Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-11-19
cHApTER wCcon.Inusd.

wis me. holding a weapon In hei
handT
as monsieur intending to converse
| with me behind locked doorsT
"For re present-yes."
every well. then. get 1t over. What
Ia 1T" felt very sure by this time
II had nothing. directly, to do with
Mrs. DelarlO.
cit is zis-my daughter. Claire, was
robbed OF some very valuable jewels
on 20 steamer coming over. zere are
hut two persons who could possibly
have committed re seft-Mrs. Delario
and--yourself."
l was dazed--so dazed that ! STAN
mered
"You say CInlre was robbed coming
over on the steamer-and you think |
did III"
precisely"
My wits came back with that fiat
accusation.
'"Then why didn't she say something
about 1t at the timer" demanded.
Probably because she was not
aware of 1t at 20 time-one seldom Is,
II may be permitted to point It out
to madame"
was so completely innocent Of even
knowing that the girl had Jewels with
her--except such little trlnkets as a
child values and that nobody but a
street thief would have bothered his
head over-that saw monsleur's nc.
cusation as blackmall. That word sud
denly popped into my head and gave
me the basis of a return, attack.
"You mean to tell me that Claire
had valuable jewels on the steamer yet
never mentioned the fact 10 either Mrs.
DelariO or myselfT' /
Naturally, she says nossing-why
should she7 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 1t. so We
could tell her to declare themf'
Smuggling? She Is taking zem u
her musser-zey have once been pur
chased In America"
Il don't believe she mad any jewels,
I 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. "Yor
doubt my word? have ze proof
madame. re absolute prOof-zat she
had re jewels wis her when she wen
on board re steamer; and while OF
board and up to certain date. l cat
furnish proof Eat would be accept IL
any cOurt--if madame renders II nee
essary"
His tone carried conviction in spite
OF myself; also. knew he was read,
to have me put under arrest and fur
nish his proof In court. For a mlnut,
I went limp and sick. But pulled my
self together for another shot at him
Then you admit she was smuggling
jewels into the country1'
He shrugged thought TO concea
his uneasiness at the way l was taklnI
It. ne jewels belong to my wife,
wedding gift from her fazer--if yor
call II smuggling"
"But they were not declared
know that. anyway. Well. then--slnc
they were not declared. they were t
all intents and purposes smuggled. W
shall now act as though they had bee
smuggled-we shall II once enlist tn
services OF the government In your bS
half After the Jewels are discovered
you can present evidence that the
were not subject TO duty. Or, of cours,
you can pay the duty. l suppose the
are worth that TO you TO get thei
back1'
what do you mean. madame?" h
exclaimed In tone that 10 me sount
ed alarm. "You sink / ask your 20,
eminent to seek for zoze lost jewel
OF my daughter? Dlable-pardon--an
lose xem so soon as find zemy"
mot you, but II VIII ask the GU
toms house officials to take up tn
case"
"Yorf Your Madam
Of what are you sinking?"
"I-yes,. certainly" l replied firml,
following up my advantage; for h
Lad given 1t away 10 me that he tiidn
wish the customs house to know aho,
.lis little smuggling of Clalre's. "SinC
Fou have seen fit to accuse me of
robbery ] know nothing about, sha
II must-do all l can to help Clail
get her jewels back In order to prov
any own innocence. will go to II
customs house and report the who
matter tomorrow morning"
"You will do Messing of re sort 20 (