Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-10-31
they had not waited for refreshments
CHAPTER VIII.
THE END OF THE d A

cording the Isl Of the boxes. advanced.
bowed low, and took his departure,
Placide only remaining.
And now" said the baroness. 'let
us see." She opened the paper.
1t was as blank as the palm of her
hand. De Sartines took 1t from her,
glanced at 1t and laid It down. He
turned to Placide, but the baroness was
before him.
"Placide," cried his mistress. what
trick is this? What has been done to
the paper that I left in the Rue Plast-
riere? Answer! Don't stand there like
a fool"
"Oh. madame" said the old fellow in
q grumbling voice, "a story that is half
a story is no story. You wish to know
everything. Well. then. you shall. I
went to the Rue Plastiere as you told
received the paper. took 1t to a place
I know Of. opened 1t and read the docu-
ment it contained, Of which I could not
make head or tail"
Mon dieu!" cried the baroness.
clasping her hands at this astounding
"One moment, madame. Seeing
Monsieur de Sartines' signature and
putting two and W together. I
judged It better to suppress the docu-
ment and inclOse q plain piece OF pa
per. A plain piece of paper never does
any harm till It Is written upon"
cried De e-G sartines. what h have You
done with It? oh, mon Dieu. IL you
have"
cove moment, monsieur. Having
resealed the parcel. I called . cabrio-
let ana took the document to the house
Of Monsieur le Due de Richelieu. who
in whose possession 1t now is. Nom
sieur Is in bed. very much i~ndtsposed."
But, heavens!" cried the baroness,
now pale to tho lips. "how did you
know that the DUO de Richelieu pos
sessed It? How"
How. madame? Why. the night It
was taken from the dues house I
journeyed to Paris with the lady who
had taken 1t. I felt it In her pocket.
I could have picked her pocket, but I
preferred to let things develop. Ma fol.
madame, eve since I have been In your
service. I could have ruined you 10
times over. AS 1t is. I have guarded
interests; given you good advice.
when I could have given you bad. I
have been the mole Of the affair, be-
hind the scene all the time. and ! would
have brought It alto. q conclusion long
ago but for that pig Gaussin." Placide'
his gray hair vanished; with a hand
kerchief he vas holding in his left
hand he wiped away the wrinkles Of
.Placide, cast the beard. Of Placide or h
floor, slipped from the overcoat he was
wearing and-De sartines could
the paruuet before him was standing
Lavenne.
'Lavenne!" cried his master.
"At your service, monsieur"
The baroness, almost fainting from
the shock Of this metamorphosis, stood
holding the back Of q chair. h un.
derstood the situation instantly. and,
the fact that this agent OF police had
been part and parcel Of her life. UNDER
running the whole story Of the last
week and saving. by . stroke OF ge-
MUS, the man whom she had In 9 mo-
ment Of anger brought to the edge OF
destruction. She waved away the ring
he was holding out to her.
His devotion, his common sense. his
! consurnmate acting banished all III
feeling from her mind. Not only had
he saved his master, but he had saved
her.
NOT al ia is'I AN os - sdmirins woman
to supreme actor. but - The gife
o. : friend 70 : friend" Her veice
failed her ana her yeo were moist
9 she turned to the door.
Roeine had entered the room.
'*1Gadaine.s said Roeane Ct the dooes
zone moment said h3o m1oreoD."
She picked up the blank piece q Pa
per from the door. took g % the
l5buroAu ana wrote sgomekhane On III
Ifoldedf ~ and addreo000 ii. then .ieey.
ling Il On the bureau. 3 came g d
s0oodby, Nonsieur DC 9artinees un.
Ileas yOu wish @ xkeep me 9 Dr!eonee."
sliadasnes" replied De eartines. 9
world o8 worry 90 hi mind. !! would