The White Lie

rs afterwards did Jea

silent room, she found herself lying in a heap upon the floor,

half-hour before she had fainted, and slowl

oing forth to commit the crime. There were the three empty plates, too; while on the top of the cupboard the cheap,

wn Ralph-a common thief! Impossible! impossible!" Then she so

been forced upon her, and she

or Adolphe. Ah! yes," she sighed. "Adolphe knows-he knows the truth-of all I have suffered. Ralph is a thief

the man she loved, and who, in return, had now revealed his contempt, even hatred. He had told her that s

een, unscrupulous man, against whom were so many charges. Next to Bonnemain

now knew. Her senses seemed benumbed, for the b

hour

e drunken voice of a workman who lived in the ground-floor flat

ur, therefore she had no idea of the time, but s

ck gown. Then at last she rose and, crossing to the cupboard with fir

er trembling fingers, and with tears falling upon t

suffer longer. Certain hidden things in your

the letter. Afterwards she addressed it to her husband, and left it upon the table. Then slo

ick-knacks, photographs, and the like-and, putting on her hat, passed back across the living-room, and then cre

eft, went blindly and broken-hearted along in the direction of the Bois, out into the wor

" and "The Eel" were bu

ning through Neuilly-on-Seine, crosses the river

n from the road by a high wall. In this was a big gate of ornamental iron, the top of which

cause plates of iron had been fixed half-way up, shutting out

m without question, in whatever garb they might chance to be. But any inquisitive person, or stranger, never got within tha

re smoking and drinking coffee, till midnight, when they went forth, treading lightly, for at "The Eel's"

aron's garden, they found

rew a stone against the ironwork, with the result that

at Ralph An

y cotton a piece of poisoned liver, he threw it ove

ty, pounced upon it, and finding it to be

utes Ralph waited wi

stone against the iron

d. But there was

to where Adolphe lu

a long window which led out upon a well-kept lawn. They had

d which, while catching the foliage of the trees, caused i

Then, with expert hand, he quickly smeared it with treacle, and afterwards, with a glazier's

n the thick Turkey carpet, though "The Eel," in entering, unfortunately stumbled, and in grabbing the d

ed. Then, led by Ralph, to whom the interior of the big house was well known, "The Eel" entered the cosy,

business-like writing-table placed in the window, it was a cosy place-a place with which many a spy of Germany was familiar and in

ss through the house in order to have a confidential chat with its owner, while in a fa

nto it thrust what knick-knacks seemed to be of value-several miniatures, a couple of gold snuff-boxes, a small box of L

had succeeded in opening one of the small drawers. Within was a secret cavity

is companion fingered it, with the result that of a sudden a portion of the wood fell back and from

with gloating eyes, slipped

d pearls, a diamond and platinum pendant, a muff-chain set with diamonds, and a child's coral necklace-the jewellery belongi

he valuables, the thief t

were three other bank-notes lying loose, about twenty golden louis, two rub

Baron's secret c

safe?" asked

room, I expect.

razor, he commenced to slash vigorously at the pale green silk upholstery of the couch and easy chairs. He was angry and vicious i

ing other "jobs." It is, indeed, well known to criminologists and to all police officials that the average burglar is never satisfied w

is furniture. In many other homes he had acted in a similar way, just a

his room?" whispered Ado

replied in a low breath. "This is the job of our lives, mon vieux. I daresay there are pap

's" reply. "If there's no great

t your rev

y one now," was A

necessary," Ralph replied. "I mean to have tho

ever

Then to

without a sound, and along the