The Detroit times., 1909-03-12

You do moi know what has been
so close To you for year he said,
stepping over To the table with the
lamp brushed the dust from the pack
age and opened IL. Now look AT
this"
An exclamation OF surprise escaped
my lips for I'm front of me ! saw the
portrait OF young and beautiful girl
painted by great master. framed in
gold and crusted with turquoise. sap
phire and diamonds. | estimated the
frame alone TO be worth small for
tune but | hardly looked al II so ex'
oeedingly charming and beautiful was
the face OF the girl.
The stranger held the picture IN
front OF him for long time then he
lifted II up and kissed the face while
the tears came into his eyes.
She Is dead now he said, and
she died as martyr In her heart
there lived all that is good and noble
in this world and still she had to die
banished from her country in pow
erty and misery. She was my sister
lie once more wrapped up the pic
ture and put II back into the old
place under the floor He refused To
and said he had no more 10 tell.
Then he stood up and thanked me
and left followed him to the top
OF the stair. looked after him as he
went down | could no longer stand IL
In my room. but | had TO open the
window TO see II he had really left
the house. | came out into the street
and ! saw how suddenly two men APP
peared and followed him There was
no time for me to warn him--all three
disappeared Immediately.
What had happened this evening
had made ME so excited that | didn't
close an eye all night. | was sorry
that | had permitted the stranger To
leave the picture In my office and in
tended 20 do all that | could 10 lind
him and make him take away the pic
ture ! went downtown next morning.
As ! entered the narrow streets OF the
old city | noticed crowd OF people
standing In front OF house held back
by a number OF policemen. hurried
10 the house and as | happened to
know one OF the policemen. | asked
him what was the matter,
"A murder was committed in this
house doctor" he replied. "a foreign
err was found In the empty house killed
by being stabbed through the heart.
DO you want 10 go inside? The chief
OF police and the physicians are there"
| followed the policeman into a small
room bare of any kind OF furniture.
The dead man was lying on q bench
which had been carried i'm from out
side | was not even surprised when
| saw nm. lie was my visitor of
the night before and the Stiletto had
been driven into his heart through "A
cara new all soiled with blood bat
still 10 be recognized as the ace OF
hearts.
"A foreigner -probablv a Russian"
the physician said This is he work
OF one OF their accursed secret soCie-
ties"
went 10 my Office and as came
my clerk came rushing out crying:
There have been burglars here to-
might for the Office door was open
when | came this morning.
| went inside and found everything
as usual and entering my private Office
| Immediately went 10 The corner. took
cut the loose board. but the portrait
had disappeared.
to inform the police of everything that
had happened The chief OF police
listened To my story with interest but
without any surprise. There was
nothing 10 do for the police. in case
like this, he said for II was very sell
dom chat murder OF this kind is found
out
Several months passed and | was so
.tsl. -.
little time TO think OF what had hap
pened was conducting my first
great legal battle. which occupied my
mind day and night. When vacation
time came drew breath OF relief for
had won the case and had been
praised by several legal lawyers as
promising young lawyer. During my
vacation | took trip into Switzer-
land. came one night to Zurich and
walked slowly through the narrow
streets without any particular object
In mind But here | found another
INK In the chain of my mysterious
stories. In front of show window
were all kinds of curios exhibited /
stopped and was surprised 10 see the
portrait which had once been buried
under the floor of my Office looked
at II closer and there was no doubt il
was the same painting the same beau.
tiful face, The gold frame had disap-
peared and the edges OF the painting
seemed 10 show that IL had been torn
violently out OF the frame The face.
however was the same that had made
such deep impression upon me that
could never forget ii. | went into
the store and dirty looking man.
evidently foreigner. appeared from
a den In the background and asked
me what | wanted
oh. | Just want 20 see II | could
Ind some little thing among all these
I ciriOsities 10 take back with me 10
Berlin as a sovereign OF Zurich. I'm
always looking for antiques and curl
o. tiles"
He replied that all / had to do was
! 10 LOOK around and said that he had
many valuable things. especially in
old paintings and chronometers. While
he was praising his goods | leaned
over the partition between the store
and show window to look al the pol.
/ trait from this side. ! was absolutely
sure row and | decided TO buy IL al
any price After some talk | finally
got the picture and Turkish yataghan
/ Tor twenty francs
! When ] had come back TO my hote,
! | carefully examined the picture II
was small. probably twenty by thirty
Ccntimeters and 4 piece Of canvas had
\ been stretched aprosS Tho hooL nrnh