The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-02
Edited by Albert Keyser
The Lotus Flower

sfI renlly do not understand why you
are so interested in my handkerchiefs.
me to wish you good morning
"Please sit down again. Tips, and
excuse nv being what you call indis-
erect. But ] must and will know moro
about this handkerchief. Once more
| ask YOU how YOU came by it7''
81 picked it up last night at the
Cafe Sylvan.
DO YOU know who lost it9''
"Yes. man.
"What MANI
| 81 don t know him.
| .'TiDs, speak the truth,
81 am speaking the truth. | swear
it, L had dined Mt Sylvan s last night
and was drinking my coffee, when a
| gentleman at the table next to me
, he must have taken a little too much
champagne, for he dropped frst his
noeket,, book, then his keys, and finally
| several gold pieces. After he had left
| saw this handkerchief on the floor,
| and when l picked it up a small gilt
ering thing fell out of it. I saw 1t
was Of little value and put it in my
| pocket for luck. -
..Show it to me, Tips said.
| She took it out Of her purse and
threw it on the table. L was a tiny
| lotus flower in green enamel and gold.
l eazed at it a long time, and could
J hardly rcDress smile when, looking
Nh. I noticed the expression in Tips s
eyes.
WHY do you laugh. Monsieur Cor;
onl' she asked. ''And do you mind
explaining what il all meansf"
81 am laughing for several reasons,
Tins but especially because you eye
mo susniciously. 1t is the world re-
versed.'
She was holding the handkerchief TO
her nose, and shifting hard.
''lt may he my imagination, y she
said, "but fancy L trace a slight
smell Of violets. Is that the scent you
meant7F
"No. Tips Perfumes. like flowers,
have language of their own, Ian.
puaPe which 7 am afraid you would
not understand. L shall keep the hand
kerchief and the enameled flower, for
| have a notion that / shall come across
the person who is now anxiously look
inc for both Will you come back this
"Certainly." And she tripped out
of the room.
had made no disclosures to her, and
let her 90, fully convinced of the truth
of her story. ! was beginning to see
daylight. and the matter was also
nrowinp in interest.
NV first visit was to Madame H,
whom fortunately 7 found at home,
She recognized the lotus flower as
forming part of the stolen pendant.
and pressed me with questions, which
l refused to answer,
Then I went to the Cafe Sylvan,
Tips's statement was confirmed by the
waiter. A dark, close-shaven man had
dined there the night before, and had
dropped several things. After he. has
gone the waiter had found a pair Of
gloves, which he brought me. They,
smell. Thrusting them into my pock
ct, I promptly drove to the Avenue de
l'Alma.
The baron-the concierge Informed
me-was out of town. ] mounted the
stairs to his apartment on the second
floor. and was Just going to press the
bell when 7 quickly withdrew my
hand. and stood motionless-1 had
heard noise. Somebody near the door
furniture. 1t was Boris, the valet. /
heard him bump. against something,
utter an exclamation of pain and re-
lieve his feelings in vile language.
I softly stole downstairs, and in less
than three quarters of An hour re-
turned with two of my men.
Boris opened the door. His master,
ia salQ. ndQ gone TO NICE
THAT does not NATTER I re-
marked; Hmy visit is to you. 7 have
come to bring you the news that I have
discovered the man who stole your mas.
ter's coat. ! can even give you the
address. of the house where you will
find it,
The man eyed me aud my compan-
ions with astonishment, and remarked
that his master would be glad to hear
it.
"That remains to be seen." CON
tinued 'sFor the moment I have to
| deal with you, and ] must say that |
| am SURPRISED your master should have
selected You 10 assist him in his work,
l never saw man so bungle things.
''Your master and you 20 to Mad
anne lis house on an expedition
of a peculiar nature. Your master-ap-
parently great expert-performs a
marvellous trick Of sleight-of- in
making jewel disappear from a glass
case. and then diverts suspicion by
posine as a victim. That story of the
stolen coat was cleverly invented; but
from the wav you told it. it dawned
upon me that YOU might be the sup
posed thief and that the coat is here
now
"Your next mistake was also very
bad; YOUR master, having extracted
the diamonds from the pendant, left
vou the gold setting-no doubt by way