The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-17

the inopportune visit
But Paola. with the old, Sinking
smile upon his face that nothing ever
seemed to Danish, nodded pleasantly
at US and sat down in an easy chair
He rolled a cigarette and carenuliy
lighted it before he addressed US
Seniors, you are about to denOunce
me as a traitor to the Cause said he;
but you may both spare your words
! Before the Cause existed was min
lister to ethe emperor. A policeman
walks in devious paths. If 1 am true
to the oath I gave the emperor now
dare you, -Floriano PiexotO, who nave
violated yours, condemn me p
Il don't" answered the other II
/ is absurd to condemn a man like you
ITreachery is written on every line OF
your false face. My only regret Is
that I did not kill you long ago
yet the chief. Dom Miguel de Pin
ira, trusted me-" remarked Paola, in a
musing tone, at the same time flick
\ ing the ash from his cigarette with a
I deliberate gesture He was, tsseems.
1 the only one"
Not So" said I. angry at his in
solent bearing. your sister, sir, had
/ faith in you.
He looked at me with a quizzical ex-
| preston, and laughed. had ven
tured the remark in an endeayor to
pierce his shield of conceit and indif-
! ference. But it seemed that even Les
/ ba's misplaced confidence failed to
shame him, for at that moment the
!
me beyond a doubt.
MY sister was. I believe, an ardent
/ republican. Poor little grill How
could she judge the merits of a. politi-
cal controversy? But there. seniors,
/ let us have done with chidings. am
/ come for the key"
Piexoto and stared at each other
| aghast. The kew Gould the minister
| suspect either of US of possessing it
! quite prettily acted, gentlem en-,
! he resumed, "but it is useless to OPP
! pose my request. I suppose our friend
HarcIiffe has passed it on to you, SEN
hor? No? Then he must have it on
his person"
Are you mad?" I asked, with we'll
/ assumed contempt.
mo; but the Mexican is. I have
! just left his room, and he raves per-
petually of a. ring he has given to Rob-
ert Harcliffe, of New Orleans. "A ring
that must be restored to him on de-
mand.,
''He raves - said I, coolly although
my heart was beating wildly
.'He does indeed" acknowledged
Paola. And he tells exactly where
/ the ring was placed-in the outer
/ pocket Of your jacket. VIII you par
don me, senior, if I prove the truth
| Of his assertion"
He rose and advanced to me with
soft, stealthy tread, and I backed away
until I stood fairly against the wall,
vainly endeavoring to find some way to
| circumvent him.
Hold" cried a clear voice, and as
Paola swung around upon his heel I
saw beyond him the form of ValcOur
outlined by the dark doorway.
you were doubtless about to search
/ the prisoner, senior" said the spy,
| calmly, as he approached US. Il have
/ myself just come from the Mexican's
room and heard his rawlings But the
task must be mine, since the emperor
has placed the search for the key in
/ my hands"
Paola turned with a slight shrug and
resumed his seat
Il have searched the prisoner al
ready he announced, but failed to
/ find the ring. Doubtless he has passed
it to PiexotO, or secreted it. Or, it may
/ be, the MeXican's words are mere raw
! ings'
The detective hesftated.
/ ''Who is this Mexican, Senior
4 Paola?' he asked. esatf.,li4
Frankly, I do not know. Not a
| conspirator, I am sure, and evidently
not a royalist."
'Then how came he to know of the
existence of the ring?''
"A mystery my dear Valeour. Have
you yet identified the man this Mexi-
can murdered? ?"
mot yet"
81 myself have not had a good look
at the body. If you will take me to him
I will endeavOr to locate the fellow.
It was doubtless he who murdered
label"
AS he spoke he rose and walked
quietly toward the door, as if he ex-
| pected Nalcour to follow But the spy,
suddenly suspicious, cast a shrewd
/ glance at me and replied: ~
zone moment, Senior Paela. I
must satisfy myself that neither Har-
| cliffe nor PiexOtO has the ring, in or
der that I may report to the emperor
GAS you like" returned the minis
ter, indinerently, and resumed his
chair.
Valcour came straight to my side
| thrust his hand within my pocket. and
! drew out the ring.
'Ah!'' he cried, has face lighting
with joy, your search must have been
/ a careless one, my dear Paolai Here
Z is news for the emperor. at last
He hurried from the room, and
] Paola, still smiling. rose and faced US.
1T is a great pity" said he, pleas
antly with his eyes on my face, that
/ God permits any man to be a FOOL
Before I could reply he had followed
1 ValcOur from the room, and PiexOtO
regarding me with suHen frown, eX-
! claimed.
Il can say amen to that Why did
you not tell me you had the ring 2"
did not reply The taunts and the
/ loss of the ring had daZed me and
sank into a chair and covered my eyes
| with my hands.
Pacing the room with furious en-
ergy, PiexOtO grOwled a string of Ia
ments- and reproaches into my unwill-
ing ears.
MY poor comradesl 1t is their
! death warrant These records will
condemn to punishment half the great
families of Brazil. And now when the
battle is almost won, TO have them fall
\ into the emperor's hands. Thank Cod
de Pintra is dead! This blow would
! be worse to him than death itself"
However" said L somewhat recov-
ering myself, Eve shall now secure his
body from that grim vault. That is
one satisfac tiOn, at least
He did not see fit to reply to this
but paced the floor in as great agita-
i ton as before.