The Arvada enterprise., 1912-12-19

"Yours gratefully,
IL. de v"
After | had read 1t | glanced at the
bearer, a young, distinguished-looking
man.
With slight tremor in his voice, he
said:
81 am in great trouble"
81 see you are" I replied; "and l
hear you are English. What brings
you here?"
He paused an instant, and, passing
his hand across his forehead, re-
peated:
Il am in great trouble"
With a gesture, as II anxious to
throw off 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 I 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 I rose in
the morning with an untarnished rep
utation, and, although l had commit
ted no wrong whatever, I went to bed
a disgraced man"
He was laboring under strong emo
tion; and as he remained silent, l
said:
Tell me what has occurred"
ut fell upon me like a thunderbolt,
at the house of Madame j, where
l used to go once a week for game
OF cards. I was playing pquet, in
the smoking room, with young fell
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 Genevieye, 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 l 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 9
cheat. a dirty cheat. Gentlemen, ask
him to empty. his pockets, here be
fore you, and you'll see whether l an
right"
II put my hands in the pockets o
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. - sait
to me: This is very serious AFFAIR
Have you any explanation to offer?'
Then tho horror of my situation
came upon me. I tried to rush a
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 othe>
scoundrel, has-heavens knows why
slipped these cards into my pocket
It is a fiendish trick some one ha
played; and call upon those here whit
Know me 10 Help " uHhi"oh 'ho ~"
ard who did it,
They looked at me in silence, ant
after whispered consultation, the Wis
comte de St. - spoke again:
Mr.. B., think 1t will be best
you and M. Bernard T Withdraw
for a few minutes to allow US to dis
cuss this matter, and decide on tn
course to take
BERNARD went upstairs to Madame
boudoir, and l to the drawing room
where found Mademoiselle Geneyiev
alone. For while she took no motto
of me as I nervously paced up an
down the room, but when | stopped sh
remarked in a soft voice:
Monsieur Allen, am sure you ar
innocent
Il pressed her hand.
"'God bless you, Mademoiselle Gem
We've; ] shall never forget your cont
dence in me. But, since you do nc
doubt me, implore you to tell m
whether you have any suspicion, an
idea, as to who could have laid thl
trop for me?'
"She thought moment, and then r,
piled:
mo, Monsieur Allen, have not tn
faintest idea. / wish | could hel
you
She looked up. and l could read
her eyes that she had spoken th
truth.
at that instant a gentleman aske
me to come into tho next room, wher
the Vicomte de st. - addressed IN
as follows:
Having been the unwilling wi
nesses of this AFFAIR. we consd'
II o1r duty as gentlemen an
men Of the world, to prevent any u