The Washington herald., 1913-02-23


r. gagged in cording the last of the
- boxes, advanced, bowed low
and took his departure. Placide only
remaining.
And now" said the baroness, "1e,
US see" She opened the paper
II was as blank as the palm of her
hand. De Sartines took it from her,
glanced at it 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 | left in the Rue Plas-
triere: Answer, Don't stand there like
foolr
oh, Madame" said the old fellow
in grumbling voice, "a story that is
half a story is no story. You wish to
know everything. Well, then. you
shall ! went to the Rue PlaStriere, as
you told me. showed the ring as you
told me. received the paper, took it to
a place | know OF. opened it and read
the document it contained. of which
could not make head or tall
Mon Dicur cried the baroness
clasping her hands at his astounding
admission.
One moment. Madame. Seeing
Monsieur de Sartines' signature and
putting two and two together. !
Judged it better TO suppress the docu-
ncnt and inclose a plain piece OF pa
per. \ plain piece of paper never
does any harm till it is written upon"
But the document. the document -
cried De SartineS What have you
done with it, Oh, mon Dieu, if you
have
"One moment. Monsieur. Having
rcsealed the parcel, l called a cabriolet
and took the document to the house
OF Monsieur le Due dc Richclicu. who
was the original possessor of it and in
whose possession it now is. Monsieur
lc Due is in bed. very much indis-
posed"
But. heavens cried the baroness,
now pale to the lips, 'how did YOU
know that the Due de Richelicu pos
sessed it: How"
How. Madame. Why, the night it
was taken from the dues house
journered to Paris with the lady who
had taken it. | felt it in her pocket.
| could have picked her pocket, but
| preferred to let things develop Ma
fol, Madame, ever since l have been
in your service, | could have ruined you
ten times over. As it is, | have guard
ed you while looking after my mas
ter's interests: given you good advice,
when | could have given YOU bad.
have been the role of the affair, be-
hind the scenes all the time. and I
would have brought il all to a con-
clusion long ago, but for that pig
Gaussin" ,Placide swept his hand
across his head and his gray hair van
ished; with handkerchief he was
holding in his left hand he wiped
away the wrinkles of Placidc cast the
beard OF Placide on the floor, slipped
from the overcoat he was wearing and
DE Sartines could scarcely believe
his senses-thcre on the parquct be-
fore him was standing Lavenne.
'L.avenne" cried his master
AT your service. Monsieur"
The baroness, almost faintin" from
the shock OF this mciarorphosis, stood
holding the back of chair. She un-
derstood the situation instantly. and
the fact that this agent of police had
been par, and parcel of her life, un-
derruning the whole story of the last
week and saving, by stroke OF genius,
the man whom she had in moment
Of anger brought 10 the edge of de-
struction She waved away the ring
he was holding out to her
His devotion. his common sense, his
acting banished all i'll
feeling from her mind. Not enly had