She's an
actress."
There was nothing for Herndon to do but to act on the tip. The man
had got rid of us temporarily, but we knew the inspector would be,
if anything, more vigilant. I think he took even longer than usual.
Mademoiselle Gabrielle and her maid pouted and fussed over the
renewed examination which Herndon ordered. According to the inspector
everything was new and expensive; according to her, old, shabby, and
cheap. She denied everything, raged and threatened. But when,
instead of ordering the stamp "Passed" to be placed on her half dozen
trunks and bags which contained in reality only a few dutiable
articles, Herndon threatened to order them to the appraiser's stores
and herself to go to the Law Division if she did not admit the points
in dispute, there was a real scene.
"Generally, madame," he remonstrated, though I could see he was
baffled at finding nothing of the goods he had really expected to
find, "generally even for a first offence the goods are confiscated
and the court or district attorney is content to let the person off
with a fine. If this happens again we'll be more severe. So you
had better pay the duty on these few little matters, without that."
If he had been expecting to "throw a scare "into her, it did not
succeed.
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