The evening world. Newspaper, February 3, 1914, Page 15

€ Ait “The venice “World Daily THE MAIDS OF PARADISE — An Exiled American’s Adventures in Wartime France —— By Robert W. Chambers —— AUTHOR OF —— B The Common’Law,” ve rhe Fi (Coprtlaht, 1002, by Robert W. Chambers.) SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS, Jette, Searieit, 8 eelfiexiled American, (who mors), Is dismissed fi French iitady” patice uring "the Uupjustiy cheged with clat, Mornac Re ploiiing 0 seice a are 10 Searlet fellow coun! vee By jean circus oo a tout ot Fritany. ah the Of Daradise, near young Cu beautiful lett secretly rely, er of drenched hair drippin CHAPTER Iv. Jacqueline. FITTED the gun's double bolts and locked breech and bar- rel with the extension rib. Then I snapped on the fore end; and there lay the gun ia my hands, a fowling piece fit for an Emperor. “Give it?" muttered the poacher, huskily. “Take it, my friend the Lizard,” I replied, smiling down the wrench in my Beart. There was a atlence; then the poacher stepped forward, and, look- ing me equarely in the eye, flung out hig Band. I struck my open palm smartly against his, in the Breton faghion; then we clasped hands. “You mean honestly by the little one’ “Yeo” 1 sald; “strike palms by Sainte Thekla of Ycone!" We struck palms heavily. “She is a child,” he said; “there is no vice in her; yet I've seen them nearly Gnished at her age in Paris. And he swore terribly as he said it. ‘We dropped hands in silence; then, “Ie this gun mine?” he demanded, ™ hoareely. “Yes.” “Strike!” ha eried: my friendship if you want it, on this eee hen 1 am is my own con- not yours. Don’t interfere, nraieo; it would be useless. 1 should Bevan oerey you, but I might ki ere. But if you care for the seod-will of man like me, take it; oe when you desire a service tell_me, and I'll not fail you, by Sainte-Eline of Paradise! said I, gravely; and rice. heel, Vea | off Sr ‘Break > he said, clothes! freat chamber, built into the wall, was the ancient Broton bed with its Gothic carvipng and sliding panels of black oak, carved aise the lattice-work in a chapel scree Outside ‘dawn was breaking through a e awoke in the dim She pushed the panels aside and a sap ber sea blue eyes heavy dor she murmured; M’aleu Scarlett! Ale! Ale! Am Ia count to sleep so late? Bonjour, Bonjour, papa!" She caught ight, of the yellow cat, “Et bien le bent, Ange Pitou!" Ghe swathed herself in a blanket and aat ae looking at me sleepil: to see me swim,’ e “it is eald. « T've brought you a fish's all- ver akin to swim in,” I repi! pointe Joy the satchel. ‘ate silently. Ange Pitou, the yellow cat, came around with tail infiated, “There were fishbones enough to gratify any cat, and Ange Pitou made short work of them. Jacqueline placed the few dishes ‘in @ pan of hot wai wiped her Angers, daintily, and picked up Ange Pitew, who promptly acknowledged the Seerteny by bursting into a crack- wme see swimming suit, the girl, shy); 1 drew if “out of the satchel and lata it aeroes my ki ei like a ork hat oe look, ithe the al wald iver grilse of “Do think you can swim in those scales?” I asked. “Swim? Fecaseline? Attendez un pay -you shall @ She ‘laughed an ited, confident le lnugh and hugged Ange Pitou, who ..closed- his es in ecatany, sheathing and unsheathing his Pp claws. Jacqueline looked at the swim- rol it, then at mi you go down to the beach, M'stou Scarle Butt had a: traversed half the trip of rock and hard sand before something flew past slim, glitter. fng ahape which suddenly doubled up, raightened again, and fell headlong t her on bubbling until the swell found her lifted her, and tossed her sca- into the wide, white arms of the breakers, Back to land she sritied and scram- bled" up rd tl lend drenthed figure, \sten with every movement. of limb as a cat in wet whe shook the spray from hi and scrubbed eaca palm with then sprang again heodinns med tied in ror ite crimson String after breasted sea-ducks d from the cov whirling out to sea; the gray gull flapped low above the shoal and a along the outer bar, tossing their sun-tipped wings; th black cormorant on the cliff craned hideous neck, scanning the ocean with restless, brilliant eyes. ‘Tossed back once more upon the beach like an opalescent shell, Jac-. ikle deep in , looked the foaming waters, her Presently she climbed to the sun- warmed hillock of sand and sat do beside me to dry her hair. we Pitou, coveting bath in the sand, came wi jong pretending not to see us; but Jacqueline dragged him into her arms for a hug, which lasted until Ange Pitou broke loose, tail hoisted but ears deaf to further flattery. So Jacqueline chased Ange Pitou back across the sand and up the rocky path, pursuing her pet from pillar to post with flying feet that fell as noiselessly as the velvet pads of Ange Pitou. “Come to the netshed, Please!t" pointing to a crazy wooden struc- ture Mullt above the house, As I entered the netshed the child was dragging a pile of sea-nets to the middie of the floor. “In case I fall," sho said coolly. “Better let me arrange them, then,” T sald, glancing up at the impro- vised trapeze which dangled under the roof-beams, She thanked me, seized a long es | and went up, hand-over-hand. piled tho soft nets into a mations, but decided to stand near, not liking the arrangements. Meanwhile Jacqueline was swing- ing, head downward, from her trap- eze. warm sun ring if you she cailed back to me, “You think you could drop from there into a ik of water?” I asked, “How deep?" “Say four’ feet.” She nodded, swinging tranquilly, “Then hang by your hands!” mavick aa a flush she hung above © xa trust me, Jacqueline?” ‘Then drop!” Down she flashed like a, falling meteor, Ifcaught her with’ that quick trick known to all acrobats, which left her standing on my knee. “Jump!” She sprang nets, lost her balance, stumbled sat down very suddenly. 1 threw back her head and laughe ‘al on peal of deliciously "oat laughter rang throu the ancient net-shed, until overhead the passing gulls echoed her mirth with quera- lous mewing, an: ering to the zenith, wheeled and squealed, CHAPTER V. Friends. T 7 o'clock that morning the men in the circus camp awoke, worried, fatigued, vaguoly resentful, un- usually profane, T drafted a handbill and read it aloud to Byram: “THE WONDER OF EARTH AND HEAVEN!" The Unutterably Beautiful Flying Mermaid! Caught on the Coast of Brittany! What Is She? Fish? Bird? Human? Divine? ‘Who Knows? The Scientists of France Do Not Know! The Scientists of the World Are Confounded! Is She a Lost Soul From the Sunken City of Ker- Ye? Fifty Thousand Francs Re- ward for the Breton Who Can Prove That She Did Not Come Straight From Paradise!" “That's a good bill,” sald Byram, suddenly. He lifted his battered silk hat, re- Placed it at an angle almost defiant, and scowled at Hora ho passed lienly, driving the camel tent- is with awful profanity, ‘Don't talk such langwidge in my Mr, Horan,” he said sharp- camuel is @ camuel, but re- ‘Kind hearts is more than in’ it's easier for that there camuel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a cussin’ cuss to cuss his way into Kingdom Cor With mallet, mim screw driver I w maturing my plans These plans would take the lasi penny y in the treasury and leave in gant several Smeneend france, But it win or go to smash now, and pers ally I have always preferred a tremendous smash to a slow and Oozy fizale, “The child ts simply startling,” said Speed in Englis! “She ts not afraid of anything. hay in) ig’ without rehearsal!” Say one thing,” observed Byram, with dignity, “if ever I git out of this darn continong with my circus I'll recooperate in the undulatin’ medd an’ j'yful vales of the United Stat Hereafter that country will continue to remain good enough for m All applauded—all except Jacquelli who looked around in astonishment at the proceedings, and only smiled when Speed explained in French, “Ask maddermosello if she'll home with ui “Tell her the: go Prompted Byram. millions in it.” That afternoo Uked over to the Countess's chateau, ‘he first person I met, indoors, was Sylvia Glory. “By the way,” she said languidly, “4 there in your intellectual circus com- pany a young gentleman whose name e? is Eyre bs T sald sulkily. trolled out of the room, hest- tated, then turned tn the doorway with hu: ach ‘ming smile, ie Countess will return from her gailop five.” She waited as though expecting an answer, but I only bowed. “Would you take a message to Mis- taire Kelly Eyre for me?".che asked eweetly. T said that I would, “Then please say that ‘On Sunday the bookstores nee closed in Paris," “Nothing else?’ “Nothing, monsle Bhe courtomed a vanished. Soon the aea-hawk, tow. {Dg been doing that hair-raising ‘fly- po afterward the Countess returned. “First of all.” she said impulsively, “I know your life—all of it in minute particular. Are you astonished?” “No, madame,” T replied; “Mornac showed you my dossier.” “That is true,” she said, with a troubled look of surprise. I emiled, “Ask for Mornac,” I be- but she interrupted m¢ h, Mornac! Do you suppose I believed him? Had 1 not proof on proof of your loyalty, your honor, your courtesy, your chivairv’— “Madame, your generosity—and, I fear, your pity—overpraises.” it does not, I know what you are. Mornac cannot make white black. I know what you have been. Mornac ¢ could not read you into infamy, even with your dossier under my own eyes. a my dossier you read @ sorry his- tory, madame. “In your dossier I read the tragedy ,” gata I, “that I am of a gentleman. you kno now a performer ih @ third-rate travels | circus?” “I think that is very sad,” she said sweetly. “Sad? Oh, no. It is better than the disciplinary battalions of Africa.” Which was simply acknowledging that I had served a term in prison, The color faded in her face, “! tayyeet you were pardoned.” I was—from prison, not from the battalion of Biribi.” ihe said, “that they Say you were not guilty; that they say you faced utter rufa, even the posst- bility of death, for the exke of another man @yvhose name even the police— even Monsieur de Mornac—could never learn. Was there such a man?” I hesitated. “Madame, there is such aman; I am the man who was.” h no hope?” ‘Hope? With every hope,” I sald, smiling. “My name ts not my own, but it must serve me to my end, and I shall wear {t threadbare and leave it to no one.” “Ia there no hope?” sho asked, quietly. ‘ “None for the man who wi Much, for James Scarlett, tamer of lions and general mountebank,’ 1 sald, laugh- ing down the risiny tide of bitter- ess. Why had sue stirred those, lark waters? I had drowned myself in them long since. Under them lay the corpse of a man I hed forgotten --my dead self. ‘With infinite pains T went back and traced for her the career of Buck- burst, sparing her nothing. She! mat. motioniens, her face ike cold marble, as I carefully the threads of the plot, and gently twitched that one whicll galvanized the mask of Mornac. K nac!" she stammered, aghast. I showed her why Buckhurst de- sired to come to Paradise; I her why Mormac had initiated her into the mysteries of my dossier, tak. ing that infernal precaution, al though he had every reason to be- eve he had me practically in Prison, with the keys in bis own ocket. “Had it not been for my comrade, Speed,” I id, “I should be in one of Mornac’s fortress cells. He count- ed on an innocent man goin, rarouge hell itself to prove his innocence; counted on me, and left Speed out of his calculations, Ho had my dossier, order for my arrest in his * © And then I stepped out of ‘sight! I, the honest fool, with my knowledge of his infamy, of Buck- hurst's complicity and purposes—L it was too Uhlan appeared And now before the gates of Paris. Mornac, shorn of authority, 1 in a city surrounded by a man steel, through which I looked at her steadily, Mornac a# a trapped rat; cancel him as a dead rat since the ship of Empiro went down at Sedan. I do not know what has taken place in Paris--sav what all now know, that the Empire is ended, the Republic proclaimed and th imperial police a memory, Then let strike out Mornac and turn to Bi hurat, Madame, I am here to serve rr ‘The dazed horror in her face which had ‘ked my revelations of Buc villainies gave place to mantling flush of pure anger, Sham: crimaoned her neck, to@; shame for her credulous innocence, her belief in this rogue who had betrayed he: only to receive pardon for the pur. bot of baser and more murderous trayal. “A week ago,” she sald, “a dreadful creature came here to see Buckhurst; they went across the moor toward tha semaphore and stood for a long while which fs an- Then Buckhurst came back and prepared for a journey, I my services and the services of 9 native of a paradox<—a republic whic He said he was going to Tours to con- for with the Red Cross. 1 don’t know where he went. He took all the money for the general Red Cross fund.” “When did he say he would return?” “He said in two weeks. He has an- other week yet.” “Is ne usually prompt?” Iways so—to the minute.” ow that Mornac ts not even a pawn in the game—as, indeed, I begin. really was, but has from the first a dupe of Buck- f it to the duiy of every nonest man to watch Buckhurst and warn the authorities that he possibly has designs on the crown jewels of France, which that cruiser yonder is all ready to bear away to Saigon. “How he proposes to attempt such a robbery I can't imagine. I don’t want to denounce him to Gen, Chanzy or Aurelles de Palladine, because the con- spiracy is too widel; spread and too dangerous to be defeated by the cap- ture of one man, even though he be the tire band; and that can only be done by watching Buckhurst, not arrest: ing him, “Therefore, madame, I have writ- ten and despatched « telegram to Gen, Aurelles de Palladine, offering Speed to the Republic without com- pensation. In the event of accept- ance, I shall send to London for two men who will do what Is to done, leaving me free to amuse th public with my lions, Meanwhile, a long as we stay in Paradise we bot! are your devoted servants, and we beg the privilege of serving you.” And I now rose to take my leave, bowing my very best bow; but she sat still, looking up quietly at me. ou ask the privilege of sérving “You could serve by giving me your friendship. “You have my devotion, madame; T said. “I did not ask it. I asked your friendship—in all frankness and equality.” xo you desire the friendship of 4 circus performer?” I asked, #mil- ing. “L desire it not only for what. you are but for what you haye been— have always been, 1ét them say what they wil 1 was silent. “Have you never given women your friendship?” sho asked. “Not in: fifteen years-—-nor asked theirs.” “Will you not ask mine?” 1 tried to, apeak steadily, but my voice war uncertain; sat down, crushed under a flood memories, hopes accursed, ambitions, dumned and consigned to oblivion. ‘You are very kind,” If sald, “You are the Countess de Vassart. A man iw what he makes himself. 1 have mado myself—with both eyes open; and I am now an acrobat and a tamer of . I understand your goodness, your impulse:to help those less fortu- mate than yourself. 1 also understand that I have placed myself where I am, and ies, having done so deliberately, I cannot t as friends and equals those who might have been my equals if not friends. Besides that I am a though caste-bound, knows no caste abroad, ’ I’might, therefore, have been your friend if you had chosen to watve the traditions pf your continent and accept the traditions of mine. But now, madame, I must ission to make my adieux. She sprang up and caught both my hands in her ungloved hands. “Won't you take my friendship--and give me yours—my friend?” “Yes,” [ said slowly, The blood beat- ing my temples, almost blinding me, my heart hammered in my throat till I shivered, As in a dream I bent forward; she abandoned her hunds to me—and I touched a woman's hands with my lips for the first time in fifteen yearn. “In all devotion and loyalty— titude,” T said. ‘And in friendship—say !t!" “In friendship. “Now you may go—if you desire to. When wif you come again?” “When may I? “When you will.” CHAPTER Vi. The Path of the Lizard. 30UT 9 o'clock the next A curred which might have terminated my career in one way, and did, ultimate- 1 bad been exercising my lions and putting them through thelr paces, und had noticed no unusual ingub- morning an incident oo- ly, end it in anothe ordination among them, whem sud+ Mr, doublin; wi B denly Timour Melek, @ big Algerian lion, flew at mo without the slightest Provocation or warnip Fortunately I bad @ training-chair in my hand, on which Timour had Just been altting, and I had time to thrust it into his fas Thrice, with Incredible swiftness, he struck the iron chair, right, left, and right, as a cat strikes, and then seized it in his teeth. At the seme moment I brought my loaded whip heavily across his nose. “Down, Timour Melek! Down! down! down!” I sald, steadily, ac- companying each word with a blow of the whip across the nose. The brute had only hurt himself when ho struck the chair, and now, under the blows raining on his sensl- tive nose, he dotibtless remembered similar episodes in his early training, and shrank back, nearly deafening me with his roars, ‘I followed, pun! him, and he fied toward tho lo’ grating which separated t! —— cage from the night quar ‘This, I am now inclined to. belteve, was @ mistake of judgment on my part. I should have driven him into ® corner and thoroughly cowed him, using the training chair if necessary and trusting to my two assistants with their trons, who had already closed up on either side of the cage, 1 was not in perfect trim that morn- ing. Not that I felt nervous in the least, nor had I any lack of self-con- fidence, but I was not myself. I had never in my life entered @ lion cago feeling as I did that morning—an in- difference which almost amounted to laziness, an apathy which came close to melancholy, ‘The lions knew I was not myself— ™ they had been aware of it as soon as 1 set foot in their cage; and I knew it. But my strange apathy only increased ae I went about my business, perfect- ly aware all the time that with lions * born in captivity t ¢ unexpected ts al- ways to be expected. ‘Timour Melek was now close to the low tron door between the parti- thane: the other Mone had become un usually excited, bounding at a heavy gallop around the cage, or clinging to the bars like enormous cats, ‘Then, as I faced Timour, ready to force him backward through the door q, into the night quarters, something in the blank glare of his eyes seemed to fascinate me. I bad an absurd sen- sation that was sipping away from me—escaping; that I no longer dominated him nor bad authority, It 3 it was fortu- around, chair uplifted, just in time to receive the charge >of Empress Kha- toun, consurt of Tlaour, She struck the iron bound cha! 2 floor t it up like crumpled not to thi hunling me headlo sliding bars whi flung open with @ stout. 1 landed violeptly on my back in the jawdust, the bret knocked clean out of me. When t could catch my breath again [ realized that there was no time to was Speed looked at me angrily, hut 1 jerked open the grating, flung another chair into the cage, leaped tn, and, singling out Empress Khatoun, I sailed into her with pas- uionless thoroughness, punishing her to a atandstill, while the other ions, Alcha, Marghouz, Timour and Gen- ghis Kahn, smarled and watched me, stoadily. As. 1 emerged from the cage Danes asked me whethemd, was hurt, and I wasped-out that I was not. at went wrong?” he persisted “Timoui np, L went wrong; the lions ki ut, once; something failed me, I sane know what; upon my soul, Hpeed, ipeed, don’t know what happened.” “You lost your nerve?” “No, not that. Timour began look- ing at'me in @ pecullar way. tainly dominated me for an in for a tenth of @ second; and then Khatoup flew at me before 1 could control Timour"—— 1 hesitated, “Speed, it was one of thone seconds that come to us, when the faintest ion settles matters. to it at the helm, c Mi Speed. im, not comprehend- maid Speed, “Leo irammont, the greatest lion tamer who ever lived, once told me that a man in love with a woman could not control lions; that when a man falls in love he loses that in terious quality—-call {t mesmerism or whatever you like—the occult force that dominates beasts. And he said that the lions knew it, that they per- coived it sometimes even before the man himself was awere that he was in love.” 1 looked him over tn astonishment. “What's the matter with you?” he asked, amused. “What's the matter with you?" Td yy the way,” astonishing talk that way,” he humoredly. “I didn't dream of such @ thing, or of offending you, Scarlett.” It struck me at the same moment that my Irritable and unwarranted re- tort was utterly unilk “T beg your pardon,” “I don't know exactly what ie the matter with me to-day. First I quarrel with poor old Timour Melek, then I inmult you. I've discovered that I have nerve; I never before knew It.’ “Cold flap-Jacks and cider would have destroyed Hercules himeelf in time," observed Speed following with his eyes the movements of a lithe young girl, who was busy with fd hoisting apparat' fyi peze, The girl was Jacqueline, “drensed tn @ mended gown of aise Delany's, 6) There ta no risk dares not even Horan gets nervous, and bi - when that bull-necked numbskull ts scared there's reason for it.” We walked out into the main tent, where simultaneous rehearsals hee BY GASTON LEROUX Author of “ THE YELLOW ROO, <0 00) i, E an N ext Monda peed, partly witch frightens ard, ‘° Bte. Mrs. und ting she cantered, now astride two horses, now guiding @ apike practising assiduously her acrobatics, At intervals, far up in the frigging overhead, I eee glimpses of Miss Crystal swingin, het trapeze, watching the ring below. Byram came in to rehearse the agen d Ee tae and to rebuke hi rest foe, the unspeakable “ca- niuels" bestridden by Horan as Fatima, Queen of the Denert, a followed, squatted on the head of the elephant, ankus on thigh, shouting, ‘Hout! Mail! Djebe Noain! Mail the hesar! " he thundered, trium- phantly, saluting Byram with litted ¢ apkus as tho elephant ambied past in a cloud of dust. “Clear the ring!" cried Byram. Miss Delany, who wi outlining Jacqueline with jugglers knives, be- gan to pull her stock of cutlery from the soft pine backing; elephant, camel, horses trampled out; Miss Crystal caught a dangling rope and slid earthward, and I turned ana walked toward the outer door with Byram. An I tooked back for an instant I saw Jacqueline, in her glittering div- ing-skin, calmly step out of her dis- carded skirt and walk toward the sunken tank in the middie of the ring, which three workmen were un- covering. She was to rehearse her perilous leap for the first time to-day, and [ told Speed frankly that I was too nervous to be present, and no left him staring across the dusky tent at the slim child in spanglies, I had an appointment to meet Rob- ert the Lizard at noon, and I was rather curious to find out how much Be eons were worth when the is new gun had grown male. arted toward the cliffs, nibbling a crust of bread for lunch- eon, though the incident of the morn- ee, had left me small appetite for The poacher was sunning himself on his door when I view over the my surprise, approached. a: jog to jute, m' “You said, pi You 1 " ord dhim ort th quelli to mak! silence, w or Phot ‘gt interested r could not determine. There was @ pause; I looked out across the sun-lit ocean, taking time to arrange the order of the few ques- ich I had to ask. m’eleu,” he me to. the P ceowg said, dryly. “We Mave struck palma Nf Spite of rs gh. printed! spite of bol caution whici ce bri the most tnsuepicious of us, & curious confidence in this ¢ Tattered 1 rancal’s loyalty to a promise, And apparently without reason, too, fo Drogrens th he | Jac. there was something wrong bier} his eyes—or else with the way he used them. They were wonderful, blue eyes, well set and well eyes appeared to be lighted up fro: behind. ares " T said, “you are a poachei His placid visage turned ptormy, “None of that, m’steu,” he retorted; “remember the bargain! Concern yourself with your own affairs!” “Wait.” I said. “I'm not trying \ reform you, For my purposes it is ® poacher I want—elne I might have wone to another.” “That sounds more reasonable,” he admitted, guardedly, “T want to ask ‘tite, 1 continued, r@ you @ poacher from necessity or from that pure love of the chase which ie pee in even worse men than you al ‘There IT poach because I love it, ie alw: the sea, which furnishes work for all who care to ateer a sloop po draw a spins, or wield a searake, £ could not keep me from the sardine grounds, a. 7d you poach from choice?’ Yes. It is in me, Iam sorry, but what shall I do. It’s in me.” “And you can't resist?” He laughed grimly. “Go and the hounds from the stag’s throat Presently I said: “You have been in jail?’ “Yes,” he Frniies indifferently. “For poacht “Eur "tor the sake of a h woman or red doe.” The Breton with double the ° which never had a fawn, tt for a fawn the word is I mentioned these facts to him, but ho only loakes dangerous and re- mained “Lizare ™ nald, “give confidence as I give you mini tell you now that I was once in the police’ tarted, He “And that I expect to enter that corps again. Apd J want your al “My aid? For the police?” laugh was simply horribl Lizard? Continue, m'sleu. “I will tell you why. Yesterday, on @ visit to Point Paradise, I saw a man lying belly down tn the bracken; but I didn't let him know I have served in the police: I recognize that man. He is knowo in Belleville Tric-Trac, He came here, I bel to see a man called Huckhurat, nm you Gnd this Trice ree for me? Do you, perhaps, know him 2" “You,” said the Lisard, “I knew him tn prison.” “You have seen him here?’ ant Bat I will not betray him.” “why “Because he is & poor, bie yess andl of @ poacher like me!" cried the angrily. “He must live; ‘here's enough land in Finisterre for us erttow long haa be bec: Paradise?’ “For two months “ane he told you he lived by poacb- ea i “He lies.” 0 poachers from necessity; there Pl . my conditional promise. axplotte of 9 "sissing | [ Link"’ efrange ex caught in the Bor- neo pope hrs mba bya putin penn brought | | trained to become a “humen being in The Evenin The Lisard looked at me inteatty. “He bas played you; gl ia @ thief, ‘and he has come here to @ flou—a town rat. Can he bend a hedge-enare? Can he line a string of doadfaslet Can he even snare ugh game to keep himself from at! 108 et . ? i “peed He a poacier of @ bracken ‘ou are simpl ™ i. ple, my The veing in the poacher’s neck be- flooded gan to swell and a dull color his face. aoe that he bas played m,' be “rove it yourself.” By AB egret him. He came here oO mi man named Backhurst.' seen here?” asked “That is. what I want you to out and help me to find out!" I said, as Now you know what I want th i —— visage of the poacher t t," sald I, “that you would comrade of a petty pick. umoredly, “Take your fists down, my friend, and think out St een which will Permit me to ob- Monsl Tric-Trao at my ur leisure, without I myself being ob- toc: served,” * he said. “I take ie. not feed, Masa 10 pick. he know from @ linnet? Not he, ‘my The Lisard sat still, head knees drawn u no inj do a Breton of his class Iii Jury of deceiving a . ar It Tric-'Trao, the city, had come, here to profit. by the. \g- Norance of a Hreton—and perhers inne Ot Bie stouaity! ‘ ¥e ut je @ ferment wor! dark blood of the MAING bes Re ts to his own sombre undis- urbed. Presently | Led Lisard raised hig head on fixed his bright, intelligent eyes ‘M’sieu,” he sald, 1 uriously ponte ve wwe nen of * Paradies are out for ti ped 1 or go'to jail, How can + ‘@ the in- “You mean that—that I —— F 6 ty edesiagpg thie war?” bie ‘I hope so, my friend.” He looked” at "ne, astonished. “It you can do that, m'sieu, you can do excite his suspicion. Besides, there are two gendarmes in Paradise to conduct the conscripts to Lorient; there are also several gardes-champetre, But I and ‘tog, ‘under eve padre. posse! oo, under evi "@ noses Bball I? he said, wit with an Focity that startled me. “You are not to injure bi ter what he does or says,” I said, harply. “I want to watch him, Pay to frighten him away. 1 wi what he and Buckhurat pai CAH understand?” “Then strike palm: We atruck vigorously. 1 am ready to téll you soa he sald, with the he farce not help Lg ay le not even to this fllous who has mocked me! you again enter the police I will aert you!" licked his dry 11) you Know what a blood-feud es,” I said. ed bed ie ne the epeticen the Trupartal lwperial Mint police!” I as Fa" htt EE are “ee Ml Mg Ml Shing - n jacket, gathered te yw coils of hair wi wire, a and other odds and ‘sage, which he tated into his bi flapped coat pocki ‘Allons, said, briefly, ana we started. ‘The village pavers in Paradise was nearly deserted. We passed the Mayor, waddling across the bridge, puMng with oficial importance over the arrival of the gendarmes. He bowed to me; the Ligard saluted hi with, “Times are hard on the fat to which the Mayor reli’, {perenne bade him fee devi! u revol ard, unabashed. ‘the, way after him @ threat of arrest he re. next day in the square. At that the poacher halted, Ful y you wish you might get me!" he sal tauntingly, probably presuming on “Do you refuse to rey eer Gemand- 4 the Mayor, also balti: “Et ta soour!” replied t “ie ahe reporting ai The eres. oe angrily, and @ typical quarrel began, which ended My the the Mayor bel ye te ate: nail at the wishing him “Bt, Hubert’s fucken insult tante- mount * @ cures. Fer y toward Sainte-Ysole we ae the blue woods which our We reached them in a found- began to gitsten the forest dusk like ! the ares, of wild things that hunt at night, he pours” turned, his & tremor, as @ As nostrils spread wit good oe cone Foes, Tuivere at the pele, into toe the ene Na et greed ree that man Buckhurst ben Peylaade 4 am ready to start,” I said, sicken ee Eveeet. | 4 : ist watching a knees ‘ 4 x. » & The person ‘Tric-Traa, promptly tried to hide ‘the box by 2 sitting down on it. He was a yound 7 man, with wide ears and spots on his face. His was olly and thick, he plastered into two pointed Thie not oni piroee guished him, but it len detached air to his # i5,é i 3 poacher again; “can't you give the company be when you come in?’ = you expect me _ ring the in 2" Yaaked the Flute!” snarled Tric-Trac. “ mud rat, you creep with no sound@=> > c'est pas polite, nom d'un nom!” needi ba vir x aesy pene tie ‘s that box?” asked Ls- ard, abrupt: ‘Box? ‘ore? A_vacant ion came into Tric-Trac’s , looked all around him ¢ cull} t see use sitting On td conerved. ‘ae ¢ box? Oh! You mean the i ‘ box? < Oh!” He peeped at it oe hia meagre legs, San tereny, : friend; iow do you Tome py a ou stole fe! faced ‘broil’ ‘cigarette “broil @ one ae ee are the the eatet the ‘Files’ out ‘Trio-Trao, astonished oe” ot whole = t by tl yom ment a they Can't too look merers at Flica want. to comprehend,” he added” vant 7 have pushed your nose into an at does not concern you. a time you come here to your snared pheasants, come ‘ike 8 a nom de Dieu! and not like a cat the Glactere!—or I'll find a way to me vee ourtosity.' . gall rea color, surgea Bey poacher’s face ani envy moment he stood . nanos, Then he dragged out ni The Lisara's half - raised Gropped as Tric-Trac, with a ment ike lightning, turned volver full on him, talking while in his drawling whine, “C'est ca! Now you are bd one ote ae. ) aoneee m;