Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-09-03

Il stumbled as though I had been hit in the face, and fell back
into one Of the chairs on the sidewalk. I tore off the wrappines and
spread out the diamonds o n the cafe table; I could not believe they
were real l twisted the necklace between my fingers and crushed il
between my palms and tossed it up in the air. I believe I almost kissed
it. The women in the cafe stood up on the chairs to sec better, and
laughed and screamed, and the people crowded so close around me that
the walters had to form q bodyguard. The proprietor thought there
was a fight, and called for the police I was so happy didn't care. I
laughed, too, and gave the proprietor a fvepound note and told him
to stand every one a drink. Then I tumbed into a facre and galloped
off to my friend the Chief Of Police I felt very sorry for him. He
had been so happy at the chance I gave him, and he was sure to be dis
appointed when be learned I had sent him off on a false alarm.
"But now that I had found the necklace, I did not want him to 6nd
the woman. Indeed, I was most anxious that she should get clear
away, for If she were caught the truth would come out, and I was likely
to get sharp reprimand, and sure to be laughed at. *>A=.@#*:#sy~
II could see now how 1t had happened. In my haste to hide the
diamonds when the woman was hustled into the carriage, I had showed
the cigars into the satchel, and the diamonds into the pocket of nv
coat Now that 1 had the diamonds safe again, it seemed a very natu.
raj mistake. But I doubted If the Foreign Office would think o 7 was
hiding place: So, when I reached ii the po;lae stai %ai and found gu ID hat uae5 the
woman was still at large, I was more than relieved. >
GAS I expected, the Chief was extremely chaprined when. ho
learned of my mistake, and that there was nothing for him to do. But
l was feeling so happy myself that I hated to have any one else mser-
able, so l suggested that this attempt to steal the Czarina's necklace
might be only the first of a series of such attempts by an inscriptions
gang, and that [ might still be in danger.
IT winked at the Chief and the Chief smiled at me, and we went to
Nice together in a saloon car with a guard of twelve carabineers and
twelve plain-clothes men, and the Chief and I drank champagne all the
way. We marched together up to the hotel where the Russian Ambas
sador "a stopping, closely surrounded by u escort of GARDENERS,
and delivered the necklace with the most profound ceremony. The old
Ambassador was immensely impressed, and when we limited that
already l had been made the object of an attack by robbers, he assured
US that his Imperial Majesty would not prove ungrateful.
IL wrote a swinging personal letter about the invaluable services
of the Chief to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and they gave
him enough Russian and French medals to satisfy even a French SOL
der. SO, though ne never caught the woman, he received his just
reward" v-4sxx4~~Y."~A@.4 /. .4-4a..,a atm
The Queens Messenger paused and surveyed the faces of those
about him in some embarrassment.
"But the worst of it is" he added, "that the story must have got
about; for, while the Princess obtained nothing from me but a cigar
cas- and five excellent cigars, a few weeks after the coronation the
Gear sent INC a gold cgarcase with his monogram in diamonds. And
l don't know yet whether that was a coincidence, or whether the Gar
wanted me to know that he knew that I had been carving tho
Ozarinas diamonds in my pigskin cgar-case. What do you fellows
thinkq'