The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1910-03-10

seemed to settle upon the two culprits
| as they crossed the threshold Of that
severely Greek nest. with its Olym.
! plan memories: Herminine slowly and
silently unclasped her diamond neck
lace and turned to lay it upon table
near by, and Caesar, with equal slow.
ness, fumbled nervously with the but
tons of his concert-hall paletot.
Then, just as the diamonds fell into
| thc bronze tray waiting to receive
| them-fel with the light spattering
sound of falling tears-the door open
ed again and NJ. de Givone appeared.
Horminie uttered cry and fell
prone to the floor, and Caesar began
mechanically to rebutton his paletot,
/ his pale face convulsed with terror.
The banker was pale too, but omi.
nously calm.
Sir said he, quietly drawing a re.
volyer from his pocket, you are poor.
| you are a coward. and | know why
you are here. You came to steal my
wife. Happily. | had taken my pro
cautions. have placed on guard at
each side of the servants hallway of
/ my house two police officers charged
| to arrest and to search you. They win
/ Gnd'-pointing to the baronre's Jew.
/ els glitteriug in the tray beside tlem
that diamond necklace concealed
/ Le'Wecn your shirt and waistco9t;
/ they will take you TO the police sta.
| ion and there you will admit tie
/ theft; there, also. you will declare
/ - 1. :,
| mes maid and this vulgar comedy will
/ end by a just application OF the law
/ III { Is to say, a certain number OF
months in prison. In consideration OF
/ .cnovcrrg the diamonds, howcycr. !
/ ac;Co 10 do what | can to soften the
rigor of the richly deserved senteL,o,"
And smiling blandly, NJ. de Givoue
/ 9lGccd his finger upon the reyolycrs
ugger.
Bat but, monsieur" stammo"od
,hc comedian, entering the tragic r"ie
/ in spite Of himself. you would com.
/ pei me to sacrifice my honor"
And my honor, sir" responded the
/ banker drawing nearer, what of that,
sir? Appearances give me the rirht
20 blow ont your brains here and now,
sir; but do not love scandal Take
your choice, then. Carry off the dia
monds or kill you!"
Briefly, nothing was more cleveriy
arranged Caesar Ibes was poor. a no.
body. riddled with debt, of a physi 'e
to please only chambermaids, and
Herminie de Givone as hawless be-
fore the world as the statue she re-
ser1bled.
With moist brow and chatter'ng
teeth. Caesar made but step to the
table where famed the resplendent
necklace.
ITO call out is useless" he grum-
bled essaying to smile. "If told the
truth, even. they'd take me for fool.
suppose"
mo one would believe you sir"
Givone raised his arm again, and
Caesar saw the cleaning barrel OF
the revolver almost against his b~"w.
It was an invincible argument. Caesar
yielded.
well, if l must I must" said he;
better prison than death, you
know" And the necklace vanished
into the hiding-place designated by NJ.
de Giyone, who followed him to tie
threshold, pointing the way he should
go. and dropped behind him the por-
tiere.
Caesar found himself alone in the
corridor. To the left, in the dista' e,
twinkled the lamp of the vestibL,e,
lighting the servants stairway; to the
right, shining panes Of the corridor
window Beyond that window was the
garden, beyond the garden the Bois de
Boulogne, the fields, security, and
freedom,
"Rah' why not?" thought Caesar
5rrsquely, dazzled and blinded by that
which he had suddenly conceived;
I've time enough to throw myself
nto train eight hours lands me at
Ia re. and once in England-the dCvil
hir'sef couldn't catch me. Houp-la!
ny boy and that'-snapping his
h9mb lightly in the direction Of the
bankers closed door-"that for al,
the enraEad husbands in Pars"
He threw up the sash, flung a leg
ovor the window-ledge, and-the dia
mOnds with him-was lost in the
night.
Six months have gone since then;
the worthy hnancier is still deploring
the mistake he made in persuading
Caesar to steal against his will, and
Nine. la Baronne Givone more than
ever resembles a well-groomed statue,
- translated for the Argonaut from
the French of Rachlide by l.. c. WaS.
gener.
They Knew the Answer.