River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-01-23

Il had already noticed that although
Ballu and the countess never ex-
changed a word when others were
present, their eyes often met, and
when on the night of my return we
sat down at the table d'hote a hardly
perceptible sign passed between them.
Keeping them both well in sight,
saw Ballu at 9 o'clock stroll toward
the end of the garden He disappeared
in the darkness, but / felt sure he
had gone to the little summer-house
facing the tennis-lawn.
| Il soon arrived at the back of the
little wooden structure, and felt re-
lieved when / heard some one move
inside. Half an hour later there came
a light step. 1t was the countess
Their conversation, carried on in
whispers, did not last many minutes
Ballu's voice sounded hard, almost
threatening, while that of the countess
was fmploring. Although / could not
catch every word they said, / heard
quite enough to be able to reconstruct
the whole case The moment to act
had arrived.
The following morning as the
countess crossed the hall l walked up
to her and said:
Please go to the library l want
to speak to you at once
''She gave me look of surprise and
fear, and entered the room
Madame, said, to you and you
alone l will divulge who | am. l am
NJ. Goron, chief Of the Paris detective
force My object is to help you. |
know your father has appropriated
or is accused OF having done So
money belonging to his employer, M.
H. / know yen wanted to save
him, and, not having the ready cash,
you handed to M. H, through his
understudy, M. Ballu, your pearl neck
lace as security. In order to do this
you have-probably at this mans sug-
gestion-made it appear you had been
robbed. M. H, being afraid to dis
pose of the pearls, is now pressing you
to redeem them, and for a larger sum
than your father owes him. Am |
right?"
''The poor lady sat motionless. Her
very lips had turned white.
Fear nothing I continued; I am
here to save you. But you must prom
ise to follow my instructions implicit
ly, WIN your
Yes, she whispered.
Very well. Can you invent rea-
son that will satisfy your husband
why you should go to Paris, return
ing the following day.?
"She nodded.
Then leave tomorrow early by The
express, having first. wired to M.
H to make an appointment at his
office. Go there straight. Tell him
you have seen me--letting him, of
course, think / am in Paris-and that
you have come to me for advice Ex-
plain that you know from me that his
attitude toward you places him in a
serious position, from which he can
eXtricate himself in one way only.
Having agreed to let you refund him
the money due to him by your father
always supposing that story to be
true-he must at once return you the
necklace, on your promise to pay him
a fixed sum on account every month.
You car manage that, can you not?
Eyes, M. Goron, she said, putting
her hand on mine, / will
Hushl Don't pronounce my name.
Should that fellow H make any
fuss, you can tell him he will soon
hear from me-"
''She went, and returned the follow
ing evening. l purposely stood at the
door as she passed out of the dining
room, when she slipped note into
my hand. Here it is:
H accepts Promises to return
thing tomorrow by b. God bless you
Before we left / had the satisfac-
ton Of knowing that Ballu had re
turned the necklace, and that it was
once more in her possession"
when she threw that rose?"
"Yes."
And the count? How will his wife
explain the temperance of the neck
lace?"
She will manage that. Women have
| inventive brains
And the. great Julien?"
"Ah! The great Julien will, Till the
end of his days, believe it was Maria
who stole and returned the pearls;
while the count will think the same
thing of Soudier But Julien cannot
now arrest innocent people In connec-
ton with that case. And it was that,
my dear Thibaut, l wanted to avoid .