time table, and re-
urning to madame remarked with trou-
lied voice that fortunately there was
light express to Paris, and he would BIO
bile to reach his shop in the Rue dc Ia
'aix before the raid was begun.
"Some time ago / let an electrically
lighted basement room to two men pur-
orting to DO small working goldsmiths,"
70 added, land suspect that tho coming
pparatus will be found there. I was never
ute satisfied with my subterranean ten
nts but never suspected until now
They returned to Paris by the night ex-
ress and found NJ. Girardin's latest sus-
icions established truths. Dick Halston
'as sincerely apologize for his mistake,
ut M. Girardin would scarce listen to him.
You and Winnie have certainly made a
listake on foundation hardly flattering
, me, but have made perfect fool of
lysclf. ask your pardon, monsleurr'.-.
ristol (England) Observer.