The Jasper news., 1920-01-15
CHAPTER .XlII.-contInusd.


"Billy, dear. do listen to reason for
half second. What are we going to
tell the PRESIDENT We haven't got
. the whole story even yet out Of him
] pointed in the objection Of he dining.
rOom--"and theresIfhistn't be any gap
in 1t. We've got. to- see Mrs. Delarlo
and get her evidence-we've get to see
Claire. ~ -
"He1l make her sag anything"
"You and can break her down un-
der ss-examihati0n- You see, we
haven't q thing but his word"
SSAnd the diamonds" Billy inter.
rupted. I'm taking your word for
those-you didn't see at to show 'em
TO me-" o., 81
HIS tone was trifie sarcastic. indi-
eating that there might still be some
legitimate doubt as to the existence of
the stones In question, in spite of all
the adventure over them but ignored
IT and went on: HE made one slip
: saw II at the time, and now ! cant
remember what II was. 1t went slap
out Of my head and It was important
member. II was sort Of key to some
thing else"
Cant you thinkY'' urged Billy.
EVERY little details important now.
And lOrdy-lord-what o story, and my
scoop!"
The reporter was romping around In
Billy's inside, determined to push the
n Ani nj
around In my insldes was my natural
caution. Why should we do anything
to warn the Emperor William7 He
might deny everything and say he
never even heard of the diamonds !
Yes, one false step would make Billy
and me the -laughing-stock Of diplo-
matte circles throughout the world.
We must get oil our proof before we
-dlvulged the secret on which the fate
of our nation depended.
The net result of our hurried col-
,lOQuy was that we returned to the din.
ing room and silently relieved the still
borrowing monsieur of his handouts
Which done, Billy presented him with
leave OF absence from our society In
the words
Monsieur, you are free to CO." and
added cOurtly bow.
! bowed also. Thus we signifed with
all the manners we possessed that the
interview, pleasing as It had been,
was at an end
Our action-simple enough to us and
in line with the plan we'd Just mapped
out for getting at the truth-left mon
Rieur as dazed as anything we'd done I;
inexplicably, we had abruptly set him
adrift, without threats or explanations
and withOut--the diamonds. | smiled
and said, quite as though he'd been
drinking tea with me: "Tll sag good
night to you, monsieur" With that,
hela out my hand.
Monsieur did not rise. He did moi
take my offered hand. He stared-a
really frightened, childish stare, first
at me, then at Billy. He had been dis
missed-every second he longer re
mnined marked him q trespasser. Yet
he remained, glued to his chair anC
dumb. Speech seemed to have desert
ed him. Twice he essayed It, but tn,
words stuck In his throat and he
looked to US to help him out.
The clock chimed the four-quarteri
TO nine and then the hour. Monsieur
spoke.
II have place myself in your posi-
tiOn as American and l appreciate
your feeling" ne began, and he wen
on 10 tell us as a nah he grieved To-
us; how as a would-be friend hl
grieved for us how as the emperor
messenger he grieved for US; and hov
lin the innocent carrying of OF
slipper from the customs house-on
OF q pair In which his daughter had, a
his command. secreted a box of dla
mOnds belonging to the eInperOr-hat
brought myself within the circle Of I'm
placable, all-seelng, nll-avenging an
never-ending wrath, whether the dIa
mOnds we're lost, strayed, stolen fron
me. or drowned in the sea wrath tina
would follow me and my name for
ever, world without end. amen.
"All right, let IT," replied curtly.
"But would Il not be better 10 cor
siderf' urged monsieur. "Ze wrass @
70 emperor Is terrible. Consider
madame, ! beg you to consider. ZOz
diamonds Eat you have found 10 "a
slipper you have re misfortune to carr
on. Consider to give zem back"
'They were not In the slipper | cal
Fied on"
Monsieur positively jumped. "ze
were not In Eat sllpperi"
"No-On my word of honor as a ger
tlewOman. monsieur. tell you thos
= 4.