The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-06

Embassy. lie calieQ ana was let III
 by mistake. while Raoul was with me.
 and. just as he must have seen by our
 faces that there was something to sus-
 pect. so l saw by his that he did sus- 'pect. Oh. hateful person! I've re-
 fused him three times. There are some
 men so vain that they can never be-
 fieve a woman really means to say no
 to them. Count Godensky is one Of
 those, and he's dangerous, too. I'm
 afraid of him. since I've cared .for
 Raoul. though psed to be afraid Of
 no one. when I'd only myself to think
 of Raoul was going away that very
 night. He had ap errand to do for
 woman who was dear and intimate
 friend of his dead mother You must
 know of the Duchesse dc Montpellier?
 Well, it was for her; and Raoul is her
 godson. She has no children of her
 own"
 II don't know her." I said. but I've
 seen her; a charming looking woman.
 about eorty-five. with a gloomy-faced
 husband--a fellow who might be rather
 a Tartar to live with. They were
 pointed to out to me at Monte Carlo one year, in the Casino. where the Duchess seemed to be enjoying her self hugely, though the Duke had the
 air of being dragged in against his
 will"
 No doubt he had been-or else he
 
 she's a dreadful gambler. It's In her bleod! She lost. don't know how
 much, at Monte Carlo on an infalliole system sht had. She's afraid of her husband, though she loves him im-
 mensely; and lately craze shes nad for Bridge had cost her so much that she daren't tell the Duke, who hates her gambling. She confessed to Raoui. and begged him to help her--not witn
 money, for he has none, but by taking a famous and wonderful diamond neck Itlace of hers to Amsterdam. selling the stones for her there, and having them replaced with paste. It was all to pc done very secretly, of course. so that the Duke shouldn't know, and Raoui hated 1t, but he couldn't refuse. He had no idea of telling me this story, that day when he lost his head" while | we were bidding each other good-bye before his journey. He didn't mention l the name of tine Duchess, but said only | that he had leave. and was going to Holland on business. But while he was away a dreadful thing happened l ---the most ghastly n1isfortune-and | as we were engaged to be married. he felt obliged when he came back I to let me know the worst
 "What was the dreadful thing that I happened?" I asked, as she paused pressing her hands against her temples.
  | by a thief, who must have been one or | the most expert in the world. Can you I imagine Raours feelings? He came to me in despair, asking my advice. what was he to do2 He dared not appeal 70 the police, or the Duchess's secret
 would come out. And he couldn't pear to tell her of the loss. not only because | 1t would be such blow to her. as she was depending on the money from the sale of the jewels. but because she knew that he was in some difficulties. | the might be tempted to believe tnat he'd only pretended the diamonds were stolen--while really he's sold them TOT his own use.
 "As she's fond of him. and trusts him. probably she would have thought no such thing" l tried to comfort
 Maxine But certainly. it was a rather bad fix"
 "Rather bad fix! Oh. you laconic creatures. Englishmen. All you think of is to hide your fellings behind ICY words As for newell. there was nothing I wouldn't have done to heIp
 him-nothing. My life would nave been a small thing to give. l wouid have given my soul And already
 thought came flashing into my mino. I begged Roaul to wait. and say noun ing to the Duchess who didn't even know yet that he'd come back from Amsterdam The thought in my mind was about the commission from your Secretary for Foreign Affairs. AS told you, I'd just sent him word In the | usual cipher and through the useal ! channels. that couldn't dos what ns | wanted. He'd offered me eignt | thousand pounds to undertake the ser vice. and four more if I succeeded. l l believed I could succeed if tried. Ana with the few thousands I'd saved up, and selling such jewels as had. could
 make up the sum Raoul had been tola 70 ask for the necklace. Then ne coulo | give it to the Duchess, and sne neea never know that the diamonds had been stolen. All that night l lay awake thinking, thinking. Next day, at | time when l knew Raoul would pc | working in his office. I went to see him there, and cheered him up as wen 1 as could. I told him that In rev days hoped to have eighteen or t"en, tv thonsand pounds in my hands-all | for him. TO let him have the money would make me happier than I'd ever been. At first he said be wouldn't | take it from mel knew be would say l that! But at last, after I'd cried anu | begged, and persuaded. he consenteo' only 1t was to be a loan' ana somehow, some time, he would pay me pack. III | that office there are several great safes; and when we had grown quite happy and gay together. l made Raoul teIs me which was the most important or alI-where the really important ana
 valuable things are kept. He laugneo l and pointed out the most lnterestins | one-the one. he said. which held all the deepest secrets of French foreign | diplomacy. I was sure then that the thing I had to get Tor the British Foreign Secretary must be kept there. 1 though it was such new thlng tha. M if couldn't have been anywhere TOT | long. There are three keys to that safe said Raoul. one is kept by the
 President; one is always with the
 Foreign secretary; this is the third.; 1 and he showed me a strange little Key | different to any I had seen netore. l .Oh. do let me have peep at these wonderful papers, l pleaded with nm, M | Before coming l had planned what ,.o l do. Round my throat wore strlns of imitation pearls which Ia put on for a special purpose. But they were l hretfv and so we'll made that only an | exDert would know they weren't reai. Raoul isn't an expert; so at the moment he fitted the key into the lock Of tne safa 10 open the door, l gave sIy | iitIe null, and brock the thread, max. ing the pearls roll everywhere apoul | the floor. He was quite distressea' l fnrrot all about the key in the lock, and flew to pick up the pearls as IT each one were worth at least l thousand francs.
 WW.I