River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-12-19

him of it. / promised her to do my
| best, and have sent her a note that
will make her happy. l reckon she
will be here tomorrow to ask for her
| bike"
| Tips had aroused my curiosity.
When she comes ! want to see
her"
"All right, sir"
! Before calling on Baron S.
made an inquiry about Alfred O.,
and what heard was deplorable. The
fortune he had inherited from his
mother was squandered in less than
two years, and his father, a retired
colonel, was almost ruined by his
sons extravaganza Alfred raised
money when he could and in a gam
! bling-club had been accused of at
! tempting to cheat This charge had
never been proved, and it ended in a
duel, when he ran two inches of steel
into his traducers body He belonged
to a good family, and was distantly
related to Madame H, whose
house he visited regularly.
The baron, learned had an estate
in Russia, where he passed the sum-
mer. The winters he spent in Paris and
he was very popular in the world on
rOn s'muse. He had an apartment in
the Avenue de PAlma and | went
there toward eleven in the morning.
His servant, tall, well-built young
man, informed me in bad French with
strong Russian accent that his mas
ter was having his bath, and would
receive me in few minutes. He
soon appeared, distinguished. aristo-
cratic man.
apologized for disturbing him so
early, and begged him to give me an
account Of the disappearance Of his
coat.
Between ourselves" he smiled, 81
am surprised these accidents do not
happen oftener This is my second
winter in Paris, and the third time
have attended one of these functions.
They are boon to the Paris thieves.
l am sorry I lost my fur coat it was
valuable. My idiot of a servant will
tell you how it occurred-Boris!
The valet, at the baron's request,
then explained to me, in his abomin-
able French, that he had been waiting
in the hall for his master, with the
coat over his arm. Finding it cumber-
some, with SO many people passing in
and out, he had put it in little room
leading from the hall, and when he
went to fetch it it was gone.
"But why did you not leave it in
charge of one of the servants?" l
asked
Il expected my master to come down
every moment, and as the door of the
little room was open l could keep my
eyes on the coat all the time. I may
have lost sight Of it for a second
The baron shrugged his shoulders,
and | heard the wood fool"
put few questions; but as neither
the baron nor Boris could supply any
further information. l withdrew. In
the room had detected peculiar per-
fume, very faint, without being able
to fix it with certainty. ] could not
positively say whether 1t emanated
from the room itself or from one Of
the men. Slight as it was, it caught
my attention, as my sense of smell is
acute.
had written note to Alfred O.
asking him to CALL and found him
waiting for me. | need not describe
that type of young man-to be met
on the race-course, at first nights, at
fashionable gatherings-to whom life
is nothing but huge joke. He roar
ed with laughter when ] preached the
subject OF the robbery.
Please excuse me, Monsieur Goron,
the whole thing is so ludicrous. Do
you know, that Uncle Jerome, whom
you saw this morning, darkly limited
that | stole the pendant? / heard it
from the little German governess. l
think he does it out Of revenge be-
cause l made fun of 1t. You never
saw anything. so ugly The diamonds
are magnificent. but the design is gro
tesque, with that silly little flower
dangling al the end.
you were at Madame HIS the
day the pendant was stolen?"
YES, the greater part of the after
noon"
did you notice anything likely to
throw any light on the AFFAIR.""
/ Nothing whatever, 1t seems very
strange. Uncle Jerome is terribly up
set; but, think. more on account of
the coat The old chap is proud of his
acquaintance with baron!"
The next day when | was busy inves-
tigating a case that had happened dur
ing the night. l was informed that
Georgette Chevallier alias Tips, was
downstairs, having come about her
bicycle.
SHOW her in at once | said
| Georgette was pretty. She was
small, remarkably graceful, with large,
brown, intelligent eyes.
You wanted to see me?" she re-
/ marked in a gentle voice.
Madame Georgette- began.
please call me Tips: everybody
does
Very we'll; Tips. since you prefer
it. l had the pleasure of seeing you a
couple of days ago"
Me? Where"
In. a cab; YOU were talking to
/ your friend
What friend?''
j Alfred o.
He is not my friend, Monsieur
/ Goron. Not in the sense you mean !;
and / do not understand you
/ y Never mind, Tips. BY the way, are
YOU glad your bicycle is found?"
Rather But the stupid people at