Year: 1868

Sne was not 10 De louIiu. AAcI
friends were visited; the most
transient acquaintance called on,
with like result. 3xtl


Each hour, instead of revealing
the mystery, only deepened, it.
In the light sf the morning we
continued the search. A single
object was discovered, which
could possibly afford a clue to the
missing girl. On the floor of the
dressing room was diamond ear
ring. 1t was not such an one as
was worn by the actress. 1t estab-
lished beyond question the pres
ence of another person in her room,
and that person a female. This
was all. The mysteriousinterview
and its termination were shrouded
in veil Of darkness our ingenuity
could not penetrate. If the earth
had opened and swallowed her, her
disappearance could not have been
more utterly unaccountable.


What was to be done? We
knew she was a native of France,
brought thence in childhood. Her
relatives had died, her friends
knew nothing, save that she was
an orphan. Genius had aided her
rise. industry had secured her
fame. The architect of her own
fortunes, she had climbed alone the
steep whose ascent is devious and
hard to surmount.


Days went by. Friends in
-terested themselves in the search,
and large rewards were offered for
any intelligence of the missing
girl. All was Intellectual. Not
even trace Of her could be found.
Still | had not given up; at my
heart 1 felt that we would yet sue
ceed in finding her. ca


One day / stood leaning negli-
gently on the counter of a fashion
able jeweler. / loved to gaze up
on the brilliant gems that strewed
the case, and filled it with weird,
flashing light. My attention ab-
sorbed in viewing them, did not
notice the entrance of a lady-her
foreign accent in addressing the


jeweler caused me to turn around.
She held an earring in her hand
and was inquiring the cost of one,
if made to match it. The first
Iglance / had of 1T made the blood
leap like fire in my veins. 1t was
the counterpart of the one found
in the theatre.


d You may imagine / did not lose
sight of that woman. knew l
had struck on the right clue.


I traced her home. The pam
ther never stole on his victim
more silently than | in the foot
steps Of the 0ark.brown stranger.


/ scarcely know how ! got back
to the office. I seemed to have
triumphed over space and time.
More like a maniac than a detsc-
tive, / rushed up to Mr.. L. and
impaired my intelligence He was
not less excited than /. We both
felt an interest in the beautiful
girl as strong as if she had
been a sister. But we knew that
our steps must be wary, and our
movements as secret as the grave.
We had no common criminal to
deal with. IF not the arch-fiend
/ himself. we knew she was almost
as cunning. The mysterious alb
duction of the actress disclosed a
hquickness and sagacity at once
ingenious and profound. The same
subtle spirit We did not doubt we


should have to encounter again.
It was rot, therefore, with a feel
ing of assured success that we
prepared to enter the residence to
| which Ihad traced the foreignlady.
/ 90 AR q


1t was not as officers of the law
usually go, that we went on that
occasion. We employed rather
the subtle cunning and perfect
skill of q man brought up to the
!; business. For once his nefari.


ous art helped him to a noble deed
La life of crime was Ewhitened by


single virtue. Before the skill Of


this man the door sprung back up
Fon its hinges, and we stood within
the portals where the issues of


this strange mystery where to. bt
decided. Silently we ascended
1.-THE stairs Asgas fame, burning