Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-12-24
CHAPTER Vl-Continued.

ais madame intending to converse
wis me, holding a weapon in her
handT
"Is monsieur intending to converse
with me behind locked doors"
"For re present-yes."
''Very well, then, get it over. What
Is it," / felt very sure by this time
1t had nothing, directly, TO do with
Mrs. Delario.
"It is zis-my daughter, Claire, was
robbed of some very valuable jewels
on re steamer coming over. Zere are
but two persons who could possibly
have committed re seft-Mrs. Delario
Rnd-yourself."
was dazed-so dazed that I STAN
mered.
'You say Claire was robbed coming
over on the steamer-and you think /
did it?"
Precisely"
My wits came back with that fiat
accusation.
'Then why didn't she say something
about it at the timer" demanded.
Probably because she was not
aware of it at re time-one seldom is,
if I may be permitted to point it out
to madame"
1 was so completely innocent of even
knowing that the girl had jewels with
her-except such little trinkets as a
child values and that nobody but a
street thief would have bothered his
head over--that saw monsieur's &C
cusation as blackmail. That word sud
denly popped into my head and gave
me the basis of return attack.
"You mean to tell me that Claire
had valuable jewels on the steamer yet
never mentioned the fact to either Mrs.
Delario or myself?"
Naturally, she says nossing-why
should she? She is under no obliga-
ton to speak of such matter to you
"In other words, she was smuggling
valuable jewels into the country-try-
ing to get them through the customs
house without our knowing it, so we
could tell her to declare them?
Smuggling? She is taking zem to
her musser-zey have once been pur-
chased in America"
ST don't believe she had any jewels"
asserted bravely. Merely to say she
had-and she hasn't got them now
doesn't prove anything. You must have
sense enough to see that for yourself"
His face had darkened again. "You
doubt my word? I have re proof,
madame, re absolute proof-zat she
had re Jewels wis her when she went
on board re steamer; and while on
board and up to certain date. l can
furnish proof Eat would be accept in
any court-if madame renders it nee
essary."
His tone carried conviction in spite
of myself; also, knew he was ready
to have me put under arrest and fur
nish his proof in court, For a minute
went limp and sick. But / pulled my
self together for another shot at him
"Then you admit she was smuggling
jewels into the country?"
He shrugged thought to conceal
his uneasiness at tie way was taking
1t. "Ze jewels belong to my wife-a
wedding gift from her fazer-if you
call it smuggling"
''But they were not declared
know that, anyway. Well, then-since
they were not declared, they were to
all intents and purposes Struggled. We
shall now act as though they had been
smuggled-we shall at once enlist the
services of the government in your be-
half. After the jewels are discovered,
you can present evidence that they
were not subject to duty. Or, of course,
you can pay the duty. 1 suppose they
are worth that to you to get them
back?''
''What do you mean, madame| he
exclaimed in tone that to me sound
ed alarm. You sink ask your gov
eminent to seek for zoze lost jewels
Of my daughter? Diable-pardon-and
lose zem so soon as I find zen?"
'tNot you. but FL will ask the Gus