Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-03-14
near the Cafe des Ambassadeurs to-
night just to make sure of my man.
After that I'll tell you what to do

night just to make sure of my man.
After that III tell you what to do
next"
"Yery good, sir" he returned 81
suppose you will be staying at the
same place."
Yes, the same place." replied.
IF you have anything to commune
cate, you can either call, or send
word to me there"
thereupon departed for the quiet
house at which usually take up my
abode when in Paris. The big hotels
are places steer clear Of, for the
simple reason that often have bust
ness in connection with them, and it
does not pay me to become too well
known. AT this little house can 90
out and come in just as / please,
have my meals at any time of the
day or night, and am as well cared
for as at my own abode in London.
On this occasion the old lady of the
house greeted me with fattering en-
thusiasm. She had received my tele-
gram, she said, and my usual room
awaited me. l accordingly assembled
to it in order to dress myself for the
dinner of the evening, and as / did
so thought Of the pretty bedroom
had seen on the previous day, which
naturally led me to think of the
owner of the house, at that moment
my employer. In my minds eye I
could see her just as she had stood
on that old stone bridge at Bishop
stowe, with the sunset behind her
and the church bells sounding across
the meadows, calling the villagers to
evensong. How much better it was,
l argued, to be standing talking to
her there in that old world peace,
than to be dressing for dinner at
an up-to-date French restaurant.
My toilet completed, I descended to
the street, hired a fiacre, and drove
to the restaurant where / had ar
ranged to meet my friend. The place
in question is neither an expensive
nor a fashionable one. It has no
halls of mirrors, no dainty little
cabinets, but, to my thinking, you
can obtain the best dinner in all
Paris there. On reaching it found
my guest had been the first to arrive.
We accordingly assembled the stairs
to the room above, where we select
ed our table and sat down. My COM
panion was witty little man with
half the languages of Europe on his
tongue, and knowledge Of all the
tricks and lodges Of all the criminal
fraternity at his finger-ends. He has
since written book on his experi-
ences, and a stranger volume, or one
more replete with a knowledge Of the
darker side Of human nature it would
be difficult to find. He had COM
menced his professional career as
doctor, and like myself had gradual
~ drifted into the detective profess
sion. Among other things he was an
inimitable hand at Disgusting him
self, as many q wretched criminal
now knows to his cost. Even /, who
know him SO well, have been taken
In by him. I have given aims to
blind beggar In the streets, have en-
countered him as chiffonier prowl-
Ing about the cutters, have sat next
to him on an omnibus when he has
been clothed as an artisan In blue
blouse, and on not one OF those occa-
sions have I ever recognized him un-
til he made himself known to me.
Among other things no was decid-
ed epicure, and loved good dinner
as we'll as any Of his compatriots.
Could you but sec him with his nap
kin tucked under his chin, his little
twinkling eyes sparkling with mirth,
and his face wreathed in smiles, you
would declare him to be one Of the
jolliest-loolling individuals you have
ever encountered. See him, however,
when he is on business and has
knotty problem to solve, and you
will find q different man. The mouth
has become one of iron, the eyes are
as fierce as fierce can be. Some one,
remember, likened him to the great
Napoleon, and the description is an
exceedingly apt one.
"By the way" I said. as we took a
peep into our second bottle Of Per-
rier-Jouet, "there is question I
want to put to you. Do you happen
to be acquainted with certain Nine.
Beaumarais?"
II have known her for more years
than she or would care to remem-
ber," he answered. For q woman
who has led the life she has, she
wears uncommonly well. A beauti-
full creaturel The very finest shoul-
ders in all Paris, and that is saying
something"
He blew kiss of the tips Of his
fingers, and raised his glass in her
honor.
II drink to her in this noble wine,
but do not let her touch my money.
Oh, no, la belle Louise is . clever
woman, a very clever woman, but
money triclsles through her fingers
like water through sieve. Let me
think for moment. She ruined
Marquis D'Esmai, the Vicomte Cot
foret, M. D'Armier and many others
whose names cannot now recall.
The first is with our noble troops in
Cochin China, the second is in AL
geria, and the third ] know not
where, and now I have learnt since
my arrival in Paris that she has got
hold OF young Englishman, who is
vastly wealthy. She will have all he
has got very soon, and then he will
begin the world anew. You are in
terested in that Englishman, of
oourse?"
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