Has some one been discovered making love to his own wife by
mistake?"
"It's serious. Anne of Austria and Queen Elizabeth have been robbed of
some jewels."
"A thief among us?"
"A regular Galloping Dick. I'm a thief myself, for that matter."
"You?" she drew away from me a bit.
"Yes. My name is Procrastination."
"Ah, my grave Capuchin, we do not steal time; we merely waste it. But
is what you tell me true?"
"I am very sorry to say it is. The jewels were worth something like
ten thousand dollars."
"Merciful heavens!"
"It is true, infernally true,"--looking around to see if by chance
Caesar had reappeared on the scene. (How was I to manage my escape?
It is true I might hie me to the cellars; but how to get out of the
cellars!) "Have you seen Julius Caesar?" I asked.
"Caesar?"
"Yes, Miss Hawthorne--"
The Blue Domino swung about and leaned toward me, her hands tense upon
the sides of her chair.
"What name did you say?"--a strained note in her voice.
"Hawthorne," I answered, taking out the slip of pasteboard. "See! it
says that one blue domino was rented of Monsieur Friard at five-thirty
this afternoon."
"How did you come by that ticket?" she demanded.
"It was a miracle. I purchased a mask there, and this ticket was
wrapped up in my bundle by mistake.
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