Evening star., 1918-06-30

ise to have them in two"
She threw back her head and fair
ly shook with laughter.
candid eaat spe ased you ooe ers you
my good fellows. and you. too, my
poor dumb Clopin, pretty monsieur
here will have the letter and the
pearl in two days time. Look to 1t
any minute from this time forth that
you do not search him from top to
toe. II he resists-ah. we'll a pistol
may go of accidentally, and things
that Mauravania's king would give
his life to keep hidden will come to
ferred. Monsieur, the police spy,
wish you Joy of your task" ~,
Madame. I shall take Joy IN IT,.
Cleek replied. But why should we
talk Of unpleasant things when the
future looks SO bright? Come, may
evening. Look. there Is q piano.
and Count. hold my puppy for me,
and please see that no one FEEDS MIN
at any time. I am starving him SO
parakeets. because hate the sight OF
the little beasts. Thank you. Madame:
do you like music? Listen. then; III
sing you Mauravania's national an,
them, God quad the throne; Coo
shield the right!" and, dropping down
ment. he did so.
That night was ever memorable at
the Villa Irma, for the detective SEEM
ed somehow to have given place to
the courtier, and SO merry was ms
mood, SO infectious his good nature,
that even madame came under the
spell of 1t. She sang with him, sne
even danced a Russian polka with MIN
she sat with him at dinner, ana
flirted with him in the salon alter
= fv,a
to retire it was he who took ner PEG.
room candle from the shelf and put II
into her hand.
"Of truth. you are charming rel.
low, monsieur" she said, when ne pens pen,
and kissed her hand. .Wnat W. and vnoy pa,y
you should be police spy anu upon
SO hopeless a case" ,.
Hopeless cases are my delignt,:
madame. Believe me. shall not fali.
"only three days. remember cher
ami-only three days" - =.
Madame is too kind. nave sa.u ~ ~
two will do. On the morning OF the
third madames passport VII! pc
ready and the Rainbow Pearl be IN
the royal jewelers. hands. -, tnou, ~
sand pleasant dreams, bon SOFT! ~
bowed her out and kissed his mana 70
her as she went up the stairs TO peo'
Thrice during the next twenty-four
hours Cleek, who seemed to have be-
come so attached to the mongrel dog
that he kept it under his arm con-
tinually, had reason to leave the
house and thrice was he seized py
madame's henchmen, bundled un-
tremendously into convenient room
and searched to the very skin berore
he was suffered to pass beyond the
threshold And if so much as pin
had been hidden upon his person II
must have been discovered.
You see, monsieur, how hopeless 1t
isl" said the count despairingly. zone
finger, or the woman speaks and his
majesty's ruin falls Oh. the mad
ness of that boast of yours! Only an
other twenty-four hours. only an
other day, and then God help his
majesty"
God has helped him a great deal
better than he deserves, count" re-
piled Cleek. by tomorrow night al
10 o'clock be in the square of the
Aquisola, please. Bring with you the
passports of madame and her com.
pAnlOnS, ALSO uelAShAChe VI s'A>
Royal Guard. and his majesty
check for the reward I am to re
ceive.
Monsieur! You really hope to ge
the things? You really do?''
'Oh. 1 do more than hope count.
have succeeded. / knew last nigh
where both pearl and letter were. To
morrow night--ah. we'll. let tomorrow
toll IT'S own tale. Only be in tn,
square az the hour mention. ans
when lift q lighted candle and pAsi
1t across the salon. window send th'
guard here with, the passports. Le
them remain outside. within sight
but not within range Of hearing wha
is said and done. You alone are t.
enter, remember that" a~.'
ITO receive the Jewel and the let
ter?" eagerly. 'Or at least to hAv,
you point out tho hiding place o
'No; we should be shot down lik,
dogs II undertook mad thing lik'
that"
'"rhen. monsieur, how are wo I,
seize them? How get them. into on
possession. his majesty and IT.
From my hand, count: this han,
which held them both before I'wen
Monsieur" The count feii bacl
ural presence. "You found them? Yo,
held them? You took possession o
them last night? How did you ge
them out OF the house"
IT have not done SO yet"
oRut Can yono Oh unpa;a uizo =.