The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-05-10
Ten Thousand
Francs Reward
-sIt-
A Story OF Two Fortunes
and q Dowry.

"What would you do II you should
find 100000 francsf" some one once ask.
ed Leon Gozlan.
II should offer 10000 francs reward
to the loser" the author responded.
Alfred Cliquet. the valet Of certain
count whose name Is of no Importance
to this story. stepped into a cab at q
corner of the Rue de Chateaudun with
the object of visiting a friend In the
Place St Michel. He had scarcely tax.
en- his seat when he observed q neatly
tied parcel lying on the cushion at his
side. He opened 1t and felt his heart
swell with Joy as his eyes fell upon sew
eral packages of 1000 franc notes
Hastily slowing them In the Inside pock
cts Of his waistcoat and buttoning his
jacket tightly. he dismissed the cab and
went home There In the privacy OF bis
room he counted the bank notes and
found that there were $50 Of them. A
hundred and fifty thousand francs! And
no address-not a scrap Of paper tina,
gave any clew to the owner.
"Finding is not stealing" Alfred mus
ed. 81 have as much right to enjoy this
fortune as the man who left u behind
him in the cab"
He gave his master notice" aad pro
ceeded to establish himself In fine nrst
floor apartment which he succeeded In
getting richly and extensively furnished
In the course Of the next "a hOuFS
at would be rank ingratitude." solilo-
quized the newly made gentleman OF
leisure, "to ignore this plain hiuk Of for
tune, which no doubt needs only Q little
encouragement In order to bestow fur.
ther favors upon me-.
So he went to brokers' once and Co.
pended 10000 francs In the purchase Of
200 shares Of South African gold mine,
the Blagfontein. the stock Of which. he
was assured. was certain to riss greatly
In value As he was returning to his apart
ments he saw a number Of yellow plac-
ards and was led by curiosity 10 examine
one Of them. He turned pale on reading:
TEN THOUSAND FRANCS REWARD
Left in Q cab, Rue de CAateaudvas Q package
containing $50, 900 francs IN bank noteA The and
or will receive the above reward On seturning tho
package TO Rue -. numero -.
"Too late" thought CliqueG But II
the Blagfontein turns out well ] will 70
imburse this careless person"
He had applied for lackey at serv'
ants bureau, and on the following morn
Ing a young man presented himself.
"Have you been In service before 2
Cliquet asked.
mo, sir; but I have resigned my old
position. | am willing and hope ! shall
soon learn my new duties"
"What is your name".
Edgar Boffignon."
"What sort of position did you give up
In order to become valetT
81 was a lawyers clerk. I resigned my
position because l inherited a legacy Of
10000 francs. On leaving the bank
where I had received my great fortune
took a cab. intending to deposit the
money with the Credit Foncier. But on
reaching Rue Chateaudun I was startled
by loud cries. A trolley car had crashed
into a carriage and overturned II. killing
the horse and throwing out the occupants,
a lady and little girl. sprang to their
assistance and saved them from certain
death. But when I returned the cab was
gone and my fortune with 1t"
During this narration Cliquet had be-
come very pale. He made heroic efforts
to conceal his emotion. After all. what
could he do? He had encroached upon
the capital, and a confession would have
ruined him.
Are you alone in the world. III. Bot
6gnon?" he asked.
"No, SIR I have a mother and sister,
now 10 years old. They live In a village
garden. Now my mother has to work by
the day In order to live"
-And what would you have done with
your fortuner
81 thought Of buying q farm near our
home. In fancy I saw my mother and
sister engaged in rural occupations. l saw
our cows grazing in the pasture on the
bank of the Loire. pictured q shepherd
boy watching our flock on the slope Of the
hill. All. that dream Is gone nowT Gil
quet turned aside to wipe away q tear.
Edgar" he said, consider yourself
engaged"
every well. sir"
"Your wages will be 30 francs a month,
with ~ francs for wine" At this point
the conversation was interrupted By the
ringing of the door bell.
at Is the breakfast ordered from the
cookshop around the corner" said eli
quet. "Set the table. The napkins are In
this drawer. the plates and silver In the
cabinet"
Cliquet opened the door. and boy en-
tered with basket. from which he took
three covered dishes. Turning to the ia
BILE and rega riding his new Wallets work.
he exclaimed:
ooh, that isn't the way to set the table.
Let me show you" He spread a cloth on
the little table and laid two plates, with
knives. forks and other accessories on op
posite sides Of It. Then he cried merrily:
"Come, we mustn't let the steak get
cold. Be seated"
"What. sir. you wish me to-
"Of course" replied Cliquet Surely
I can breakfast with a lawyers clerk. >
So they breakfasted together. Then Gil,
duet said: 81 want you to brush my
clothes You must do that In the hall, and
open window to let the dust out. Come,
| will show you how to go to work" In
order to show him Cliquet brushed all bis
own clothes and his Wallets too.
Tomorrow" he said, I'VE will cook
our own breakfast"
II cannot promise that It will Be a
good one" said Edgar.
"Oh. it's easy enough" Cliduet re-
piled. 81 will show you. Just watch
me. and you will soon know as much
about 1t as do"
The two young men were soon on
|. terms of intimacy. Edgar Bofhgnon had
received a good education. Cliquets ed
ucation, on the contrary, was sadly de-
fective, though he had acquired a certain
intellectual veneer from superficial and
sensational reading. He continued &c
ant No hjs valat'S saryant He nraDared