The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-11-14
A Story of
the French
Frontier Guard.
6be Smuggler.
LEAVES FROM THE MEMOIRS
OF AN AIDE TO NAPOLEON.

"A low UdyS Ue1OTO udU f6CelV0O
note from my chief saying that jeweler
in Paris was constantly underselling
his competitors in the diamond line
and that they had reason to believe
he was handling smuggled jewels
with the assistance of relative living
in small town about ten leagues from
the frontier. The relative was certain
Monsieur Edward Leclerc. The chief
limited at promotion if l could stop the
smuggling. Immediately set watch
on Monsieur Leclerc, but not trace of
smuggling could I detect. 1 noticed
that he sent frequent letters to Paris
and sometimes had interviews with
gentlemen bearing TeutOnic aspect,
but [ could not arrest him for this.
His home was situated on the outskirts
of the town and was surrounded by a
garden full of tall Lombardy poplars
and shrubbery. He kept number of
pigeons and seemed very attentive to
them, but never dreamed of attaching
suspicion to these things. When I
opened the quill on the line that night
everything became as clear as day to
me.
1 said nothing to Rene Jacques or
Pierre, but amused myself listening
to their wild speculations. The next
day laid my information before the
commandant, and also unfolded little
plan to which he listened and to which
he gave his approval. That night
Rene Jacques, Pierre and 1 quietly
installed ourselves in the shrubbery of
Monsieur Leclerc's garden, where we
could get full view of his pigeon
houses.
The moon came up bright and early.
We waited and waited and waited
until at last grew so tired must have
fallen into light doze. l was awakened
by Rene Jacques shaking my arm and
whispering, "Little captain! Little
csptainw "What is it =" 1 whispered,
waking up with a start. He silently
pointed. 1 looked and saw Leclerc
coming down the path. After search
ing around his pigeon houses for a
time, he went back to his house shaking
his head as tho puzzled over something.
L think 1 could have made an accurate
guess as to what it was.
Well, the night passed away without
further incident and we went home
dead tired and sleepy. The next night
was almost repetition of the first,
except that it was near dawn when
Leclerc came out this time. Still we
persevered. The third night found
us duly installed in the bushes of the
garden as usual. This time l again
became tired and fell into doze only
to be awakened by Rene Jacques, who
was the most vigilant of the trio.
When Rene Jacques awoke me saw
Leclerc standing in the shadow of one
of the poplars and watching the moon
lit sky intently. He remained thus for
upwards of an hour and when glanced
towards the eastern heavens 1 saw a
thin gray line, like the blade of rapier
stretching from horizon to horizon.
"Mon Dieu," muttered Pierre, "another
night wasted"
But he was mistaken, for just at that
instant something white whirred and
fiuttered downward through the dark
ness. 1t was carrier pigeon. Leclerc
stopped and seized it, but when he.rose
we had him surrounded. "Damnation," /"
he said, with start, as he saw US,
"what are you doing here in my
garden?"
"The pigeon, Monsieur" said I, reach
ing out my hand. He thrust his hand
into his coat for a weapon.
"Don't do it," said /, 1--WE are in force,
you see." He saw resistance was use
less and silently rendered me the
pigeon.
! 1t had quill on one of its legs which