The Washington times., 1919-02-24


;.HOnoFable gentlelhen -
charming lGaiss. keen ecol; ~
harm VIII Be done youl You N1l
leave here safe apd sound. Bat
hrst you must empty Yo6f boeketa
onSthis table and, plaeS pour. ieWals
In the halds of poors feIlcws Fho
Will be most grstbfal@ ~
'sScoundfelsgt KFakoWska could
not help exclaimed. q - rs
tQh. Madame, replied ihe other
roeher, laughing. that = L.geEy
bad word. Excuse us for having
used yeur residsncs fer this Ilttle
transaction. but We had no choice.
Besides. you may b sure he add
ed gallantly. @that On the eFening
Of your iRst appearance at the
opera house we VIII be- ln the grohE
row OF your Rdmirerss and win az
plaud your success with All cur
mightP'
Comte dAbazoli-Yiscosa wakchss
this scene with an impassivs Eace.
He was Sscfetly admiring the bold-
ness OF the criminals. To enter
an apartment in this way ana r.
duce to subnission fiftsen persons
without having an alarm given,
without even being seen by the
eoachmen and, chauffeufs who were
waiting, few steps away waS,sa
me piece of work. The aRAlf wax
marvelously weIl planns& He hiul-
self eertaialy could not have done
better!
His first movement had been to
seize the revolver in his pocket snd
resist the assailants. but Lady Duff
ferton had caught his arm:
stn heavens name. cbnafe, d6n't
defend yourself; the attempt WonId
result in trouble for -ug AIR.
So he quietly awaited the prog
ress Of eyentsf robbeF who finds
himself contsnding with other rob
bers is always in An amusing sit
uation.
Each has hts turn.in this wOrldlR
he murmured resignedly.
-MeapEhile one Of tbs masked
men ordered: s,s
Ladies and gentlemen. take yoar
places, II you please. along this
wall 1ou viii pass one BY one,
IN front OF this table, placing upon
It everything Of value which you
possess- Don't Try to rdecefF8 us.
We. shall search you e. you pass
NOW I warn you that the arst cry,
the nrSt movement or reslstanes,
means DEATH" $50
CoWardsi fhievesFn.
protested BaFopess de yallsgrs. ''Is
7there no one here t. defend Jfl''
BarOness,S replied the. nm rgko
had answered the singer, .s.yoa nay
be sure that II. IKE you, had : ear
rage and pair OF horses, waiting
for me At the door, I should not be
obliged 60 sISe such meanSi Come
he added. begin hrst and lbe kind
enough to give me the emerald
necklace presented to your ancsa-
tress by King Louis XVIII $50
These parsons were eFidsntlI
well informed.
The baroness was compelled 70
obey: signing. deeply. she laid %
the table the historic neckiaca her
rings. her bracelets. ard her
brOoches-ah actual fortune.
Now your shoe buckles; I sun
pose they are not initation?,
They were merely paste. sBne
the baroness would rather 90 bara-
foot than to confess t. 50 che
took on her little shoes and added
them to the other articles.
Lady DuIePton came next. Sha
had. nothing but . pearl necklaea,
as she never took her. 3sws:s when
travelling. Then followed R0sa
Planchet, Krakowska. Marquis de
Ia Torre, the Hungafians eabtafn,
and others. Conite- d,Abazoli-Vis-
coss was the last.
without showing too much In
he gaze up his pocket
book. his pearl shirt stud. ana his
sleeve buttons. -
And in the back pocket Of YolP
trousers, my dear Comte?g asked
the other FobbeF.
He took out his revolver.
"Aha!" cried the other, ''thls a a
choice piece! N. le Comtet must
live in an unfrequensed quartef to
need so accurate q weapon. And
now" be added, "the ring on your
little finger, II you. plesssT'
1t was a large diamond, mounted
as solitaire, on a; circle OF pfati-
NUN. a.,
Gentlemen said lthe eomte.
obeying, cit Is impossible to rsfase
you anything But I am .esDselaffy
attached to this ring:-it recalls
very dear memory. Instead OF sell
ing 1t to some receiver who win
give you a tenth. Of its value, Il
will keep a HUNDRED and gifty louis
At your disposal Wheneyer you are
ready 70 return Il to me-"
Agreed" replied the ether. sta
plain that ysu understand life: one
can always come % an agFeemant
with an, honest man OF this softl''
But the eonnte took no notice az
the sarcasm which the speaker
seemed to put into his last words,
md the latter instahtly added:
Ladies' and gentlemen. you win
be at liberty ia an fnstant-mePsfY
the time REQUIRED for us to go as
we came. But, above all, no nois6
wait until We are fairly gone befors
you call for help. It would not %
kind to cause US snnoyanceF
They did as they had said an4,
having pushed open the shutters.
eaped out OF the window and van
shed in the darkness
For q moment. the opera singers
guests, after being left alone, locked
It each othsr.in bewilderment: then,
suddenly, the danger. having passed,
hey recovered their composure:
70 BE CONTINUED TOMoRRON.)