Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-05-11

T was right" whispered the Count,
re-entering and bending over bis wife's
chair. "DumOnt knows nothing Of your
earring, and, needless to say, the EN-
press never sent him upon such an
errand. l have put the matter into the
hands of the police, and they will do all
that is possible to recover It."
The Countess was duly commiserated
by sympathizing friends. but nothing
more was heard Of the 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 jing-
ling 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, gracious.
iy; let the officer be shown into tho
boudoir."
Into the boudoir presently came the
Countess. stately, beautiful, fur-clad,
buttoning her little gloves. Near the
door stood a short. wiry-lOokinR man,
with keen, black eyes, closely cropped
hair and compact, erect. military fg-
ure. The small man bowed profoundly
while he said, with the utmost respect,
at the same time laying a letter upon
he table:
81 am sent by order of the chief Of
police to inform Nine. Ia Comtessa that
the stolen diamond has been satisfac-
ly, some little difficulty connected with
it's identification. / am charged, there
fore, to beg that Mime. la Comtesse will
have the goodness to intrust the fellow
earring to the police, for a short period,
In order that 1t may be compared with
the one found in the possession of the
suspected thief. Madame will find that
the letter bring corroborates my state
nent."
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.
The Countess descended to her sleigh
and drove to the club to call for her
husband. Crossing the Place de la
Concorde, she related to him the latest
Incident.
You never were induced to give up
the otherw cried Count Ivanoff, incred-
ulously.
But l tell you, dear, an officer of the
police came himself to fetch 1t, bring
Ing letter from his superiors vouching
for the truth of his statement"
IF the prefect himself had come. I
don't think should have been caJoled
into letting him have 1t after last
nights experience" laughed her hus
band. However, for the second time,
we will inquire"
The coachman turned and drove. as
directed, to the Bureau Of Police, at
which the Count had lodged his COM
plairt .he night before. After a some
what protracted delay, the Count re-
Joined his wife with a semi-grim look
of amusement on his handsome face.
'The police know nothing Of your de-
iective or his epistolary 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 netted by another member of
the light-ingered fraternity, and, upon
my honor, think he was the more &C.
complished artist of the twoW
And from that unlucky day to this the
Countess Ivanoff's diamond earrings
knew her pretty ears no more.-The
Argonaut.