The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-28

| vs. cCuoeo TOT 4 moment q
two in the restless silence, and the
faces of NJ. and Nine. de breux re-
vcaied a desperate endeavor to UNDER
stand. combined with an agonizing
oreao or understanding. The count
asked. between his teeth:
Tell me. siri Who are youl"
| Il! Why. the Cavaliere Floriani
whom you met at Palermo, and whom
you have had the kindness to invite
10 your house time after time"
story?" s " '"''
..Oh. nothing at ALI II is a mere
picture to myself the delight which
fenriette's son, if he were still alive.
would take in telling you that he is
the only culprit. and that he became
so because his mother was on the
point OF losing her place as . domes-
TIC servant, which was her only
means OF livelihood. and because the
mothers nnhappiness."
He had half risen from hi, se.t.
and, bending toward the countess.
was expressing himself in terms OF
suppressed emotion. There was no
doubt possible. The Cavaliere Flor
lam was none other than Henriette's
son. Everything in his attitude, in
ms words, proclaimed the fact. Be-
SIDES, was It not his evident intention.
ms WISE. to be recognized as such I
The count hesitated. What line of
conduct was he to adopt toward this
daring Individual? To ring the bellfi
provoke scandal? No, It was bet
ter to accept the position and pretend
not to grasp its real meaning. And!
the count, going up to. Floriani. said,
plasyfully:,
4
esting and very entertaining. Il hasl
quite taken hold o. me, assure you.
out. according to you. what became
: OF mat exemplary young man, that
model son! l trust that he did not
, tune" {,
Certainly notl"
A shudder passed through his
the life of this sclf-styled Fiorianif
, How extraordinary must be the exist,
/ ence OF this advcnturer, a gifted thief
at the age of 6. who today, with the
refined taste of a dilettante in search
r OF an emotion, or, at most, to satisfy
sense of revenge, had come to brave
his victim in that victims own house,
| audaciously, madly. and yet with all
the good breeding of man of the
world on a visitl
: He rose. and went up to the coun-
) tess to take his leave. She suppress
cd movement of recoil. He smiled.
All, n adame, you are frightened
1 Have I carried my little comedy of
1 .drawing-room magic too far?
1 Not at all, monsieur. On the con-
trary. the legend of that good son has
{ interested me greGly. and / am hap
r py to think that my necklace should
$ have been the occasion of so brilliant
I a career. But does it not seem to you
that the son of that-of that woman.
5 of Henriette. was, above all things,
obeying his natural voeationr
$ He started. felt the point of her
a remark. and replied:
J. Il am sure he was; and, in fact,
G his vocation must have been quite
: serious. or the child would have been
). discouraged"
r ""Wefl. you know, most of the
o stones were false. The only real
ones were the few diamonds Bought
Of the English jeweler. The others
n had been sold. one by one. in obcdi-
h at. was the Queens Necklace.
!. monsieur. for ali that" said the
= countess haughtily. land that il
E seems to me. IS what Henriette's SON
d was unable to understand"
"He must have understood. mad
q anne. tlpt, false or genuine. the neck
$ lace was. before all. show thing. q
signboard"
Il M. de Dreux made a movement.
His wife stopped him at once.
= Monsieur" she said, "if the man
to whom you slludc. has the least
r vcstage of shame"
= She hesitated. shrinking before
n Floriani's calm gaze. He repeated
after her:
e IF he has the least feeling Of
e She felt that she would gain moth
e ing by speaking to him in this way:
and, despite her anger and indigna-
r. ton, quivering with Inundated pride,
o she said, almost politely:
r. Monsieur, tradition says that
Retaux DE- Villette, when the Queens
y" Necklace was in his hands. forced
N out all the Diamonds with Jeanne de
q setting. He understood that the dia-
N monds we're but the ornaments. the
a accessories. whereas the setting wal
IS the essential work. the creation of the
70 artist; and he respected II. Do you
n think that this man understood a.
l. muchf 7"
is Il have no doubt that the setting
exists. The child respected it."
"a "a pen to mee en him. tell him that he I.
N acting unjustly in keeping one o,
those relics Which are the property
TX and glory of certain families. and
n that though he may have removed the
Of stones, the Queens Necklace con
IS tjnues to belong to the house d
a. Drcux-Soubise. It is ours as mucl
n. as our name or our honor"
a The chevalicr replied. simply:
S. 81 will tell him SO. madame"
n He bowed low before her, bowe<
Id to the count, Lowed to all the visi
IN tors, one after the other. and wen
DC out.
Four days later Nine. de Dreu,