The Black Tortoise

has vanis

which I was awakened at

constable, Kolstad, with a face

ou let him slip through

could possibly

t yourself a cup of coffee; I shall make haste

finished dressing and was rea

a good breakfast, but disappointment had evidently taken away his appeti

lly I have been made a fool of. Yes; that such a pomatummed lady-killer should b

ntly had some difficulty in explaining himself; "we shall soon get hold of him, if we want him. I am sure it

t to keep my eye on him for the first few hours, for he was sitting in a room on the first floor of the Tivoli Restaurant, together with eight or ten other actors and actresses. They had the best dinner one could get and dra

re it was h

hat you, as usual, were on the right track. If only I had not been so stupid, well-you must exc

d Kolstad," I answered, with assumed severi

and from then on he did not attempt to dive

went on like that until six o'clock in the evening. Then Frederiksen went home to No. 44 Russel?k Street, and there he remained till nine o'clock. He must have slept during that time, for he looked quite sober when he c

e hand-

and now you shall hear

young officer took another carriage and drove after him. Whether he knew that any one was following

gentleman who had just entered the hotel, and what room he had obtained. The porter, who was a new man and not one of my acquaintances, answered that the servant was just th

, I got the porter to promise to telephone to me if the stranger should be getting rea

to Sweden. As you know, sir, the train goes eleven five, so I had only just time to dress and go to the station; but I was, of course, sure that the young officer

icial with me. There was not a sign of the actor! In the first class there sat only one personage. It was Mr

w the ambas

o like Peer Gynt on the stage,-not, perhaps, in the beg

thing to have to do with an actor. It was just by playing his old r

was; but who the de

ow was it that your assistant d

ant and asked who was going away. It was Mr. D--, the ambassador, he answered, and when the constable saw a fine old gent

assistant knew it well. Besides, it seems to me that the porter must have been astonished to see a young, smoot

was in the carriage that he transformed himself into an ambassador; the hood was well pulled down, as it rained a little. The hotel porter had, therefore, only seen him as the elderly gentleman the whole time; and we, who only saw him step out of

large h

ppened. He himself thought it was a little strange that the man should disguise himself during the drive; but as far as I could understand, he was a little tipsy on this occasi

er upon this subject, but sent

was only in possession of a very small sum of money. He was taken back to Christiania, and it was soon ascertained that he had been or was engaged to Evelina. Also, that the day before his journey he had been very flus

*

pened later on that day, which began with the melanchol

ctor had disappeared; and when I, in addition, received information from one of my men that she had left Villa Ballarat to visit her

k, but this time I decided to take it

her relations to the actor. In any case, I felt she deserved some pity, and I wished therefore to

e cognizant of the crime and the place where Jurgens's money was to be found. To get hold of

the morning when I drove to Russel?k S

he gate; the constable remained behi

very indistinctly. As I opened the door, I saw the first room was empty; then I

, you unlucky child; then we should have been

bbing, and then by a youthful voice rendered hoarse by passion and sorrow. I stepped near

er have done, never in this world! and what I already have done cannot now be undone-I

nterrupted by loud sobbing, and some

ppeared in the doorway, while her daughter could be seen

m felt so un

particular, passed me by unheeded. I only saw the young girl's deadly pa

few persons possess. She got up hurriedly, stroked ba

lly calm; every drop of blood s

ng it both yesterday and to-day. Yesterday I should probably have denied it, but to-day I don't! I have sto

hter said, and tried several times to interrupt her; but there wa

re probably extenuating circumstances which may make your guilt less than it seems.

are a good man; but I don't wish my punishment to be lessened. I have told you I have

don't talk lik

w control herself n

's own flesh and blood tell lies about herself and get herself convicted! You can se

t a full confession and the money back. The diamond has been sold for

nowing anything whatever about the diamond or the money. The young girl did not utter a single word from this moment until

the robbery, but refused to give any further explanation. She only asked that there might be no delay in p

Mrs. Reierson's, no trace

's arrest and confession; at the same time, I asked him for the present not

ing after his affairs, and the authorities decided to drop

five of these in one of the banks in the town. But the cashier had not taken any particular notice of the appearance of

emaining notes co