The Springfield herald., 1912-12-20

yJN with a disastrous aoVen-
0 ture. Please do every
from the horrible position In which he Is
placed. 1 can vouch for his honorable
ness
.Yours gratefully.
FL. de v"
After l had read 1t glanced at the
bearer. young. MISUNDERSTANDING
man.
With a slight tremor in his voice, he
said:
II am In great trouble"
II see you are," replied; land
hear you are English. What brings
you here?"
He paused an instant, and. passing
bis hand across his forehead. re-
peated:
II am in great trouble"
With a gesture, as II anxious to
throw OF his secret. he continued:
my name is Allen B, and my
father is one OF the largest colliery
owners in the north Of England. Six
months ago came to Paris to study
painting"
Again he paused, staring at me.
Then suddenly he asked:
DO look like a swindler-a sharp
err"
No; you do not. Why do you ask?'
because, a fortnight ago l rose In
the morning with an untarnished rep
utation, and. although ! had commit
ted no wrong whatever. went to bed
a disgraced man."
He was laboring under strong emo
ZION: and as he remained silent, l
Tell me what has occurred"
at fell upon me like thunderbolt.
at the house of Madame j., where
I used to go once a week for game
Of cards. / was playing piquet. In
the smoking, room, with young fel-
low called Bernard T. and had
won the first game. We had Just be-
gun the third, when Bernard jumped
up and shrieked:
81 have caught you at last. You
are cheating!'
THE men at the other tables crowd
ed around us. and Madame j.. her
daughter Genevieve. and their guests
came running in from the adjoining
drawing room attracted by the noise.
Il had grasped Bernard by the
throat, calling out, 'Retract what you
said, you villain. or ! will kill you!'
They dragged him away from me.
He was as white as a sheet; and the
moment he had caught. his breath, he
shook his fist at me, and bawled:
You say you'll kill me? You want
me to retract? tell you. you are a
cheat, dirty cheat! Gentlemen, ask
h har hn,
fore you. and you'll see whether ! am
right"
81 put my hands In the pockets OF
my smoking jacket, and pulled out
dozen cards,. corner-bent, like those
used by professional sharpers.
There was a moment OF silence,
and then the Viscomte de st. - said
to me: This is very serious affair
Have you any explanation to offer?
Then the horror. of my situation
came upon me. / tried to rush at
Bernard, but they laid hold OF me
Frantic with rage, l shook them off.
Its lie! It's a lie!' l shouted.
Gentlemen. this fellow. or some other
scoundrel, has-heavens knows why
slipped these cards into my pocket.
It is a fiendish' trick some one has
played; and cali upon those here who
know me to help to unmask the cow
ard who did it!'s
They looked at, me in silence. and
after whispered consultation. the Wis
comte de St. ". spoke again:
"Mr. B.. l think 1t will be best II
you and M. Bernard T. withdraw
for few minutes to allow US to dis
cuss this matter, and decide on the
course to take
Bernard went upstairs to Madame's
boudoir, and I to the drawing ROOM,
where found Mademoiselle Genevieve
alone. For a while she took no notice
of me as nervously paced up and
down the room, but when stopped she
remarked in a soft voice:
Monsieur Allen, am sure you are
Innocent
Il pressed her hand.
"God bless you; Mademoiselle Gene
We've; l shall never forget your conf
dence in me. HNBut. since you do not
doubt me. implore you to tell me
whether you have any suspicion, any
trop for me?' -, =, 'N
SDe tHOuRuC'd iuoLleHt, anu lHeH re-
piled: :. 80.
mo, Monsieur Allen. have not the
Jaintest idea. I wish l could help
Nfoa'
"She looked UP, and ] could read in
her eyes that, she had spoken the
truth. ...,.s7.-.''
AT that instant a gentleman asked
me to come into the next room.' where
the Vicomte de ST. addressed me
as follows: ~ - q
"'Having beer the Unwilling wit
ncsses OF this AFFAIR We consider
it our duty is |: gentlemen and
men of the world. 10. prevent any un
necessary scandal. 4 NJ bernard T.
has accused yonSof. piaylns. unfairly
which you deny,"sMarkei cards have
been found in your packets. and your
explanation is that some one Ind
placed them there. Wei now have
pledged ourselves not to: diVulge what
has occurred here this evening. SO as
to give you time IA r9fuie this charge
You can rely ors e,r,ata ,solute 3discre
ron; and I call uBor, " Bernard T
to promise us MOTTO breathe a word
about this to any one.N