The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-08-12
BEGIN HERE TODAY

John Ainsley, man of educatio,
and breeding, becomes maste
crok-preying upon other thieves
At Monte Carlo he learns that som,
clever thief has. stolen a pearl neck
lace from the Baronne d'Esterelle.
Ainsley overhears a man posing
as Russian prince offer the use o
his hotel apartment to young Eng
lishman and his American bride, VIII.
have lost all their money at roulette
Later the prince brings hotel attend
ants to the apartment, claiming thai
the young Englishman has stolen hi
keys. The prince offers to free thu
Englishman if he lis allowed to take
the young bride on motor trip. Thi:
brings on a fight. Later the prime,
dismisses the charge. Ainsley won.
ders what is the nature of the
princes game.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
For l had no more desire to face
court, even in the role of witness
than, I suspected, the Prince had tc
stand before judge as complainant
And if l offered testimony in support
of young Beresford, such plot was
so fragrant, SO vicious, that not even
the Monegasques, willing to wink
their eyes at almost any offense, if
scandal could be thus averted, could
ignore this. The French, for all that
is written about their morals, have a
respect for wifehood. They would
insist that the Prince be brought to
: trial for conspiracy, and I would
have to testify in court.
So, while had no intention Of per-
hitting Beresford to be deported
under circumstances that would for
ever stain his name, I waited. There
might be only one way of SHINING
this particular polecat, but l sus-
pected that there might be another.
And so, two hours later, when all
the hotel save, probably young Beres-
ford, slept, entered the Princes
rooms.
Like the cat which walks alone. l
walked silently. Also my movements
were quiet, picked the lock with
out difficulty, and passed through
the door. I found myself in liv-
ingroom, at the far side of which
was an open door, through which ]
heard SHORES. l tiptoed to it, peered
through and entered the bedroom. A
night-light was burning. and by it's
rays l could distinguish the screen
behind which, had heard the Prince
tell Beresford, was a trunk. Now,
that trunk had unquestionably con-
tanned cash-box. But if it had
contained anything else of value,
would the PRINCE have rashly hand
ed the Englishman his keys? If, for
instance, the trunk had contained
evidence which would INDICATE tina,
its owner possessed unprincely ha-
bits, would the Prince have given
up the keys?
This action of mine was based on
the theory, none too logically &C.
quired, that the Prince was GRIM
inal. Unless l should find proof in
support Of my theory, my nocturnal
visit would be not merely dangerous
but useless. And it was silly to look
for evidence in the trunk.
If the Prince was what l thought
him to be, proof in support Of my be-
lief would be found only upon his
person. And it is a difficult thing to
search q sleeping man without awak.
ening him. Nevertheless L. did it.
And having done so, raggedly clip.
ped from his great black beard 2
tuft of his precious whiskers. Thief
l returned to my room.
Three minutes later l had broken
two chairs, overturned dressing
table, and smashed pane of glass
in the window. Also, l had shouted
at the top of my lungs. and had
aroused the valet de chambre who
slept in cubbyhole at the end of
the corridor. He had aroused the
night-clerks, and to these latter and
to the porters who accompanied them,
I poured forth my tale of nocturnal
crime.
II was awakened by the sound Of
footsteps. l saw q huge figure by
the side of my bed. attacked him.
We fought. Behold, messieurs; the
condition of my ROOM" l gesticulat-
ed wildly, indicating the damage
which I had just committed.
"But it is outrageous, monsieur"
cried one of the clerks. "That such
a thing should happen in the Hotel
de Paris is almost incredible. Was
taken from MONSIEUR"
~ doubt it," replied, "but l will
see." I felt in the pocket of my din
ner jacket. my purse" l cried,
with fifteen mile notes, thousand
franc plaque, and an express check
for thousand dollars"
"Could Monsieur identify the
thief"
! looked at the clerk who put the
I,opsned my hand. Upon
my palm lay tuft Of black wills
kers. ~ tore these from his face in
our struggle" declared.
"aAh!" they cried in unison.
I glanced down upon the floor.
caught my eye.
"Look!" l cried.
A porter picked up the golden OBJ
ject. It was pencil, richly chased.
I hent over and from the floor picked
up visiting card, torn and crushed
Dramatically I smOotaed it, and read
the; name, "'Prince +Meerkovst.'"
"''The thief's name, l. exclaimed.
"Prince Maerkpvstl' cried one Of
the. clerks. The others echoed his
name. The SECOND clerk assumed an
air of great shrewdness,
"That is why, a thief himself, he
was so lenient to the Englishman,"
he said, "Ah, the canaille! We shall
60 to him!"