The evening world. Newspaper, January 18, 1916, Page 17

The Rveriag World Daily Magazine, Tuesday, January 18, 1916 pee igers An Arsene Lupin Romance f of Fortune and Mystery Maurice Leblan AURA SRA A EBS AS EL Next Week's Complete Novel in The Evening World “Roaring Bill” Wagstaff By Bertrand M. Sinclair y y “ROARING BILL’ WAGSTAFF” is a sequel to sin { on WHY DON'T You SEE DocTor LEAN > HE CAN REDucE You . THAT'S HIS SPECIALTY. HIE DISCOVERED The by Doubleday, Page & 00.) SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS, An f-geniue, returne to. Parte “” Tae hoa,” apd side the police tn wl the mystery of Commo Mornington's 20,089.) Degen.” hie monn ‘a inft to Morne f ext rela. CHAPTER Il. (Conttemed.) Lupin’s Anger. ‘LL help you, Chief,” replied Mazeroux, in @ queer tone of voice, “I need nobody's help. If you touch a single hair of her head I'll do for you. Do you un- derstand?” “You, Chiet.’ -“Then hold your tongue.” On their arrival at Paris they drove to the office of the examining magis- trate, At the threshold Perenna said te’a group of reporters: "You can say, gentiemen, that from to-day 1 am taking up the defense of Marie Fauville and devoting myself entirely to her cause.’ ‘They all protested: was it not ho who had had Mme. Fauville arrested? ‘Was it not he who had collected a heap of convicting proots against her? “*] shali demoush these provis one by one,” ne sad, “an PAUVING iB Lhe vietlm of wretches Who have nutched the most diabolical plot against her, and whom 1 am about to aeuver Up to justice.” ‘But the teeth! The marks of the feoth! it haus just been proven that her teethmurxs are identical with those in the apples and in the box of chocolate, ‘the ievth of the Liger.’ “A ooneiience! An unparalieled coincidence, but one which now strikes me 8 @ most powerful proof of inno- cence, 1 tell you tnas, if diario Fau- ville had been clever enough to com- mit all those murders, she would also have been clever enough not to leave behind fruit bearing the marks of her tw rows ce teeth,” But stil —— innocent! And that ts what Tam going W tell the examining mag istrate, She must be informed of the efforts that are being made in her favor. She must be given hope at vance. If not, the poor thing wil kill herself and her death will be on the vonscience of all who accused an in- meceht woman, She must"-—— At that moment he interrupted Rimself. His eyes were fixed on one of the journalists who was standing ‘a little way off listening to him and ROU, ie * jo whispered jazeroux: “Could you manage to find out that ‘a name? 1 can't remember whore on earth I've seen him before.” But an usher now opened the door 1, who, on forward and was about to enter the room with Mazeroux, when he sud~ denly turned to bis companion with cry of rage: bg ats he! It was Sauverand in dis- Stop him! He's made off. Run, *t you?” © Biniselt darted away, followed by oUX and a number of warders and journalists, He soon outdistanced them, so that, three minutes later, he heard no one more behind him. He had rushed down tho staircase of “Mousetrap,” and through the way leading from one courtyard to other, Here two people told hin that they had met @ man walking at a rt pace. : Aine ‘track was @ false one. He be- came aware of this, hunted about, lost & good. deal of time, and man- to discover that Sauverand had by the Boulevard du Palais and joined a very, pretty, fair-halred wo! —Florence Levasseur, obvi- pet ei the Qua} de I'Horloge. They had both got into the motor bus that ns from the Place Saint-Michel to the Gare Saint-Lazare, Don Luis went back to a lonely lit- tle street where he bad left his car in the charge of a boy. He set the en- gine going and drove at full speed to the Gare’Satnt-Lazare, From the om- nibue shelter he went off on a fresh tratk which also proved to be wrong, lost. quite another hour, returned to the terminus, and ended by learning for certain that Florence had stepped by herself into a motor bus which would take her toward the Place du Palais-Bourbon. Contra to all his expectations, therefore, girl must have gone home. ‘The thought of seeing her again roused his anger to its highest pitch. AN the way down the Rue Royale and across the Place de la Concorde he kept blurting out words of re- yenge and threats which he. was itch- ing ta carry out, He would abuse Florence., He would sting her with his insults, He felt a bitter and pain- fal need to. hurt the odious creature. But on reaching the Place du Pal- als-Rourbon he pulled up short, His practised eve had counted at a glance, on the right and left. a half dozen men whose professional look there was po mistaking. And Mazeroux, who had caught sight of him, had spun reund on his heel and was hid- ing under a gateway, He estled hi *Mazeroux! The sergeant anpearéd greatly sur- prised to hear his name and came to the tar, “Hullo, the Chief!" His, fice expressed such. embar- rassment that Don Luis felt his fears taking definite shape, “Look here, is it for me that you and your men are hanging about out- side my house?" “There's a notion, Chief," replied Mazeroux, looking very uncomfort- able, “You know that you're in favor all right!" Don Luis gave a start, He under- stood, Mazeroux had betrayed his confidence, To obey his scruples of conselence as well as to rescue the chief from the dangers of a fatal asion, Mazeroux had denounced Plorense Levaaseur, Perenna clenched his fists In an effort of his whole being to stifle his botling rage. It was a terrible blow, He received a sudden intuition of all the blunders which his mad jealousy tal! had made him commit since the day before, and @ presentiment of the irreparable disasters that might re- sult from them, The conduct of events was slipping from him. “Have you the wi it?” he asked. Mazeroux spluttered: “It was quite by accident. I met the Prefect, who was back, We spoke ef the young lady’s business, An as appened, they had discove: that the photograph—you know, the photograph of Florence Levasseur Bo the Prefect lent you—well, ©. And then when I name of Florence the Prefect re- membered that that was the name.” “Have you the warrant?’ Don Txis repeated, in a harsher tone, “Well, you see, I couldn't help tt «+. M, Desmalions, and the Magistrato—' If the Place du Palats-Bourpon had been deserted at that moment Don Luis would certainiy have re- Neved himself by a swinging blow administered to Mazeroux's chin ac- cording to the most scientific rules of the noble art, And Mazeroux fore- saw this contingenoy, for he prudent- ly kept as far away as possible and, to appease the chiefs anger, intoned a aed ‘egy! of excuses: “It was for your Chief. : . . I had to do Sieg . Only think! You yourself told me: ‘Rid me of this creature!’ said you. ‘I'm too weak. You'll arrest her, won't you? Her eyes burn into me —Iike poison!’ Well, Chief, could [ help it? No, I couldn't, could I? Ea, pecially as the Deputy Chief —” “Ab! So Weber knows?” “Why, yea! Tho Prefect is a little suspicious of you since he under- stood about the faking of the por- trait, So M. Weber ts coming back in an hour, perhaps, with reinforce- ments, Well, I was saying, the Deputy Chief had learnt that the woman who used to go to Gaston Snuverand’s at Neutlly—you krow, the house on the Boulevard Richari Wailace—waa fair and very good | Goring, 17 that her name was jorence 16 even used to ! night sometimes,” eer eae i “You Mel You Met" hiss renna. te All his spite waa reviving, Hi been pursuing Florence with intent tions which it would have been dif- ficult for him to put Into words. And now suddenly be again wanted to destroy hor; ard this Ume conscious. ! ly, In reality he ao longer knew what he was doing. He was acting at haphazard, tossed about in turns by the most diverse passions, a prey to that inordinate love which impels Us as readily to kill the object of our affections as to die in tempt to save her. Anat A newsboy passed edition of the Part great block letters with @ epectal ‘Midi, showing in | ——_—___, SENSATIONAL. DECLARA’ BY DON LUIS PERENNAL MMB, FAUViLLE IS INNOCENT. IMMINENT “ARREST OF THE TWO CRIMINALS, yes,” he said aloud, “The drawing to an end. Flor- ence is about to pay her debt to ciety, So much the worse for her.” He started his car again and drove through the gate In the courtyard he said to his chauffeur who came up: “Turn her round and don't put her up. I may bo etarting again at any moment.” He sprang out and asked the but- jer: “Is Mile. Levasseur in?” “Yes, sir; she's in her room.” “She was away yesterday, wasn't he ‘Yes, str; she recetved a telegram asking het to go to the country to see « relation who was ill, She came back last night.” “I want to speak to her, Send her to me, At once.” “In the study, sir?” “No, upstairs, in the boudoir next to_my bedroom.” This was a small room onthe sec- ond floor which had once been @ lady's boudolr, and he preferred it to his study since the attempt at murder of which he had been the object. He quieter up there, farther away; and he ‘kept his important papers there. He always carried the key with htm: a special key with three grooves to it and an Inner spring. Mazeroux had followed him into the courtyard and was keeping close be- hind him, apparently unobserved by Perenna, who had so far appeared not to notice it, He now, however, took the sergeant by the arm and led him to the front steps. . “All is going well. TL was afraid that Florence, suspecting somethin, might not have oome back. But she probably doesn't know that I saw her yesterday. She can't escape us now.” They went across the hall and up the stairs to the first floor, Mazeroux rubbed his hands, “So you've come to your eenses, chief?" “At any rate, ['ve made up my mind. I will not—do you hear—! will not have Mme. Fauville kill herself; and, as there ts no other way of pre- venting that catastrophe, I shal) eas- rt Florence.” Without regret?” vithout remorse. “Then you forgive me?” "T thank you.” And he struck him a clean, power- ful blow under the chin. Mazeroux fell without a moan, In a dead faint, on the steps of the second flight. Halfway up the stairs was a dark recess that served as a lumber room where the servants kept thelr pails and brooms and the soiled household linen, Don Luis carried Mazeroux to it, and, seating him comfortably on the floor, with his back to a house- mald's box, he stuffed his handker- chief into his mouth, gagged him with a towel, and bound bis wrists and ankles ‘with two tablecloths. The other ends of these he fastened to a couple of strong nails. ‘As Mazeroux was slowly coming to himself, Don Luis said: “T think you have all you want, Tablecloths — napkins — something in our mouth In case you're hungry, t at your ease, And then take a little nap, and you'll wake up as fresh as paint.” He locked him in and glanced at hie watch, “I have an hour before me, Capi- samba a 8c as Molen At that moment his intention was to insult Florence, to throw up all her scandalous crimes in her face, and, In this way, to force a written and signed confession from her, After- ward, when Marie Fauville’s safety was Insured, he would see, Perhaps he would put Florence in his motor and carry her off to some refuge from which, with the girl for a host- age, he would be able to influence the police, Perhaps —— But he did not seek to anticipate events, What he wanted was an immediate, violent explanation, © ran up to his bedroom on the second floor and dipped bis face into cold water, Never had he exper- fenced such a stimulation of his whole being, such an unbridiing of Speak! If his blind instincts, “I's she!" he spluttered. “I hear her! She Is at the bottom of the stairs. At last! Oh, the joy of hav- ing her in front of me! e to face! She and I alone!” He returned to the landing outside the boudoir, He took the key from his pocket, The door opened. He uttered a at @hout: Gaston Sauverand was there! In that locked room Gaston Sauverand was waiting for him, standing with folded arma, CHAPTER Iii. Gaston Sauverand Explains. ASTON SAUVERAND! Instinctively, Don Luis took a step back, drew his revolver, and aimed {t at ‘the criminal: “Hands up!" he commanded, “Hands up, or I fire!” Sauverand did not appear to be put out, He nodded toward two re- volvers which he had laid on a table beyond his reach and said: “There are my arms. I have come here not to fight, but to talk.” “How did you get in?” roared Don Luts, exasperated by this dia- Play of calmness. “A false key, I suppose? But how did you get hold of the key? How did you manage it” The other did not reply. Don Luts stamped his foot: “Speak, will you? not"—— But Florence ran into the room She passed him by without his trying to stop her, flung herself upon Gas- ton Sauverand, and, taking no heed of Perenna’s presence, said: “Why did you come? You promised me that you wouldn't. You swore it to me. Gol" Sauverand released himself and forced her into a chair, “Let me be, Florence, I promised oe 80 as to reassure you. Let me 0." “No, I will not!" exclaimed the girl eagerly, “It's madness! I won't have you say a single word, Oh, please, please, stop!" He bent over her and smoothed her forehead, separating her mass of golden hatr, “Let me do things my own way, Florence,” he said softly, She was ent, a8 though disarmed by the gentleness of his voice, and he wh more words which Don No 1AM DocTor. FAT, THE DISCOVERER Luis could not hear and which seemed to convince her, Perenna had not moved, He stood opposite them with his arm out~ stretched and his finger on the trig- ger, aiming at the enemy. When Sau- verand addressed Florence by her Christian name he started from head to foot and his finger trembled, What miracle kept him from shooting? By what supreme effort of will did he stifle the jealous hatred that burned him like fire? And here was Sau verand daring to stroke Florence’ hair! He lowered his arm, He would kill them later, do with them what he pleased, #ince they were in his power and since nothing henceforth could snatch them from his vengeance. He took Sauyerand’s two revolvers and laid them tn a drawer, Then he went buck to the door, intending to lock {t, But hearing a sound on the first floor landing he leaned over the balusters, The butler was coming up- stains with a tray in bis hand, “What Is it now?" ‘An urgent letter, air, for Sergeant Mazeroux.”” “Sergeant Mazeroux is with me. Give me the letter and don’t let me be disturbed again.” He tore open the envelope. The letter, hurriedly written In pencil and signed by one of the Inspectors on duty outside the house, contained these words: “Look out, Sergeant. Gaston Bau- verand is In the house. Two peo- ple living opposite say that the girl who {a known hereabouts as the lady - OF THE ANTI ~THIN SERUM ~ DocTOR LEAN WILL BE IN SOON innocem? Do you now absolutely believe in Marie Fauville’s inno- cence?” Don Lails shrugged hie shoulders, “Mme, Fauville's innocence has nothing to do with the case, It is a Question not of her, but of you, of you two and myself. ‘So come straight to the point and as quickly as you can, It is to your interest even more than to mine,” “To dur interest?" “You forget I also announced the ‘imminent arrest of the criminals,’ Sauverand and Florence rose to- gether, with the same unguarded movement, i? , in your view, the criminals are?”—— asked Sauverand, “Why you know as well as | do; they are the man with the ebony walking-stick and the woman who le his accomplice tn all his crimes, Both of them must remember their at- tempts to assassinate me,” “And then?" “Well, then, the game ts lost. You must pay up; and all the more so as you have fovlishiy put your heads into the lion's mouth.” What does all “I don't understand, this mean?” “It simply means that they know Florence Levasseur, that they know you are both here, that the nouse is surrounded, and that Weber, the Dep- uty Chief Detective, Is on his way, Sauverand appeared disconcerted by this unexpected threat, —blorence, standing beside him, had turned livid, A mad anguish distorted her features, Bhe stammered: a “Oh, It is awful! No, no, I can't housekeeper or secretary came 1 enaure iti" at half-past one before we took UD And, rushing at Don Lule: our post, She was next seen at the window of her lodge. “A fow momenta after a small, low door, used for the ce'lars and situ. ated under the lodge, was opened, evidently by her. Almost at the sa time a man entered the square, lipped in through the cellar door. scription It was Bo look out, Sergeant alarm, at the first signal from you, we shall come tn.” Don Luts reflected. He now un- ood how the scoundrel bad 9 to his house, and how, hidden was able de ac in the safest of retreats, be to escape every attempt to find him, Ho was living under (he roof of the very man who bad declared himself his most formidable adversary. “Come on,” he said to himself. “The fellow's score Is settied—and 80 is his young lady's ey can choose between the bullets ay revolver and the handcuffs of the pottee.” He had ce. 1 to think of his motor standing ready below, He no longer dreamt of ft with Florence, If he did not kill the two of them, the law would Jay its hand upon them, the hand that does not let go, And perhaps it was better so, that society itself shou nish the two criminals Whom he was about to hund over to it. He shut tho door, pushed the bolt, faced his two prisoners again and, taking a chair, sald to Sauverand: “Let us talk." The man smiled calmly and sald: “IT am afraid of nothing, and I do not regret coming, for I have a very strong intuition that we can, that we are bound to, come to, an understand- Ing.” “An understanding!" protested Don Luis, with a “Why not “A comp you_and me!” An alllance between “Coward! ward! It's who are betraying us! Coward) Oh, I knew that you were capable of the meanest treachery! There you stand ike an executioner! Oh, you villain, uu coward!’ She fell into her chair, exhausted and sobbing. Gaston moved to her de and took her hand tn his, “Very weil,” am caught in take Its course, apeak to you? I that remains to me. “Bpeak,” repiied Don Luts. “The door is locked. | shall not open It un- ul I think fit. Speak.” “L shall be brief,” said Gaston Bau- verand. “F ° thing, what I can tell you is not much, | do not ask you to believe it, but to listen to It as if I were possibly telling the truth, the whole truth.” And he expressed himself in the following words: “lL never met Hippolyte and Marie Fauville, though L used to correspond with them—we were all cousing—un- til five years ago, when chance brought us together at Palmero, They were passing the winter there while their new house on the Boulevard Suchet was being bullt. “We spent five months at Palmero, seeing one another dally, Hippolyte and Marie were not on the best of terms, One evening after they had been quarrelling more violently than usual | found her crying. Her tears upset me and I could not longer con- ceal my secret, 1 had loved Ma from the first moment we met, I was a_ trap. Nevertheless, oan I the only wish tu love her always and to love her more and m “You lie!" cried Don Luts, losing his self-restraint, “I saw the two of you yesterday in the train that brought you back from Alencon”—-~ Gaston Sauverand looked at Flor- ence, She sat silent, with her hands to her face and her elbows on her knees, Without replying to Don “Do you.believe Mme, Fauville ts, Luis's exclamation, he went ont FAnous ANTI-FAT SERUM : “Marie also loved me, She ad- mitted It, but made me swear that I would never try to obtain from her more than friendship would allow, I kept my oath, We enjoyed a few weeks of incomparable happiness. Hippolyte Fauville, who had become enamored of a music hall singer, was often away. “IL took a great deal of trouble with the physical training of the little boy Edmond, whose health was not what it should be. And we also had with us, between us, the best of friends, the moat devoted and affectionate counsellor, who staunched our wounds, kept up our courage, ro- stored our gayety and bestowed some of her own strength and dignity upon our love. Florence was there. “Fifteen years before my elder broth- Raoul verand, had Ayres, where he icked up at had gone to B live, a little girl, the orphan daughter of some friends, At his death he In- trusted the child, who was then four- teen, to an old nurse who had it me up and who had accompanied my brother to South America, The old nurse brought the child to me and herself died of an accident a few days after her arrival in France, * * © 1 took the little girl to Italy to friends, where she worked and studied and be- came—what she Is, “Wishing to live by her own re- sources, she accepted a position as teacher in a family, Later | recom- mended her to my Fauville cousin with whom I found her at Palmero as governess to the boy Edmond and es- pecially as the friend, the dear and devoted friend, of Marie Fauville, * ¢ © She was mine, also, at eet happy time, which wae so sunny an ait too short. Our happiness—in fact the happiness of all three of ue—was to be wrecked In the most sudden and tantalising fashion, “Every evening | umed to write ti a diary the daily life of my love, uneventful life, without hope or future before It, but eager and ra- Aliant. Marte Fauvtlle was extolled to it as a goddess. “tippelyte Fauviile found the diary. His anger was some- thing terrible. His rat Impulse was to get rid of Marie. But in the face of his wife's attitude, of the proofs of her innocence which she supplied, of her inflexible refusal to consent to a divorce, and of her promise never to see me again, he recovered bis calmness. ‘ T left, with death in my soul. Florence left, too, dis- missed. And never, mark me, never, since that fatal hour, did IT exchange a single word with Marte, But an indestructible love united us, a love which neither absence nor time was to weaken.” “What an actor!’ thought Perenna, And as he thought it, he remem- bered that Marie Fauville had given him the same Impression. Was ho then to hark back to hia first convic- tion and belleve Marie guilty, a dis- sembler like her accomplice, a dis- sembler like Florence? Or was he to attribute a certain honesty to that man? He asked: “And afterward?” “Afterward I travelled about. I re- sured my life of work and pursued my studies wherever I went, in my bedroom at (he hotels, and in the jaboratories of the big towns.” nd Mme, Fauv i lived in Parla in her new Neither she nor her husband rred to the hd jo you know? Did she write to oun" “No, Marie is a woman who docs not do her duty by halves; and her sense of duty is strict to excess, She never wrote to me, But Florence, clair’s novel, “North of Fifty-Three,” recently printed in The Evening World. It ts also a complete story by itself, sothat a knowledge’ of the preceding novel is not of it. necessary to full enjoyment The same dash and suspense and outdoor charm, which made “North of Fifty-Three” so popular, will be found in even greater measure in this sequel. who had accepted a pince as secretary and reader to Count Malonyl, your predecessor In this house, used often to receive Marie's viaits in her lodge downstairs, “They did not speak of me once, did they, Florence? Marte would not have allowed it, But all her life and all her soul were nothing but love and ssionate memories, Isn't that #0, Florence “At last,” he went on slowly, “weary of being so far away from her, I returned to Paris, That was our undoing. . . . It was about a year ago. I took a flat in the Avenue du Roule and wont to it in the greatest secrecy, so that Hippolyte Fauville might not know of my re- turn. I was afraid of disturbing Marie's peace of mind. Florence alone knew, and came to see me from time to time. I went out little, only after dark, and in the most secluded parts of the Bols, But it happened—for our most herolc reso- lutions — sometimes fall us—one Wednesday night, at about 11 o’cloc! my steps led me to the Roulevar¢ Suchet, without my noticing It, and T went past Marie's house, “It was a warm and fine night as luck would have it, Master was af her window, She saw me, I was sure of tt, and knew me; and my happi- ess WAS So great that my legs shook under mo as I walked away, “After that I passed in front of her house every Wednesday evening; and Marle was nearly always there, giv- ing me this unhoped-for and ever- new delight, In spite of the fact that her social duties, her quite natural love of amusement and her hus- band's position obliged her to go out a great deal.” “Quick! Why can't von hy ” sald Don Luis, urged by Tongin to know more. “Look sharp an come to the facts, Speak!" “L ghall not hurry, All my words were carefully thought out before I decided to speak, Every one of them 1s essential, Not one of them tan be omitted, for you will find ie sol. tion of the problem not la facts pre- vented anyhow, separeced one from the other, but in the faithfully “Why? 4. “Because the truth Mes hidden tn that story.” “But that truth is your Innocence, isn’ t Is Marie's innocence.” ut I don't dispute it!” “What is the use of that if you can't prove it?" voncatenation of told aw “Pxactly! It's for you to give me proofs.” “lt have none,” “What!” “I tell you I have no proof of what I am asking you to believe.” “Then | shall not believe it!” erted Don Luis angrily. “No, and again, no! Uniess you supply me with the mosttconvincing proofs, I shall refuse to believe a single word of what yqu are going to tell me,” “You have believed everything that I have told you #o far," Sauverand retorted very simply. "Go on with your story.” “We are coming,” said Sauverand, in his grave voice, “we are coming to the most Important events, to those of which the Interpretation, whieh is new to you, but strictly true, will make you belleve in our good faith Tit tuck having brought me «oro Hippolyte Fauville's path tn course of one of my walks tn t! Bols, | took the precaution of cha’ ing my abode and went to live in the little house on the Boulevard Rien- ard-Wallace, where Florence came to se6 me several times, “I was even careful to keep her visits a secret and moreover to re- frain from corresponding with her except through the poste restante, T therefore quite easy in my mind. IT worked in perfect solitude and in complete security, [ expected noth- ing. No danger, no possibility of danger, threatened us. And I may say, to use a commonplace but very accurate expression, that what hap- pened came as an absolute bolt from the blue. I heard at the same ume, when the Prefect of Police and his men broke {nto my house and pro- ceeded to arrest me, I heard at the same time and for the first time of the murder of Hippolyte Fauville, the murder of E and the arrest of my adored Marie.” “Impossible!” erted Don Tate in a renewed tone of aggressive wrath “Impossible! Those facts were a fort- night old. IT cannot allow that you had not heard of them,” “Through whom?" “Through the papers," exclaimed Don Luis. “And, more certainly still, through Mile. Levasseur." “Through the papers?” said Sauver rand, “I never used to read. them. Is your Imagination Incapable of con- celving a man who reads nothing but reviews and scientific publics tions? Tho fact Is rare, I admit, but tho rarity of a fact ts no proof against it. On the other hand, on the very norning of the crime I had written to Florence saying that [ was xoing away for threo weeks and bidding her goodby, I changed my mind at the last moment; but this she did not know; and, thinking that I had gone, not knowing where [ was, she was unable to Inform me of the crime, of | Marie's arrest, or, later, when an ac- cusntion was brought against the man with the ebony walking-stick, of the roh that was being made for me.” Exactly!" declared Don Luis. “You cannot pretend that the man with the ebony ne-stick, the man who napector V 1 not the man,” Sauverand tn- terrupted, And, when Don Tats shrugged his shoulders, ho insisted tn @ more fore- ible tone of voice: “Lam not that man, Thero is some tnexplicable mistake in all this, but I have never set foot In the Cafe du Pont-Neut. I swear it, You must ac- cept thia statement aa positively true, —acseti ent S wnAt the comer of the street 5 Florence had known everything for news” thone papers which she used you, by listening to you that firm: the opinion that Marie's enemy, tempts upon y Bresest Intay that I swear—to poison you, Florence's rooms are ‘close to the gar- your confederate, , ® glimmer of light in the rive. She could not overhear wi the name of Damigni, the Fauville’s, Were the letters not the motor with Sergt. train for Alencon, A cartiage took us! with every possthle precaution, solved to visit bla place, and we grounds, Wishing at all and behind the bushes, You doors which half opened and, let Richard-Wallace, Florence saved me fortnight past. She learnt the out to you, and which you @! o : Acquired the opinion. which, every- her only soeny, was yor your house, concealed jin Florence's “The same evening your motor oar, age—carried you, I hoped, to “WMorence wate! you, I may say, + Well, yesterday he said to you, but #he eaught the” where Langernault lived, res! dressed to bim and was it not im roux? . fron the station to just outside Dam~ + learning whet you must also succeeded in effecting an entrance! avoid a meeting betw, us, however, and when a through, We to slip aulekiy dari just as [ betieved that all was lost. of the double murder from the with her. And it was by being thing that happened tended to con- :| “nis started the Revlon Of my at? own rooms, I tried—unknown to her: tampered with by myself—remember, death, together with Sergt. Maserwax, night and day, sought for a alue, ‘Florence’ saw Sergt. Massroux name of @ certain Langernault and membered that old friend of mippoitee search of him that you were going off Mase “Halt an hour later we were in tha! ini, where we made our that Lececenault was dead, when Florence saw you in self, she dragged’ Peared in sight she pushed one of: through the hariber In t ke knocked up against a ladder. we climbed and reached a loft in* which we took shelter, You entered @t that moment. . ., sed “You knc the rest—how ate. © covered the two hanging ‘okeletone, how your attention was drawn to ua"! by an imprudent movement of ence; your attack, to which I rept by brandishing the first weapon with which chance provided me; lastly, our flight through the window in th under the fire of your reve were free, But in the ev train, Florence fain’ ing her to I percaly: bullets had wou oul: der, The wound /was slight and aid not hurt her, but tt was to increase the @xtreme tension of her nerves, Wheh you saw Mans station, wasn't It?—she asleep, With her head on my You believe me? < “Ag you Were not back, and [ wandered about all ‘morning have news of her, first aroi N prison, next to the police office on the law courts, And it waa, in the magietrate’s corridor, that T aa At that moment you were toning Marie Fauville'’s name to a number of journalists; and you told them that Marie Fauville was cent; and you informed them evidence which you possessed d=? Marie's favor, ¥ “My hatred ceased then and thesé/{ Monsieur. the enemy» had become the ally, the master whos ons ore. So aye hed had the wonderful courage repudiate all your work and to devote yourself to Marte's rescue! I ran off, Jetned Piorence, I sho Marie eo saved! He proclaims her innocent! { must see him and to him!" “In a few larie. will ended her life, ‘she cannot go of ee” You see, she means to tng tn prison, die, No obstacle can prevent her. Can any one be prevented trom com- nd how horrible mitting suicide? if she were to al ++. Oh, if the law reyutres a ertminal I wilt ® confess anything that I am asked to. I will joyfully accept every cl and pay every penalty, provided , the Marte is free! Save her! . av did not know, I do not yet know best thing to be done! Save her from prison and death, save her, for God's sake, save her!” i Tears fNowed down his stricken face. Florencé also S crying, bowed down with sorrow, Perenna suddenly felt the most ter- rible dread steal over him, '*) = “Come away! Come away!" ber cried, startrng up in alarm, “Bt te> madness to remain!” Be] “Hut the house 1s surroundedj% Sauverand objected, ‘And then? Do you think that I will allow for a seoond—-- No, no, come! We must fight side by sides shall still entertain some doubts, that t9 certain, y h You must destroy , and we will save Mme. Fags But the detectives round that house?" i “We'll manage them." Weber, the deputy chief?” Hes’ not here, And as long he's not here I'll take everythin, myself, Come, follow. me, but mme ittle distance, When I give snal and not ti then"—— He drew the bolt and turned handle of the door ys Shalt, Bion 4 i the butler, some one knocked “Well?” asked Don Luts, 7 am I disturbed?” he deputy chief detective, Mi" Weber, is here, sir,” (To, Be Continued. : bling with joy and hope, tna, aa yu }e