The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-28
"THE LITTLE FORTUNE"
by Arnold Frederick-Copyright by F. A. Munsey Co.


man picked II up, read 1t. then
put 1t into his pocket. After that
he disappeared among the crowd.
The first person to leave the
vessel was George Vernon. The
man to whom Vernet had thrown
the note was now standing near
the foot of the gangplank. He
looked up expectantly. Vernet
threw away his cigar. AS Vernon
started up the pier the man who
had been waiting strolled after
him.
In short time the woman who
had been Ver.on's companion also
went ashore. Grace was but few
steps behind her.
Presently Duvall and Vernet
also descended to the pier. A few
moments later they were seated
in smoking compartment of the
train for Paris. They had already
assured themselves that Vernon
was on board. closely watched by
Vernet's assistant.
The woman that Grace Duyall
followed down the gangplank of
the Richleau at Havre was an
American, but she spoke French
without any difficulty.
A short distance from the pier
she stopped passing gendarme,
and inquired the way to an adj
dress. Grace, as she passed them,
was unable to overhear the ad-
dress, and was obliged to content
herself with following the woman.
After a walk of some ten min
utes she saw her ascend the steps
or a small white house, in a quiet
side street, and rap on the door.
A few moments later she was
admitted. Grace could do moth
ing but wait until she reappeared.
The woman, however, remained
In the house surprisingly short
time. Almost before Grace real
lied it, she hastily descended the
steps, and started briskly down
the street.
Grace hurried after her. Just
as she passed the door of the
house she looked up. A young
girl stood in the doorway. Grace
saw at once that she was weeping
At first she could not place her,
then, all at once, she realized the
girl was Georgette, and the locket
containing her photograph was at
That moment reposing in Grace's
pocketbook..
She turned back and called to
the girl as she was about to close
the door. "Mademoiselle." she
cried softly, may | speak to you
for moment?"
Certainly The girl stood
with one hand upon the knob of
the door.
Grace looked after the woman
she had been following, but the
latter had already passed from
view. 1t did not matter, Grace
argued. She would surely be able
to find her again at the train.
The girl had already invited her
to enter, and Grace passed in.
Won't you sit down, madam ?"
said the girl in French, as she
drew forward a chair. She was
still weeping in a pitifuI way, that
went straight to Grace's heart.
The latter went up to her. my
dear child" she said; you have
had bad news"
Yes" The girl nodded, but
said no more.
Grace opened her purse and
took out the little gold locket. "Il
have brought you this" she said.
and placed the locket in the girls
hand.
The latter gazed at it for a mo-
ment. "Oh, Henri, Henri" she
1t was some little time before
she recovered control of herself.
Grace turned and looked out into
the hot, sunny street. The word |
Henri" had somewhat startled
her. Vernon's first name was
George.
Presently she turned. The girl
had dried her eyes and sat looking |
tenderly at the locket. "He-he
gave you this to bring to me?"
she asked.
"Who?" asked Grace, determfn-
ed in spite of the brusk nature of
her questions to get at the truth.
Why, Henri-Henri Musset."
Tell me all about it," said
Grace quickly. You see, / know
so little. do not even know
your name. This lcket came into
my possession purely by chance.
But l shall be very glad il you
will tell me its history"
The girl began to speak in an
eager, excited voice. 81 am
Georgette Valmy," she said. "Hen.
ri was my betrothed. We were to |
have been married this year. See.
here are my initials, G. ", on the
locket.
"In June he became very i'll. 1t
began with a cold. The doctor
said II was the terrible consume
tion-that he might never again
get well. 1t seemed to me impos-
sible, for it came so suddenly and
he looked always big and strong
and we'll.
Zone day, just three weeks ago |
this coming Sunday, Henri came |
and told me that he had Just been
introduced to a new doctor-a |
specialist from Paris. His name |
was Reinhardt. He was going,
he said, to sail for America the |
next day. He had taken a great |
fancy to Henri, and said If he
would come to America with him