Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-09-13


before them. AT last Mr.. Morris
spoke.
ut seems to be genuine enough"
he said, "but how the devil did it get
there, inside that coin, and why"
The project smiled. IL will tell
you" he said. IL learned the history
OF the coin while in Paris last week.
During the early period OF the En-
peror Napoleon's reign he had, as
every one knows, constant need for
money, with which to prosecute his
various and colossal campaigns.
| From time to time issues of coins
Of various denominations, as well as
| bank-notes, were made, but there
were many who distrusted Napoleon's
! success, and the issues were not al.
ways received with favor.
"ln order to create popular coin
age some of his ministers conceived
| the idea of issuing large number of
| onefranc pieces, in one of which
should be, cleverly concealed, a bank
note of the denomination Of one mil
| lion francs.
| and clever matchmaker was employ
ed to make within it the secret cavity
in which the note was placed Lead
| was introduced in the interior of the
coin so as to bring it's weight up TO
the standard. The bank-note was
then introduced and the coin thrown
in with many millions of similar coins
in circulation.
'There was nothing about 1t to
identify it. The matchmaker alone
knew that by pressing pin into the
eye of the head, as 1 have Just done,
the lever would be thrown out. And
1t was manifestly impossible for this
poor matchmaker to test even the
smallest fraction Of the hundred mill
lion francs which made up the issue.
"The experiment was huge sue
cess, yet, up to now, it cost the gov
errfment nothing. Everybody scram-
bled TO get the new coins-a great
many were destroyed in fruitless
efforts to find the bank-note, but it
was never found. At last people for
got about it, and preferred To keep
their franc-pieces rather than destroy
their value by cutting them up,
searching for a fortune, which the
majority of them had come TO look
upon as mythical.
only by the luckiest Of chances
could it have been discovered, and
that chance, Mile. Mercier, fell to the
lot of your father. congratulate you,
and would suggest that my good
friend, Mr.. Morris. will doubtless be
very glad to take charge of your little
fortune for you, arrange for its pay
ment by the government, and invest
it for YOU in such ways as his juds-
ment may dictate"
by all means" exclaimed the
banker. Il shall be only TOO glad TO
serve Nile. MerCier.'
The others crowded around her. Of
fcrng their CONGRATULATIONS.
Il thank you, NJ. Lefevre," Mr..
Germaine said, "on behalf of the
Transatlantic Line, for your remark
able solution of this most mysterious
affair. You may name your own
terms, as | before suid.''
The prefect laughed. II make no
charges, monsieur" he said. Il have
enjoyed The whole matter hugely. Be-
sides, it has enabled me to win little
bet"
"A bet?" Mr.. Germaine and the
others looked at him in astonishment
How so?'
here from Paris, some three weeks
ago, was quite worn out and not at
all well. My physicians had induced
me lo take vacation. l came TO
America TO make a long promised
visit 10 my friend, Mr. Richard Duvall
Nothing could have induced HE to
undertake The case which caused you
and the officials OF your line such
concern.
1t was suggested, however, by Mr..
Morris, l think, that Mr.. Duvall
might be willing 10 undertake the
case. This, however, did not meet
with your approval; in fact, there
were some suggestions made that the
case was quite beyond Mr. Duvalls
ability.
This naturally made my friend
undertake the case. having with
drawn from the active practise of his
profession, but these reflections upon
his skill annoyed him. He announced
TO me that lie intended 10 take up
the matter on my behalf, and, in fact,
in my person. told him had no OBJ
iections. but doubted that he could
carry the deception through success
fully. In fact, We made wager upon
the results"
The prefect paused.
But" said Mr.. Germaine doubt
fully, 80 far as can see, he failed
utterly. In all that you have told us
| do not see that Mr.. Duvall has been
in the least concerned"
THAT, gentleman" remarked the
DTpIeCt "OnIy shows how Succesef,lIy