No. 98

    No.  B 7721

    The Central Office,

    Bureau of Detectives,

    Police Department of the City of New York,

    300 Mulberry Street.

Name........................Charles Francois

Alias.......................Count de Nevers

Date of Arrest..............1903

Place of Arrest.............London, England

Cause of Arrest.............False Pretenses

Name of Court...............Sessions

To what Prison..............Penal Servitude

Term of Imprisonment........Eighteen months.

    REMARKS:  Fraudulently obtained motor-car in London under pretense
    that he was Charles Duke de Nevers, son of Oscar, Prince de Nevers.”

“So he’s an ex-convict!” I exclaimed.

“He’s more than that!” cried O’Toole.  “He’s a bir-rd!”

I turned to Mrs. de Nevers or whoever she legally was.

“How did he come to do such a foolish thing as to offer to go on the bail bond of a perfect stranger?  What good could it do him?  He was sure to be caught.”

“I don’t know,” said she.  “He was always doing things like that.  He wanted to seem fine and grand, I guess.  We always travelled in style.  Why, the afternoon he signed the bond he came home and told me how the police had been troubling a gentleman who had a lady with him in an automobile and how he was able to settle the whole affair without the slightest difficulty and send them on their way.  He was quite pleased about it.”

“But why do you suppose be did it?”

“He just thought he’d do ’em a favor,” suggested O’Toole, “and in that way get in wid ’em an’ take their money later, mebbe!”

“Who is he?  Do you know?” I asked the girl.

“I haven’t the vaguest idea!” she sighed.

A week later Charles Julius Francis stood at the bar of justice convicted of perjury.  His degradation had wrought no change in the dignity of his bearing or the impassiveness of his general appearance, and he received the sentence of the Court without a tremor, and with shoulders thrown back and head erect as befitted a scion of a noble house.

“There’s just one thing for me to do with you, Charles Francis,” said the Judge rudely, “And that is to send you to State Prison for a term of five years at hard labor.”

Francis made no sign.

“There is one other thing I should like to know, however,” continued His Honor, “And that is who you really are.”

The prisoner bowed slightly.

“I am Charles Julius Francis,” he replied quietly, “Duc de Nevers, and Commander of the Legion of Honor.”

VIII

A Finder of Missing Heirs