The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-03-29

| great friend Of his excellency's. He
had dined with his excellency some
thing over a week since. just prior to
the latter's departure.
"And take 1t ye have seen nothing
Of the gentleman slnce?'
"On the contrary, monsieur: the vi
comte called here but two days ago"
1t appeared that he had desired some
trifilng information, with which the
secretary had obliged him.
"Ye didn't happen to leave him
alone in this room?"
The secretary, plainly much per-
picked by this odd catechism, ad-
mitted that such had been the case:
the pursuit of the desired data had
necessitated his absence from the Gov.
ernor's room for a matter Of some ten
minutes.
But ye say ye can put your hand
on this package?"
But certainly, monsieur"
Would ye mind making sure It's
safe. 'Twould save me a deal OF
waiting, perhaps"
With alacrity and a smile that de-
precated his visitors anxiety over so
trifiing a matter, the secretary rose.
went to the safe and confidently
enough thrust a hand into one of the
pigeon-holes. The hand came forth
empty A frown Of bewilderment
clouded the secretary's face. 1T must
be here" he announced with convic-
ton. 1T was in plain sight and Ia
belled with the name Of Monsieur
Chambret :" He turned. IF
Monsieur le Colonel win but return in
half an hour, | undertake then to
show him the packet itself. l shall by
then have found it--but assuredly!"
"Ye are very courteous, monsieur.
| will return"
This he did-in two hours. The
packet had not been found; the sec
retary, in flutter Of nerves, confessed
that through some culpable negligence
it must have been misplaced An ex-
tended search was even then in
progress. 1t would surely come to
light before evening.
Thank ye; / shan't be back" re-
turned O'Rourke grimly; and went
away, downcast for the first time
since the inception of the adventure.
Faith! and to think l would not be-
lieve the truth when they slapped me
face with It! And all the time, belize,
twas in the vicomte's own pocket!
:" But he had no vocabulary ade,
quate to the task Of expressing his
self-contempt
Disconsolate, conceiving that he had
proven himself blind egregious fool,
he plodded with heavy steps and
hanging head back to his hotel; where
the crowning stroke of the day was
presented to him in the shape of a
note, by the hand OF a black Biskri
porter.
Monsieur le Colonel Terence
O'Rourke. Be hand" he conned the
address. Faith, and what's this?"
"If Monsieur le Colonel ORourke
will do Monsieur des Trebes the hon
or of dining with him, at seven or
seven-thirty this evening, at the Villa
fOrleans, st. Eugene, an arrangement
satisfactory to both himself and Mon
sieur le Vicomte may be consummat-
ed.
"R. S. V. P.-The bearer waits"
A trap? A subterfuge? A trick to
throw him off the scent whilst the two
blackguards escaped with their booty?
The adventurer frowned darkly over
1t dubious. Then, in a flush Of reck
ssness, he seized a sheet of paper
from a nearby desk scrawled a
formal acceptance Of the strange invi-
tation, and handed 1t to the Biskri boy.
'All to gain, naught to lose," he sum
med up the state of mind which had
dictated his response; and at six
thirty, with brow and eye serene, he
left the hotel in carriage bound for
the suburb of St Eugene-and heaven
knew where besides!