Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-01-15
a thing but his word"

His tone was trife 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
1t and went on: "He made one Slip
saw it ut the time. and now 1 can't
remember what it was. 1t went slap
out of my head and it was important
something about no, 1 can't re-
member. 1t was sort Of key to some
thing else
Cant you think?" urged Billy.
Every little details important now.
And lordy-lord-what a story, and my
scoop!"
The reporter was rOmping around in
Billy's inside, determined to push the
story to finish; while romping
around in my insides was my natural
caution. Why should we do anything
to warn the Emperor William? 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 all our proof before we
l'ivulged 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
sorrOwfng 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 courtry bow.
bowed also. Thus we signified 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
sieur as daZed as anything we'd done;
ineXplicably, we had abruptly set him
adrift, without threats or explanations
and without-the diamonds. I smiled
and said, quite as though he'd been
drinking tea with me: "Ill say good
night to you, monsieur" With that, I
held out my hand.
Monsieur did not rise. He did not
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-
manned marked him a trespasser. Yet
he remained, glued to his chair and
dumb. Speech seemed to have DESERT
ed him. Twice he essayed it, but the
words stuck in his throat and he
looked to us to help him out.
The clock chimed the four-quarters
to nine and then the hour. Monsieur
spoke.
II have place myself in your posi-.
ton as American and I appreciate
your feeling" he began, and he went
on to tell us as q man he grieved fol
us; how as would-be friend he
grieved for us; how as the emperor's
messenger he grieved for us; and how
lin the innocent carrying off Of q
slipper from the customs house-One
of pair in which his daughter had, al
his command, secreted box Of dia'
monds belonging to the emperor-had
brought myself within the circle Of i'm
placable, all-seeing, all-avenging ant
never-ending wrath, whether the dla
monds were lost, strayed, stolen from
me, or drowned in the sea wrath that
would follow me and my name for
o1yor, u.o,.11 Nwifho,,k or1 ov,oau
GAIL right, let it," replied CURLY.
i "But would it not be better to con
s,der?" urged monsieur. 'Ze wrass Of
re emperor is terrible. Consider
madame, beg you to consider. Zozt
diamonds Eat you have found in Za
slipper you have re misfortune to carr,
off. Consider to give zem back"
"They were not in the slipper car
ried off,
Monsieur positively jumped. "Ze!
were not in Eat slipper?"
"No-on my word Of honor as gen
| tiewoman, monsieur, I tell you thos'
diamonds were not in the slipper I car
ried off,"
"Mon .Dieu!" he said under hi
breath. MADAME Delario must hav'
zem-in spite Of her denial-in spite o
Eat search re entire house-and her
self-and find also re slipper in he
wardrobe as she would not leave it,
she find zoze diamonds"
"But she may not have found then
they may have fallen out and go
lost"
sible-impossible," he inter
rupted. II have examine bose zoz
slippers-you see it is zis way: NJ
daughter have glue re box In one, safe
and on an evening you tell Madam
Delario to wear zoze slippers an
Claire have but just time to remove z
box and she returns it to re 'uzze
slipper. It is Eat little accident-an
some words from yourself-zat cor
vince me 1t is yourself who has foun
zoze diamonds"
mo, monsieur. When you accuse
me OF robbing Claire Of jewelry
hadn't the least idea what you meant