The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-12-06

| ~ W II. ". hTrlVed NJ the rue q Am.
sterdam and were handed TO me. Meth
er Of them bore signature.
In the first letter the writer simply
announced his safe arrival in Symrna:
but the second told its own tale. 81
was q fool" It said, ito have come to
this hole. I should have stayed In
Paris and CHANGED It, to watch that
scoundrel. Twice he got the better
OF me: but this time have him. My
only regret is that you may possibly
be molested. II so, It's your own
fault. You ought to have left me
alone. Please send me all cuttings
relative to you know what"
I at once sent for Charbonnel. He
looked haggard.
II have good news for you" cried:
your friend writes from Smyrna that
he has safely arrived, and regrets ex-
ceedingly that you got yourself under
suspicion. He Is very sorry that he
left Paris because he no longer can
watch certain scoundrel Yourfriend
has the kindness to give his address in
Smyrna; that simplifies matters.
shall very likely start for Smyrna to-
night, but l first wanted to see you,
as perhaps you may have something to
say to me-"
: Charbonnel looked at me, dunn
founded.
IN. Goron, 1t Is useless fighting
: against you. / vowed to do the right
thing by my friend, but you have
beaten me. Yes, 1t is he, Georges
: Ravel, who committed the burglary.
knew Georges fifteen years ago in Vera
Cruz. l had fallen i'll, was penniless
and. but for him. would have died like
dog. But he nursed me. advanced
me money, and afterward got me sit
uGtion as hotel clerk.
} Since that moment things have
gone well with me, and, thanks to a
} small legacy, / am now independent
But poor Georges later fell into bad
: ways. He gambled dAank and for FIVE
years heard nothing of him. When
/ | met him again hardly recognized
him. | fancy he was in prison some
) where in Venezuela, but he never
spoke to me about his own affairs. All
he told was that he had been cheated
; by fellow called Dominguez, and that
he meant to be even with him. He
' soon again disappeared, and l had to
return to France to take possession of
: my legacy.
a few months ago, to my conster-
: nation, he came TO my hotel with the
news that Dominguez was living in
Paris, in the Rue de Prony, and that I
would soon hear some surprising
things. On the night before the
soiree he came again, and. under the
influence Of drink, departed from his
usual reticence. He said he intend
ed to steal into the house and extract
from the safe money, valuables, and
t:.- documents he hoped to find there.
r All attempts 10 hold him bacl,
proving fruitless, l resolved to go TO
the soiree, and, II possible. prevent
mischief. He had grown long beard.
and 1t was not likely Dominguez would
recognize him il he saw him. Idon't
know what possessed me to play, but
just as rose from the piano / caught
sight or Georges in the hall. | saw
him go upstairs, and rushed after him.
| clutched his arm, but he knocked
me down, and bowl and some other
articles on the safe fell of. In a
twinkling he had wrenched open the
lock, and, but for the terrific noise
downstairs, they must have heard il.
Il followed him like one in a dream,
saw him put on his overcoat-for no
servant was by-dnd disappear in the
night. And now you know all. No.
you know more than I do, for am
still trying TO solve the mystery OF
how you tracked me to the dressing
room when no one saw us"
Never mind that" l hurriedly cs.
piled. Il have other mysteries To
solve now. Can you tell me anything
more about Dominguez? Did the bur.
glary really take place, and were val
uables carried away"
Il know nothing of Dominguez. ex
cept that Georges said he was a dan.
gerous bandit. AS to the burglary. !
: am sorry to say was the unwilling
witness 'of II. And now, NJ Gorou
u you behave kindly 10 me. Allow me
Il TO give you some advice. Don't ap
o proach Dominguez until you have seen
: clear into the whole business"
That same night was Oh my way
+ to Smyrna. l arrived there late on a
Sunday night, and went straight to the
small hotel on the Mariana where
t Georges had given his address. The
Q laxative waiter. n Belgian, informed
v me that there was a French gentle
i man staying there, n DR.. Picard, from
@ Lyons.
Y That's him coming in now" he said
S pointing to stout man, with deep
n set. bile-shot eyes and an unsteady
& gait. l Immediately recognized him
!, from Charbonners description.
The following morning | called or
h the French consul and told him as
o much OF the case as l considered nee
r essary.
: "Of course you know" he remarked
that there Is no extradition treaty
Z between France and Turkey: yet, In
n virtue OF my Office. can take upor
o myself to arrest Frenchman. and, un
less he makes too much fuss, secure
you the necessary assistance to gel
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