The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-12-12

LOOK at my ErarC! ne gaspe0-
looked, and felt sorry both for the man
and for the Erard. Punch, cham
payne, lemonade, every refreshnent
served had left q mark on the instru-
ment, without reckoning the scratches
and knocks. Of which 1t bore numerous
traces.
Why did I not follow M. Dominguez
when he walked TO the door TO con-
duct me to the dining room? Why did
/ sit down on the music stool before
that ill-used plano? cannot tell. All
/ know 10 that gazed at the greasy,
smudgy keys, and that suddenly felt
something like an electric shock. For.
there. on one Of the keys. In the high
er notes, was q slight pinkish stain,
similar to the one On the paper knife.
This scene had not lasted q minute,
and caught M. Dsainguez in the
hall as he was turning back to see
what had become Of ne.
"Sti1l no clue. III. GsrsnT asked the
master OF the house. locking at me
from the corner Of his eye.
still no clue" I retorted, 'but I
have few questions to ask you. Who
were the people who performed on the
piano last night?'
Madame fumbled about some papers
and handed me the program of the
musical portion OF the soiree. There
was g pianist, a violinist, a prima-
donna from the Opera Comique, and
two Montmartre singers, all we'll
known artists.
Now" said; IT want to know who
played after the concert, and whether
you engaged pianist for the dances"
mo, we had no professional The
dance was impromptu, and the gentle
| men took turns at the piano."
Can you give me the names OF
these gentlemen"
1.-THE names?" repeated Madame.
1.-THE names-let me think a moment
No, I only know one, NJ. de C.
He played lot. The four others had
come to the house for the first time,
and I did not know them. Do you re-
member any, Enrique?"
I had no reason to be dissatisfied
with my mornings work. The rob-
berry. felt certain, had been commit
ted by one Of the guests at the soiree,
The case was of too delicate a ma
ture to instrust 1t to any of my subor.
dinates. myself had to forge the
chain from the one link I hoped I pos
, sessed, and my first step was to send
for M. de C., whose address Mad
anne Dominguez had given me.
NJ. de G., who belonged to a
very wealthy and highly esteemed
! family. replied promptly to my call.
| He had heard of the robbery. and
: I led the conversation on the Domin-
guezes.
! II do not know much about them"
he said, laughingly; they are new ar.
rivals, and. l am told, very rich.
Madame Dominguez was introduced to
one Of my aunts, and, as she was in
want Of young men, she sent me an in.
vitation with the request to bring
whom I liked. I never saw such q
noisy gathering. Some Of the men
were really too bad"
| "You worked very hard" said, land
presided over the piano?"
| We'll, not exactly. I did my share
but others, too, banged away as hard
as 1 did"
: who were the others?"
| He grinned at me a moment.
DO you, also, want to give a soiree
NJ. Goron? II so, don't engage any
Of that crowd. because they have nc
respect for pianos. But to tell you
the truth. only know one, a painter. ]
don't know where he lives, but hS
goes every night to Duvars, Place de
Ia Madeleine"
VIII yeu Do ne the kindness to
dine with ne there this svsatAx?'' ]
asked.
| with pleasure" he rstsrtsl. and
that same night We were In The well
known "BouIllon." waiting for tn.
painter-pianist.
(; My young friend kept a careful
watch. and eight o'clock had STRUCK
when he cried out:
"Hurrah! there he il. And-bui
that's really funny. You are In luck
ID. Goron. Do you see the chap he
Is with? He. too. was one of the mu
steal ornaments Of the soires."
Even before looking at the two
young men was convinced that Meth
er OF them was likely to be the bur
glar.
We waited till the two gentlemen
had finished their dinner and put or
their hats. when N. de c. went III
and introduced them to me, and I In
vited them to accompany me to 8
neighboring cafe. They were all deep
ly interested In the robbery. and dur
Ing five minutes I patiently Hstenes
to their
When my young friends had ex
hausted their wit, I turned the con
versation In other channels. In re
ply to my question, the painter in
formed me that he knew another ma,
who had obliged the company witt
dances at the Dominsuex soirea and