"Yes, I reckon they could all tell sad tales a year after their marriage. This case, however, is a refreshing one, for in the end the Yankee girl recovered from her blind adoration of rank and came down to a good common-sense view of the full value of money."
"Go on and tell the tale."
"That is the story. She just skipped, and, as I said, left her high-born relatives by marriage to pay their own bills; and now I come to the American end of the strange romance."
[CHAPTER IV.]
IKE AND JACK LISTEN TO AN ODD NARRATIVE AND WITH THE DETECTIVE LAY PLANS TO MAKE A GRAND CAPTURE.
Du Flore, continuing his narrative, said:
"The lady has a son who some day will be a count if he lives, and she stole her own boy when she ran away, and she has put that lad up in New England with her Yankee relatives, determined that if he lives there will be one count who has had a proper bringing up. She has just returned from a visit to her son. He is thriving finely, but one day while in Boston she saw her husband and believes he saw her, and she fears he means her some harm. She left Boston immediately, and on the train and boat became conscious that a man was dogging her steps. She believes the man to be a confederate of the count, but the story you tell me leads me to determine that the man was merely a common thief, attracted by her jewels and the prospect of a robbery. It was probably his intention to rob her on the road, but she, thinking her husband was on her track, was very careful and cautious. It appears, however, from what you tell me that the men have shadowed her down to her home and have made plans to rob and possibly murder her."
"I reckon," said Ike, "that this is the true solution. The count may show up later on."
"I hope he does," said Jack.