<pb id='252.png' /> R122437, 17Dec53, Mell Daniel (Co-executor of deceased author) MARSAN, BLANCHE (KAINKELS)

SEE Marsan, Eugène.

MARSAN, EUGÈNE.

R122638, 23Dec53, Mme Eugène Marsan (née Blanche Kainkels) (W) MARSH, EVA. Men marooned.

"You know M. de Marsan's private office?

At this hour and until twelve o'clock, M. de Marsan will be occupied in copying a document which I desire to possess.

M. de Marsan, in all probability, will come out of his room to see what the disturbance is about.

Schemes, both varied and wild, rushed through my active brain: refuse to take this risk, and denounce the plot to the police; refuse it, and run to warn M. de Marsan; refuse it, and I had little time for reflection.

M. de Marsan might throw me a franc, and think himself generous at that!

I was dressed as a respectable commissionnaire, and I carried a letter and a small parcel addressed to M. de Marsan.

" I mounted and took my stand some ten steps below the landing, keeping the door of M. de Marsan's room well in sight.

One glance upon the desk sufficed: there lay the large official-looking document, with the royal signature affixed thereto, and close beside it the copy which M. de Marsan had only half finishedthe ink on it was still wet.

Three seconds had scarcely elapsed before I picked up the document, together with M. de Marsan's half-finished copy of the same, and a few loose sheets of Chancellerie paper which I thought might be useful.

Five thousand would certainly be paid by the Government whose agent M. Charles Saurez admittedly was for one glance at that secret treaty which would be so prejudicial to their political interests; whilst M. de Marsan himself would gladly pay another five thousand for the satisfaction of placing the precious document intact before his powerful and irascible uncle.

Geoffroy's lovely face, "that my sister desires to consult you, but for her fiancé M. de Marsan, who is very ill indeed, hovering, in fact, between life and death.

" "You may rely on my discretion, Monsieur," I murmured, without showing, I flatter myself, the slightest trace of that astonishment which, at mention of M. de Marsan's name, had nearly rendered me speechless.

"M. de Marsan came to see me in utmost distress, Monsieur," resumed the lovely creature.

This morning he gave M. de Marsan a valuable paper to copya paper, Monsieur, the importance of which it were impossible to overestimate.

she continued, with a pathetic quiver in her voice and a look of appeal in her eyes which St. Anthony himself could not have resisted, "and help me to regain possession of that paper, the final loss of which would cost M. de Marsan his life.

I hated that unknown de Marsan.

" "Stolen, Monsieur," she assented whilst the tears once more gathered in her eyes, "and M. de Marsan now lies at death's door with a terrible attack of brain fever, brought on by shock when he discovered the loss.

"M. de Talleyrand gave the document to M. de Marsan at nine o'clock, telling him that he wanted the copy by midday.

M. de Marsan set to work at once, laboured uninterruptedly until about eleven o'clock, when a loud altercation, followed by cries of 'Murder!'

" "But," I concluded blandly, "whilst M. de Marsan was out of the room the precious document was stolen.

Now, though M. de Marsan has been in a burning fever since he discovered his loss, he kept just sufficient presence of mind at the moment to say nothing about that loss to any of the Chancellerie officials, but to go straight home to his apartments in the Rue Royale and to send for my sister and for me.