The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-02-26
Monsieur positively jumped.
..Zey


"No-on my word of honor as gen
tlewoman, monsieur l tell you those
diamonds were not in the slipper | car
ried Off.
| Mon Dieu!'' he said under his
breath MADAME Delario must have
zem-in spite of her denial--in spite OF
Eat search re entire house-and her.
| self-and find also re slipper in hel
wardrobe as she would not leave it II
| she find zoze diamonds"
| But she may not have found them
they may have fallen out and got
| lost"
| 'Impossible--in,possible,' he inter
rupted. II have examine bose zoze
| slippers-you see it is zis way: MY
daughter have glue re box In one, safe
and on an evening you tell Madame
Delario to wear zoze slippers and
Claire have but just time to remove &c
box and she returns it to re uzzeI
| slipper. 1t is Eat little accident-and
some words from yourself-zat con.
vince me it is yourself who has found
zoze diamonds"
mo, monsieur. When you accused
me of robbing Claire of jewelry
hadn't the least idea what you meant.
suppose you accused Mrs. Delario
of the same thing? Didn't you accuse
her of taking jewels from Claire-just
as you did me-without specifying
what kind of jewels?'
"Oui-yes. Naturally, / do not
specify, for re reason if she find re
diamonds, she know to what refer ;
but if you have find ZEN, do not tell
for what seek"
"Well, that's it, l do believe!" l ex-
claimed in the tone of having discov-
cred the key to the whole difficulty.
"You said jewels and she thought you
| meant what we should mean by it--as
we use the word, we think Of pins,
bracelets, pendants, made-up articles,
you understand"
"Ah. so Eat is re way of it," he
cried, popping off his chair in hurry.
81 see it is some error of idiOm of re
language Eat cause all re trouble. !
go Immediately to re estimable Ma
dame Delario and explain all to her.
He took up his hat, which Billy had
picked up off the floor after the scrim-
mage and laid on the dining-room
table.
"Oh, monsieur-you a diplomats"
Tipped off. "And you think you can go
to an American citizen after such ac-
cusations as you've made and say: 1T
was all mistake. and settle every
thing?"
: But / apologize for re mistake" he
urged, as though his sweet apology
paid for everything he'd done and
brought forth box OF diamonds on a
salver, here-they -are-t nk-you-for-taE-
ing-them.
1 laughed. Suppose she won't ac-
cept your apology?" I asked, and be-
fore he got reply, | added: "She
probably won't even see you--not after
the way you treated her."
81 bet she doesn't even zee you,"
Billy supported, seeing my drive.
"What are you going to do?" He was
anxious to make monsieur commit
himself.
Monsieur twisted his hands nervous
ly and l kept the ball rolling by OBJ
serving slyly: "You have just told us
that the most profound secrecy must
be maintained, so you cannot call ia
the police. But there is one thing you
can do paused.
He asked breathlessly, "And Eat
is-?"
go straight to the president and lay
the whole case before him."
Monsieur looked as if he'd fall in a
faint at my feet.
s'Ze president-mon Dieu!" He used
his handkerchief over his face. sMa-
dame-in pity-out of re kindness of
your so kind heart srow myself on
your mercy, De Ravenol-and / ask
you to help me in re recovery of zoze
diamonds in secret. l ask it for re
sake of Claire. ask on my knee"
And the man was actually preparing
to do it, too! But ], not being used to
that sort of demonstration and seeing
it as anything but a compliment that
he felt he had to go such lengths to
propitiate me-for / like to think my
self at least decently approachabIe on
common humane grounds-responded
to his near-kneel with a peremptory,
Don't do y and look and gesture
that showed him he could save the
histrionics "How can help your
questioned.
1T is a case for-diplomacy-
dealing wiz re lady; and / ask--as a
SO great favor-zat you see Madame
Delario and discover re truse from
her, if she have lind re little box-and
persuade her to her duty to return it,"
The net result of the remainder of
the interview was that monsieur prom
ised to relieve both Mrs. Delario and
me of all espionage ;mmediately-dis-
miss his solitary detective who was
shadowing me-bring Claire to the
house the next evening for a full con-
fession of her part of the smuggling;
while l promised to see Mrs. Delario
the first thing in the morning and use
all my influence with her.
II think that is all-this evening"
said sweetly, giving him the hint to
go.
/ at once got Billy's. coat and hat
from my wardrobe, where they were
hidden. and coming through the hall
managed to signal him to go along