Evening star., 1922-08-13
NOTIFIED BUTTERFLY

Wnere were you, monsieur:
Then the marquis added with
laugh:
you cannot be expected to tell
that; you protect US. monsieur, by
your mystery. If the Lecca could
say, Tomorrow NJ. Jonauelle will be
in Brussels we should not have a
jewel or a flve-franc piece remaining
to u.s.
alas, monsieur" replied the pre-
feet. you do me too much honor.
There are a number of very good
men with the service de la surete,
quite as capable as l to protect
Paris"
THE marquis laughed.
you have an affection for your as
sociates. NJ. Jonquelle, that I fear
clouds your intelligence. Nothing could
have been managed with more stu
pidity than the investigation Of my
apartment. In your absence. mon
sieur. you cannot imagine into what
hopeless commonplace the investiga-
ton of criminal affair in Paris can
descend.
Alas. monsieur, there is gulf
fixed between Alexander and the lieu
te1ants OF Alexander. But for my
own feeble efforts. nothing would
have resulted from the police invcsti
cation in my apartment. The neck
lace of diamonds which the marquise
purchased for five hundred thousand
fro
jewels of Russia. would have dis
appeared without a clue to the thief.
AS it happened. he was brought to
justice. He confessed and was SEN
fenced for an incredible period by the
court. But for me"-and again the
marquis laughed-"there would have
been no thief sentenced. Your inspec-
tors. monsieur, were ridiculous"
There was humility in the projects
reply.
And the Marquis Chantelle was
magnificent. His fame in the affair
has reached me; he is the admiration
of the surette! l have come. mon
sieur, to verify the details. and from
yourself. / do not know what rumor
may have added or omitted"
= X 4:
LIE bowed slightly. like one who
would add gesture of compli-
ment to his words.
Willingly. monsieur" replied the
marquis. Il shall be charmed to
verify details: but you will pardon
me if am moved to ask YOU for your
opinion on a certain phase of this
mystery. You must have an opinion.
monsieur. if you do not have an ex-
planatin. in fact
He turned little in his seat.
Monsieur" he said. how did it
happen that when we had fixed this
robbery upon Jean Lequex. a member
of the Lecca, he admitted it before
the court and asked for an immediate
sentence" But he would admit moth
ing else: he would not say what he
had done with the necklace or where
it was.
THAT was a strange position for
man to take. monsieur. He could hope
nothing from the judge. Why confess?
Il did not tighten his sentence: and
after all. our evidence against him was
circumstantial Why did he not say
what he had done with the necklace?
The judge would have reduced the SEN
tence. Why conceal it. monsieur. and
go for this long period Of servitude?
Did he hope to escape?"
NJ. Jonquelle spoke with decision.
'He did not
"Then, monsieur" continued the
marquis, "why did he refuse to say
where the necklace was: OF what
service would be the necklace to him
after twenty years."
Again NJ. Jonquelle replied directly
and with decision.
"Of no use. monsieur; the man did
not expect it to be of any use to him."
Then, monsieur" continued the mar
quis. why in the name Of heaven did
he not say where this necklace was. and
thereby reduce his sentence?"
NJ, Jonquelle seemed to reflect.
"You have asked for my opinion" he
said; II think 1 can do better than give
an opinion. / think I can tell you pre-
cisely the reason why Jean LeQuex.
when he confessed this crime before the
court, refused to say what had be-
come of the necklace"
He smiled.
But 1 must be permitted, monsieur,
to hold this explanation as q sort Of
wage against the details Of your
story. The service de la surette is
filed with admiration for you. You
must omit no item of the narrative.
All, how enchanting Nine. Zirtenzoff
is, Hair like sunburst of dreams
and the figure of dryad. One would
do murder for her."
The marquis laughed.
Murder, monsieur"
"Ah, yes" replied the prefect, muir
der or any lesser crime"
He lifted his eyebrows in vague
facetious expression. His sleek. IRON
ical voice went into sort Of singsing.
1--WE have read in the poets OF old
time, and our fathers have told us.
that the first kiss Of the first woman
we love is beyond all kisses the
sweetest. And true 1t is, find. But
quite as true it is, 1 find, that equally
sweet is the last kiss OF the last woman
we love.
II do not know whence 1 have that
marquis, but in its crimi-
nal phase the thing is as sure as the
dawn. If for the first kiss Of the
FIRST woman we love one would do a
murder, would one do a lesser thing
for the last kiss Of the last woman
he loyes?"
The marquis regarded the face of
the prefect a moment in a sort Of
Monsieur" he said, "the human
he's ri In alwaYa Ynun1"