Part 8 (2/2)

”Stole it! Nonsense! It ar--glorious”

I shookto see our worried and anxious envoys profit by the beautiful thief's outrageous robbery

Merton continued: ”I will go on to state it as well as I can in her oords She said: 'I stood a moment in doubt, but the noise in the hall increased The screen was driven in fraght at any moment That would mean ruin I tried the side door It was not locked, and in a arden I went around to the front of the house, and in a minute or two secured a cabriolet and was driven hoan I had acted on i? Oh, I knoicked! To think, sir, that I should have done such a thing!'

”When she spoke out in this way,” said Merton, ”I saw that if ere to help her, it was essential that we should knohether she was beco irresolute To test her I said: 'But, iven it back to the count next day You may be sure he would never have told; and now, poor n Office! It is not yet too late Why not return the papers?'

”For a moment I felt ashamed, because even before I rave risks which I saw before us, I knew that she was sobbing”

”It orth while But what,” I asked, ”did she say?” If Merton had said that she eakening, I should have felt some relief and more disappointment

He asked in turn, ”What do you think she said?”

For my part, I could only reply that it was a question of character, but that while she ret and express her penitence in words, a woman who had done what she had done would never express it in acts

Merton said, ”Thank you,” which seemed to me a rather odd reply He rose as he spoke and for a e! Greville, I felt as if I had insulted her You think I was right--it is quite a relief” He spoke with an amount of emotion which appeared to ht; but what did she say?”

”'Say?' She said: 'I a I did it for no personal advantage I am punished when I think of myself as a thief I have already suffered otherwise I do not care I did it for my country, as--as you kill ive me! But if you are ashamed--if you are shocked--if you think--oh, if you fear to assist me, you will at least consider what I have said as a confidence' She stood up as she answeredoverheard Ah, but I wanted to see that masked face! I said twice as she spoke: 'Be careful You mistake me' She took not the least notice of my caution Then at last I said: 'Pray sit down It was--it is clear, madame, that all concerned or who may concern themselves, with this matter must feel absolute security that there will be no weakness anywhere After what you have said, and with entire trust in you, we shall at all risks see this thing through' She said, 'Thank you,'

and did sit down

”Then I went on: 'I want to ask you a question or two Did the count recognize you?'

”'I was not sure at the time, but he must have at least suspected me, for he called next day at an unusually early hour, insisted on seeingthe fire, a document had been stolen from his table He had re about it? I said, ”How could I?” I was dreadfully scared, but I replied that I had certainly gone through his office and had left both doors open Then he said, ”It is too grave a matter for equivocation, and I ask, Did you take it?” I said I was insulted, and upon this he lost his temper and threatened all manner of consequences'

X

”To cut it short, Greville, she refused to be questioned, and, I fancy, lied ratherto admit to me

He went away furious and reasonably sure, or so I think, that she had the papers”

”I see,” said I ”He had been careless Of course, he hesitated for a day or two to confess his loss But what about those papers? Where are they? She ought to have taken theation”

”Yes, but that is easily explained The count called early, and after that she felt sure that she would be proo at once to any such length He must be an indecisive man At all events, he took no positive action until after our encounter and her escape, when he beca and why You see, he lacked the good sense to confess instantly to the head of his office Arrest would have been instantaneous He waited, ashamed to confess, and I presume did not fully inform the police he called in Now, I suppose, he has had to confess his loss to his superiors”

”But these papers?” said I

”Well, don't hurry ht and read the papers she had--well, taken, she saw their enorovernment Their importance increased her alarm, and the count's visit added to her sense of need to conceal souilt After her first fatal delay of the next ation She could trust no one

She believed the Emperor's minister would act at once She knew that, soon or late, her town house would be searched To keep the papers about her would not do She must hide them at once, and then we must hear of them; and no letters would serve her purpose She was panic-stricken I fancy the count, having been careless, was as anxious, but told no one that day This gave her a chance until luck played her a trick The count's interview in the htened her, had not helped him The next day his superiors would have to be told, and I have no doubt have been

”Then, as you know, it ca in haste to escape a ducking, he et a cab, and was just in tie Very likely he did not see you at all Indeed, we may be sure that he did not When, too, the count saw that, in place of turning ho driven toward the Bois, his suspicions were at once aroused I ought to say that, to avoid using her own carriage, she had set out to walk She was not yet watched, though she ood one Curious and troubled, he caught a cabriolet and followed, as was natural enough