The Washington herald., 1912-12-29


even an accusation IS charming. And
what have my poor police been about
that you should accuse themis"
Monsieur" replied tire baroness,
to-day, in my absence at Cornpiegne,
they ransacked my house in the Rue
Cog Heron, upset the furniture, turned
my escritoire inside out, and, as
matter of fact, hundred thousand
francs worth of jewelry is missing.
Neightors saw the police agents enter
the house, and they can testify.
The amazing impudence of this move
struck De Sartines like a blow under
the belt. which, in fact, it was
Madame" he cried, forgetting pru-
dence for the moment my agents up
set nothing. There were no jewels
to be stolen"
THAT is TO say, if there had been
jewels they would have been stolen,
laughed the baroness Take care,
Monsieur, you are making confessions.
oh, Monsieur, why try subterfuge with
me? Listeni can prove that your
agents came to my house to-day and
entered it like thieves: can prove
that | opened my escritoire- only TO find
no jewels there-a nice tale, Monsieur,
to be laid before his majesty, at whose
feet am quite prepared to cast my
self, assured as | am Of his justice.
De Sartines checked the anger that
was rising in his heart He felt him
self in the presence of most formid-
able antagonist
MY police did not enter your house,
Madame. Had they done so. they
would not have tempered with your
jewels. Policemen are not thieves"
Since when, Monsieur
Madame" said De Sartines, re
partee is not my business"
$50 ] should imagine" said the
baroness, with a little laugh you
have other work to do, perhaps. You
are the guardian of the public honor
can quite imagine how full your
hands must be. j come to you as the
guardian of the morals of Paris. and
ask for the restoration of my jewels
and the punishment of the offenders"
The police have not got your jew
els. Madame"
'Oh, Monsieur, their value will do.
Madame. the police have not got
your jewels
When the king hears my story, he
will think differently. ] do not know
what the police have done with my
jewels. but | will take their value"
"Diable cried De SartineS, in
censed BY this childish reiteration. He
would have ordered her from the hotel
had he not felt that behind this as
Sassin's attack on his purse there was
, po,par .rd , motive he Gould ,nt
yet gauge; besides. the fascination OF
her unconsciously held him. She was
new sensation.
Did you speak. Monsieur?
mo. Madame; | was only thinking
aloud"
Il thought | heard the name of one
of your friends. No matter; let Us
return to business. Shall we say d
hundred thousand francs?'
De Sartines rose TO his feet. paced
the room, pulled down his waistcoat
and suddenly turned to his visitor.
Did you speak, Madame?'
Shall We saw a hundred thousand
fTanl5l TIA: IS the cs>act worth OF
my jewels"
De Sartines laughed. The noblemar
suddenly vanished and the minister oil
police appeared.
"a hundred thousand devilsl ! have
caught YOU. Madame Not a word
of our conservation has been lost. Al
has been recorded by my secretary. Ger.
main, who sits in the adjoining room
and who. at my direction, has listened
while l led you into your own trap
So YOU would rob me. German! He
there, German !"
The door opened, and Germain, pen
in hand, appeared
You have heard our conservation
Gernlain?" asked De Sartines, with a
slight grimacc that was quite lost on
the secretary.
mo, Monsieur"
The baroness broke into a joyous
little laugh, and De Sartines, suppress
ing his anger with a tremendous eff
fort, waved German from the room.
As he turned again to the baroness
the face of this extraordinary man had
completely changed He was laughing
now as If tickled by the joke against
himself.
"Mordieu!' thought the baroness
what an actor Let us beware" Then
to De Sartines, We'll, Monsieur-and
my iewels?'
Upon my word. Madame" said De
Sartines, your wit seems to have in
creased the stupidity of my servants.
It's enough to make one call truce
The difficulty between us has been that
we have not been quite frank one to
the other, have we? admit it on my
part Now, l will show my mind to
you"
The baroness laughed. Heaven help