The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Ivory Snuff Box, by Arnold Fredericks

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Title: The Ivory Snuff Box

Author: Arnold Fredericks

Release Date: August 30, 2009 [EBook #29852]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE IVORY SNUFF BOX

BY ARNOLD FREDERICKS

GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

Copyright, 1912, by
W. J. WATT & COMPANY

_Published October._

THE IVORY SNUFF BOX

CHAPTER I

The last thing that sounded in Richard Duvall's ears as he left the
office of Monsieur Lefevre, Prefect of Police of Paris, were the
latter's words, spoken in a voice of mingled confidence and alarm, "The
fortunes of a nation may depend upon your faithfulness. Go, and God be
with you." He entered the automobile which was drawn up alongside the
curb, and accompanied by Vernet, one of the Prefect's assistants, was
soon threading the torrent of traffic which pours through the _Rue de
Rivoli_.

The thoughts which lay uppermost in the detective's mind were of Grace,
his wife; Grace Ellicott, who had become Grace Duvall but little more
than an hour before. By this time he had expected to be on his way to
Cherbourg, _en route_ to New York, with Grace by his side. They had
looked forward so happily to their honeymoon, on shipboard, and now--he
found himself headed for London on this mysterious expedition, and Grace
waiting for him in vain at the _pension_. The thought was maddening. He
swore softly to himself as he looked out at the crowded street.

Monsieur Lefevre had no right to ask so great a sacrifice of him, he
grumbled. What if he had distinguished himself, made himself the
Prefect's most valued assistant, during the past six or eight months?
The matters which had brought him from New York to Paris had all been
definitely concluded--Grace and he were married--his plans had all been
made, to return to America, and home. Now at the last moment, it was
frightfully exasperating to have Monsieur Lefev