Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-12-30

| IelL my own gTOW wet. OQ6TiSss
come here" he said. "she has the eyes
Of my son Jules. 1t is true. See
why, do not weep. child"
| His arms were round me now, and l
just at the moment OF my completest
triumph was crying. And it was up
on his shoulder, too. He sustained me
like a lover. o, my dear .grandfat her,
| l recall now with what a practiced
hand you wiped away my tears. How
many women's tears had you wiped
away when you were young
I like the chevalier.
What l have always wondered at is
that neither Of the two for the least
moment distursted me-
MY dear grandchild," said the old
comte, when l grew calm, 'the mem
DRY Of my treatment of your father
embittered my whole life. Often !
sought to find him, but he was too
proud to be reconciled. Now 1t is too
late. But l shall lavish on you the
tenderness that have lavished on him
so often in Imagination"
Then. at his request, l told him the
entire story Of my visit to Europe, not
emitting mention of Leopold Magniff
and Zeuxis l ended with a brief ac-
count of my interview with the old
banker
Describe this Greek, this Zeuxis,
he said, when l added that | thought
| had seen his face in the crowd at the
coronation. HAS he a scar running
1 IfVy oh
mouth to eyebrow"
He hast" / cried You know the
man?"
Il do" answered my grandfather
and the chevalier nodded his assent
"You have described a well-known spy
in the service of the Italian govern
ment Beyond all doubt, Charles, it
was he who stole the papers from your
coat pocket He is Straightforward
expert, and was once a pickpocket, |
believe, though now he flies at higher
game"
| A sudden revelation came to me.
| Then this must be the coup OF
which Leopold Magnif boasted to me,
l cried Undoubtedly the scheme had
been already Matched on the boat when
he let 1t out to me in a drunken mo-
ment"
| They both assented.
You are right, my dear child" said
the comte. But now, the point Is.
how can we recover the draft of the
treaty! It may have been already sold
to the triple alliance; on the other
hand, It is In so fragmentary a condi-
ton and reveals so little that the con-
spirators may be holding it back with
view to obtaining a higher price
from France"
III they have already obtained pos
session of my bonds" l hazarded,
they may hold them as the price of
| immunity"
They cannot dispose OF them" said
my grandfather. "At least, they can
but conceal them and prevent yon
from obtaining them"
Then l told them OF my agreement
with the banker, emitting nothing, not
even the motive that had inspired me.
And 80 you wished to help him in
his designs against Chchy. little
Anne" said the old coDte mournfully.
when l had concluded God help US
all; the old estate m>tst pass to this
arch-conspirator. 1t IS now nearly
year since he unveiled his motive to
me. l. he says, snRbbed him in his
younger days. when he purchased the
estate next mine Well, perhaps SO,
and thus l am rightly punished. Times
change greatly, and the old order
passes. But it VIII be hard on your
mother, Charles"
He told me that he win have your
property within two weeks l said.
| Unless twelve thousand francs Of
interest appear mysteriously out OF
clear sky, l think he WILL" the conate
answered. And doubtless you under
stand now why he was so anxious to
purchase your bonds, and why he has
apparently succeeded"
YES" / replied. "He feared that l
should place you in possession of them
and 80 enable you to pay of the mort
gage on Clichy"
| The conte shook his head mourn
fully
But that is the reason that his son
Leopold gave me when we talked on
the boat" / exclaimed.
Us It possible that either of that
shrewd pair believed you to be SO al
| truistic as to be willing to present
them gratis to an old man, to save his
lands, Anne? No, my dear. 1t is be-
cause, so long as those bonds were in
your possession, you could have rem
dered him bankrupt"
But he has millions!" l cried In
| credulousIy.
~And your bonds are worth, potent
tally, billions" answered my GRANDPA
thar Let me explain the matter to
you. Anne.
When the American government
purchased the old. worthless Panama
bonds from the French company, the
holders, dispersed as they were
throughout the length and breadth of