The Washington herald., 1915-09-05

Mr.. Narkom were in a position to ex-
change condolences without being over
| heard.
Five minutes later. in company with
Mr.. Mansell. the superintendent, and
Capt Oswald Bolvarius-whom he found
to be an impetuous, almost boyish young
man. who seemed more of handsome
simpleton than a knave-Cleek was fash
ing up the river to its far upper reaches
and TO a tree-shaded inlet of which he
! knew. And here, in this place of green
and fragrant mystery, the tale was
told.
| .'Mes<Ieurs. began the young Austrian.
| responding to Mansells demand that he
| should tell his part of it first. ''messieurs.
YOU NAV or may not know the history
! Of the famous Medlci emeralds.'
! Il DO" cut in Cleek seeing from the
manner in which the captain settled him
self as he spoke that they were likely
10 be in for long story. They are Of
worldwide repute-the very purest and
! most perfect specimens that have ever
, been mined They passed from the Borgias
TO the Lamorettis-their lineal decendants
becoming part and parcel of the unsal-
! able heirlooms which descended to the
succeeding generations of that race un-
! session OF the present Count Lorenzo di
! Lamoretti. Now go on with the story.
/ please. But first. tell ME something.
Are the jewels that have been stolen IN
| any way connected with the Medici en-
eralds Captain?''
! Monsieur. they are more than mere
! connection-they are the historic Medici
emeralds themselves" replied the Aus
trian. I was intrusted b. the Count
di Lamoretti with the charge of them
the duty Of bringing them to England
and to Monsieur Mansell. there: and this
did one month ago All. yes. l know
| what you are about to say monsieur
! the Count di LamorettI had neither the
power nor tho legal right to send them
out of the country for any purpose what
soever without the permission of the gov
eminent and the sanction of his cousin.
Signor Arturo Bonavelli. But. monsieur.
| he did not He had hoth-the permission
| OF the government. which allows no
| trea sures of art or gems of historic in
te-est TO leave italy and the sanction
of his cousin. the -presumptive. Sig
nor Bonavelli is about again to be mar
ried and. in consideration of his waiv-
ing claim TO certain unimportant prop
critics and allowing the count to relieve
his monetary difficulties by selling them.
the count has promised TO hand over the
MediCi ralds-reCut reset. mounted
in the modern fashion instead OF the
cumbersome mediaeval one in which they
have remained since the fourteenth CEN
turv-to the new Signora Bonavelli upon
her wedding day"
'Hum-m-m, ! see commented Cleek
That puts different light upon the
subject. certainly. But how. CAPTAIN. do
you come into the matter?
4 swift. embarrassed flush suffused the
voung mans countenance. His eyes fell:
hi< hands passed one through the other.
nervouslv. and the corners of his mouth
fWItCued 4 little.
Monsieur" he said. 1t was with the
sanction Of the Italian government and
permission OF my own. am known
to Slgnor Bonaveln and-and it happens
that i-Nen l have long been close
arquainttnce-a a friend. if YOU will-of
Signor4 the Contessa di Lamoretti."
The curious one-sided smile looped up
the corner Of Cleek's mouth slid down
again and vanished That was all. But
If ne SAID nothing. his thoughts were
eloquent. and those thoughts ran like I
this. A lover and a dupe' \ silly SIM
pleton. drawn into the net by designing
woman"
1t was IN Vienna that this happened. |
monsieur" went on the Austrian. un- !,
noticing. The count and countess We're .
there AT the time-so too. was Signor
Bonavelli. and both parties having pro-
posed nv name TO the government. l was +
appointed envoy. l was not altogether
happy in the appointment. monsieur: for !
may frankly tell you that 1 have no .
love for Monsieur le Count. that ne Is .
never even 'l\ II 20 me, ana would l ,
fear. do me any injury possible"
All Then j. that the reason why
vou did not wish tho police called in,
captain" WY you set abou: seeking
for tho robher yourself2 You suspected
that h" might prove to he no other than
the count
M. monsieur. That .s not POSSIBLE
The coun, il tins minute lying i'll in
Vierna-the result Of a wound obtained
in a duel fought the day before / lift
lie is confined to his roon?-ir the charge
Of faithful old servltor-and It is ru-
morcd that he may never he able to rise
from his bod again"
And the rontessa-is she. too. with
him."
At present YES. monsieur. But the
day before the duel she had gone on a
visit toto Dieppe. monsieur: bat read
in the Continental news of one of your
London newspapers. two-or. perhaps.
ago. that she was in Vienna.
nursing her wounded husband
and for the most part combining herself
to the room where he lies-merely leav-
ing it Tor n morning ride in order to
retain her own health under the strain"
And TO establish an alibi by being
seen IN public: y very clever move"