Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-09-12
The Prying Bureau
[OriginIl.


leon III. were not above reproach. In
the postoffice was organized the cabi-
net noir, which should be translated the
prying bureau, for it was compo sed Of
a number of persons who were employ
ed to open the letters of prominent
people, read them and send them on to
che persons to whom they were ad-
dressed without exciting suspicion that
they had been tampered with. But
there Is no game at which one can
play that may not be played by two.
One morning q man whom we shall
call Victor GARNER sat In his library at
his home In Paris. He was, or was
supposed to be, in high favor with the
emperor, but in those days of chicanery
it was impossible for any one to feel
certain of his position. A servant came
In and announced that visitor had
called who would not give any name.
He wished to see NJ. GARNER at once.
The gentleman gave orders that he was
to be admitted, and young MAJ with
a hangdog appearance came into the
room.
We'll" said NJ. GARNER, "have you
got anything?'
The man thrust his hand into an in
ner pocket and drew forth letter and
handed it to NJ GARNER. 1t was I'M
sealed, and NJ. GARNER took it from
It's envelope and read 1t. His face
darkened. He sat in deep thought for
some time, then examined minutely the
envelope he held in his hand.
q see," he said, that you have mu-
tllated the envelope. Was that neces-
sary?"
Eyes, m'sieu Every precaution was
taken by the writer to provide against
the letter being opened. l have had a
number of the dukes letters to open,
and he takes the same precautlon with
all | first tried, in this case, to roll
under the pasted flap smooth pen
handle, but, though have become very
expert at this, | failed. Then | tried
steaming the gum, but the duke uses
a gum that will not be softened by
steaming. OF course, since the gum
wouldn't soften there was no use tam
pering with the seal, though | am proud
more expertly than |. | tried the proc
ess of removing the stamp and cutting
two diagonal lines where 1t had been,
but when l put in my steel hook and
endeavored to wind the paper about 1t
to draw the letter through l failed.
The paper is very thick and stiff, as
you see. | was consequently reduced
to the necessity of making a slit at the
end of the envelope"
But how are you going to close this
slit?'
II will draw one edge over the other
deftly and paste 1t with colorless paste.
| assure your excellency it will not be
noticed"
"Very well, take it away and send 1t
through the mail to its address. BY
the bye, Jules, l don't know how l am
to come out of this, and 1t looks as II
any one appointed to the postoffice at
my request must soon be discharged.
You had better take this"
He handed the man notes for 1000
francs.
"Your excellency is generous" said
Jules.
"Hp'h! The service Is invaluable to
me! l may form plan to prevent the
duke from arresting me. Keep sharp
lookout on the mail, and beware that
the members Of the cabinet nolr don't
get on to your track"
The same evening another hangdog
looking man called on M. GARNER and
informed him that the Duke de NJ. was
at the palace Of the Tuileries engaged
at game of cards. Ten minutes later
NJ. GARNER entered the card room, was
!. effusively received by the duke and
took hand. He had played some time
when suddenly he rose and threw the
cards in the dukes face.
'Cheatr he cried. These cards are
marked!'
Others examined the cards, which
were fou g. to be marked, though there
was no evidence who had marked
them. But this was Of minor lmpor-
tance. The duke must defend his hon.
or and at once challenged his accuser
to fight. But he turned pale. He had
intended to get rid of his rival, with
the emperor's permission, on the NOR
row and inferred that GARNER had got
wind of his move He must submit to
weapons chosen by his challenger, and
he knew that GARNER was one of the
most expert swordsmen In Paris
Usually In France no one Is killed and
few are injured In duels. But In this
case both knew 1t was one of life and
death, and the duke knew that his an
tagoniSt was q better swordSman thar
he.
! The next morning the papers were
full of an account of a duel that had
| taken place at o'clock in the morning
between the Duke de NJ and NJ. Gar
! nler, the former having been killed
The prominence of the two men, the
{ fact that they were political rivals
and aspirants for the chief place In the
government, caused great sensation