The evening world. Newspaper, January 20, 1916, Page 15

(oprright, 1014, by Dowtietay, Page & Co.) NOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. avin, thie eenius, returna to Paria ae son Peredioa”” and aide the pollep in solving ‘ceime mystery of Commo Mornington’ $20,000, Sop Venuert. “This money te left to Mornington's in, Severn! is nearmet relatives at Biysteriously’ manicred The marta of a. eet “ot rehma that ab . | Perenna triew to prove to the that Faurilie sought to throw suspicion of on his own wile, CHAPTER VII. (Continued) The ‘‘Hater.” 6 OU: understand that if the sending of those letters forma an integrant part of the plot hatched against Mme, Fauville and Gaston Sauverand it Is because their contents were prepared in such @ way as to be the undoing of the victims.” “But do explain yourself, Mon- @ieur!” cried M, Desmalions, with a gesture of irritation. “If you have fmportant things to tell us, why delay?" “I tell you, everything is plotted beforehand, everything is, 80 to peak, prepared, measured out, la- belied, and numbered. Everything takes place at the appointed time. Nothing is left to chance. It is a work very nicely pleced together, worthy of the most skilful artisan, so solidly constructed tbat outside hap- penings have not been able to throw {trout of gear; and that the scheme works exactly, precisely, imperturb- @bly, like the clockwork in this box, Which is @ perfect symbol of the whole business gnd, at the same time, gives @ most accurate explanation of it, because the letters denouncing the murderers were duly posted be- fore the crime and delivered after the crime on the dates and at the hours foreseen.” “Granting that the letters arrived on the dates named, you will neverthe- less have noted that the bour varied ©m each vccasion.” “That is to say, it varied as we watChed in the dark or not, and that ts just the detail which supplied me with the key to the riddle. If the let- ters—and this was an indispeusable precaution, which we are now able to understand—were delivered only un- der cover of the darkness, it must be because a contrivance of some kind them from appearing when ‘Ub tric light was on, and because u contrivance was controlled by a ewitch Inside the room. There is no Other explanation possible, “We have to do with an automatic Gistributer that delivers the incrimi- nating letters which it contains by olockwork, releasing them only be- tween this hour and that on such and @uch @ night fixed in advance and only at times when the electric ight Is off. You have the apparatus before you. fo doubt the experts will admire its uity and confirm my assertions. given the fact that it was found coiling of this room, given the that it contained letters written M. Fauville, am I not entitled to that it was constructed wille, the electrical engines! M, Fauville wrote those letters order to ruin his wife and the man was in love with her?” ‘ea. , at the same time, that fhe was threatened with death, he if ever the threat was re: that his death should be 9 charge of his wife and her ™ “Yes.” % fm order to avenge himself their love for each other and to Fraticy anted his hatred of them both, he we the whole set of facts to t to them as guilty of the mur- of which he would be the vic- ttm?” “Yes.” “So that—so that M. Fauvilte, in part of bis accursed work, was— Ghat shall 1 ruy?—the accomplice He dreaded he arranged that bi r Re by. i ‘That's it, isn’t it? That's ow it is?” “Almost, Monsieur le Prefet. You are following the same stages by which I travelled and, mynelf, ‘ou are hesitating before the last ruth, before the truth which gives the tragedy its sinister character and deprives it of all human proportions. “Well, M. Fauville, as you say, took art in his own murder,” i “Three months before the crime M. Fauville wrote a series of letters to one of his friends, M. Langernault, Sergeant Mazeroux will have fe Prefet, had be dead for sewer a fact of which ville cannot have been ignor- ant, These letters were posted, but were intercepted by some means which it-ls. not necessary that we should know for the moment. Fauville erased the postmarks and the addresses and Inserted the letters machine constructed for the pur. pose, of which he regulated the works at the first letter should be de da fortnigh live! the others at intervals of “At this mom his plan was co! smallest detail, Knowing that Sauve- rand was in love with his wife, wa ing Souverand's movements, he must obviously h noticed that his de- tested rival used to pass under the windows of the house every Wednes- day and that Marie Fauville would go to her window “This is a fact of the first import- hich was exceedingly vale ance, one wable to me; and ft will impress you being equal to a material proof, b Wednesday evening, I rep Sauverand used to wander round the house. Now note this: first, the crime prepared by M. Fauville was cominitted on a Wednesday evening; seconily, it was at her husband's ex- press request that Mme, Fauville went out that evening to go to the opera and to Mme, d'Ersinger's.” Don Luis stopped for a few seconds and then continued: An Arsene Lupin Romance of Fortune and Mystery “Consequently, on the morning of that Wednesday, everything was ready, the fatal clock was wound up, the incriminating machinery was! working to perfection, and the proofs! to come would confirm the immediate proofs which M, Fauville held in re- X serve, Better still, Monsieur ie Prefet, you had received from him a@ letter in which he told you of the plot hatched against him, and he implored your assistance for the morning of that day—that Is to say, after his death! Everything, in short, led him to think that things would go accordin to the ‘hater’s’ wishes, when some. thing occurred that nearly upset bis schemes; the appearance of Inspector Verot, who had been sent by you, Monsieur le Prefet, to coliect particu. lars about the Mornington heirs, Wha happened between the two men? Prob ably no one will ever know. Both are dead, and their secret will not come to life again. But we can at least say for certain that Inspector Verot was here and took away with bim the cake of coocolate on which the teeth of the Ciger were seen for the first time, and also that Inspector Verot succeeded, thanks to circumstances with which we are unacquainted, in, discovering M. Fauville’s projects.’ “This we know,” explained Don Luis, “because Inspector Vero! it was through him that we learned that the crime was to take place on the following night; and because he had set down bis discoveries In a let- ter which was stolen from him, “And Fauville knew it also, be- cause, to get rid of the formidable enemy Who was thwarting his designs, he polsoned him; because, when the poison was slow in acting, he had the audacity, under a disguise which made him look like Suuverand and which was one day to turn suspicion Qgainst Sayverand, he had the audac. ity and the presence of mind to fol- low Inspector Verot to the Cafe du Pont-N to purloin the letter of explanation which Inspector Verot wrote you, to substitute a blank sheet of paper for it, and then to ask a Passer-by, who might become a wit- hess against Sauverand, the way to the nearest underground station for Neullly, where Sauverand — live 8 your man, Monsieur le Pr | Don Luls spoke with increasing | force, with ¢ rdor that epriugs | 1 a and bis logical and closely argued speech seemed to con« Jure up the actual truth, “There's your man, Monsieur te Preiet,” be repeated. “There's your | scoundrel, Anc the situation in which | he found himself was such, the fear inspired by Inspector Verot’s possibie revelations was such, that, before put- ting into execution the horrible deed which he had planned, he came to the police office to make sure that his victim was no longer alive and had not been able to denounce bim, “You remember the scene, Mons: le Prefet, the fellow's agitation and fright: ‘To-morrow evening,’ he said. Yes, it was for the morrow that he asked for your help, because he knew that everything would be over th: ame evening and that next day the police would be confronted with a murder, with the two culprits against whom he himself had heaped up the charges, with Marie Fauville, who bad, so to speak, accused In ad- with an eager hand van That was why Sergt. Mazerou: visit and mine to his house, at 9 “This time the work was completed. walking-stick? Why, of course it who pursues an idea from which Fate was about to be fullfilled. Be- was! And at night the pretty lady nothing will make him turn aside, He and bis victims poisons me and her stepson, Prove pursued it with superhuman tenacity there was but the distance of one it? Well, whot about this apple and with all the resources of his fus- performed, M. which you did not bite into and which Udious mind, enslaved by the laws of Fau- ali the same will be found to bear the mechanics. tween the ‘Luter’ act. Fauville die Read this letter. ville wrote it on the olght he was marks of your teeth? What fun! murdered.” You Never Can Tell xv2ths, By Maurice Ketten TH AS SOON AS | OPEN MAY CHIN CHIN COLLAR | 1 CAN'T BREATHE | - “And then,” immisted M, Desmalions, “there is one moré fact that strikes Dance! Jump! Skip! malions opened the envelope “And the letters! The trick of my me as odd. Hippolyte Fauville does His first glance letters to the 1 at the pages of writing which It con- nault! That was my crowning tri- beritance in his confession, Why? tained nade him give a start. In a jerky voice, which became al- invented and constructed my little suppo: 6 lamented Langer- not once ention tbe Mornington in- umph, Oh, the joy of it, when I Did he not know of it? Are we to that there is no connection, o'clock in the evening, embarrassed most inaudibie at times owing to hie mechanical toy! Wasn't it nicely beyond a mere casual coincidence, be- him so obviously. Who were those In- amazement, he read: truders? Would they not succeed in sistence, compelled him to give way. ‘The eud is reached. My hour is neat and accurate? On the appointed bequest?’ shattering his plan? Reflection reas- striking. Put to sleep by me, Edmond day, click, the first letter! And, ten = “1 1, sured him, even as we, by our in 18 dead without having been roused days after, click, the second letter! ion, Monaleur ie Prefet. Hippolyte from his unconsciousness by the fire Come, there's no hope for you, MY Fauville’s silence as to that bequest thought out? Isn't it wonderfully tween the series of crimes and that ‘here, | am entirely of your opin. “After all, what he did care?” asked of the poison. My own death-agony is poor friends, you're nicely done for. perpiexes me a little, 1 confess. But Perenna, that no amount of watching could destroy them or even make the watch. Suffer! ers aware of them. What was to hap- sPeakable. pen would happen in our presence beginning, I am suffering ali the tor- Dance! Jump! Skip! “His measures were so well taken tures of hell.’ My hand can hardly write these last lines, 1 suffer, how 1 laughing now—1s to think that mo- thing {a lauville's guilt and the pris- And yet my happiness is un- body will know what to make of {t. oner’s innocenc ‘his happiness dates back to my there !s not the least doubt. But, out- bounded, From his point of and unknown to us. Death, sum- Visit to London, with Edmond, four Side that, absolute mystery. moned by him, would do its work. months ago, Until then, I was drag- al the same | look upon it as com- “And what amuses me—for I @m paratively unimportant. The main Marie and Sauverand guilt of that = =Don Luis's delight was pure and un- w, the sinister tragedy was at an end with “Nobody will know nor ever will the discovery of the confession writ- » » . And the comedy, the tragedy, ging on the most hideous existence, know anything. In a few weeks’ time ten by Hippolyte Mauville, Anything rather, ran tts course. Mme, Fau- hiding my hatred of the woman who when the two criminals are trrevo- not expluined in those lines would ville, whom he was sending to the detested me and who loved another, cably doomed, when the letters are in be explained by Lhe details to be sup- opera, came to say good night, ‘hen broken down in health, feeling myself the hands of the police, on the 26th, plied by Mime, Fauvilie, Florence La- his servant brought him something to already eaten up with an unrelenting or, rather, at 8 o'clock on the morning Vasseur, and Gasion Sauverand, He eat, Including a dish of apples, Then the man who ts about to die and who fears death and a whole scene of de- coit, in which he showed us his safe jp and the drab-cloth diary which was supposed to contain the story of the plot. . . . That ended matters. passage, closing the door after us; M, Fauville remained alone and free to act. Nothing now could pre. M&snificen' idea of revenge. And such needles which I used, an ebony walk- disease, eating me was cancer. And I knew be- Said. sides that, like myself, my won Ed- | °t) Hale Reside it the Grays mond was on the road to tho grave, cloth manuscript book tn whiol jazeroux and I retired to the hall ineurably st. -sken with consunpuion, pretended that I wrote my dairy, th a “That same evening 1 conceived the Phials containing the poison, the urgent, a and seeing my son grow of the 26th of May, an explosion will himself bud lost all interest in the followed a fit of rage, the agony of daily more weak and langui sin the afternoon 1 consult yaician and I ‘ Peawt doubt left; the marty that wag ler will explode it at the hour afore- 4# still waiting to be pulled down, destroy every trace of my work. The matter, agreat bomb fs in Its place. A movement The car drew up at Saint-Lazare, the entirely independent of the chande- the wretched, sordid old prison which The Prefet jumped out. The door “T have just laid beside it the drab- was opened at once, “Ls the prison governor there?” he asked. “Quick! send for him, 1 Then, unable to wait, he at once @ revenge. The most dreadful of ac- ingetick, two letters from Inspector hastened toward the corridors lead- yee me eM nent of hs wishes. At cusations made against a man and a Verot, in ehort, anything that might Ing to the infirmary und, aa he ville—to whom no doubt, in the cours love with each other! save the culprits, Then how can any reached the first floor landing, came wi of the day, imitating Sauverand’s Prison! The asaizes! Penal servitude! one know? No, nobody will know up against the governor himself. handwriting, he had sent a letter— one of those letters which are sible, not stru tern up at once. Te Which Heuewway? cumulated proofs, proofs so formid- pene—unieas the bomb leaves he entreated the poor woman to grant @b1€ as to make the innocent them- walls standing and the ceiling intact. She managed somehow to take poison.” The scaffold! And no assistance pos- hor ever will know anything. le, not a hope! Ac- “Mme, Fauvill waste of time, “Mme, Fauville died this morning, he said, without Want to seo her’— “Unless—unless some miracle by: him an interview at the Ranelagh— S¢lves doubt their own innocence and Unless, by some marvel of intelli- Greatly upset, the Prefet murmured: Mme. Fauville would leave the opera remain and, before going to Mme, d'Ersinger's dumb. Whata revenge! ty, would spend an hour not far What a punishment! helplessly gence and intuition, a man of genius, And To bo’ innocent tangled, should penetrate to the very “But the polson—where did it come i hreads which I have from unravelling the threads Ted ie er gmail nce m the house, and to struggle vainly the heart of the riddle and succeed, after under her pillow, Monsieur le Prefet.” ‘On the other hand, Sauverand very facts that accuse you, the very a search lasting for months and Two days later came a@ fresh sen- performing his usuai certainty that proclaims you guilty, months, In discovering this final let- gation: — Gaston Sauverand = was piigrimage less than half “And 1 prepared everything with a ter. found dying in bis cell. He had had a mile away, in the opposite direction, glad heart, Each happy thought, each During this time the crime would be invention made me Shout with laugh. Knowing that he cannot exist, But, his bedsheet, “it im for this man that I write, well the coyrage to strangle himself with All efforts to restore committed. ter, Lord, after all, what do I care? Marie and him to life were vein. ‘Thoth of them would come under the would think that cancer hurts: nota Sauverahd will he at the bottom of On the table near him lay a halt. rotice of the police, either by M. Fau- bit of it! How oan you suffer physical the abyss by then, dead no doubt, or dozen newspaper cuttings, which had ville's allusions or by the Incident pain when your soul Is quivering with 1m any case separated forever And been passed to him by an unknown the ¢ » du Pont-Neuf; both of them, delight? Do you think | f the hid- I risk nothing by leaving this evi- hand. All of them told the news of mo: would be incapuole of pro- cous burning of the poison at this dence of my hatred in the hands of Marie Fauville's death, viding an a moment? chance.” presence so near the house; were not “1 am happy, The death which | M- Desmalions ceased, amid the ai- CHAPTER VIII. both of them bound to be accused have inflicted on myself la the be- lent astonishment of all those pres cal tha arlinet pinning of thele targont. Thea why ent Ho had great difficulty in read- The Heir to the Hundred unlikely event ‘that five and: walt death Ing the concluding lines, the writing Milli ance should ‘protect them, which to ther woul) mean the be. R&ving become almost wholly shape- ons. was an undeniable proof ginning of their happiness? And ae lesa and illegible. peat N the fourth evening after ying ready to hand in the shape of Igdmond had to dic. why not save him , J1@ said In a low voice aa he the tragic events related, an t pple containing the very marks of Marie Fauville's teeth! And then, a few ks later, the last and de- o trick, the mysterious arrival at intervaly of ten days, of the let- a death which would of Marie and 8: “The end is cc off: give him a double the crime Thad to break J4#t remnant of strength to sign, his coat, rang at too m ch for me, ar the paper: “‘Hippolyte Fauville’ ‘The stgna- ture is there, Thg scoundrel found a oid cab driver, almost en- Urely hidden tn a huge great- name clearly, He feared that @ Perenna’s déor and sent up a letter to Do ters denouncing the pair, S 555) bt might be entertained of his vile ip a lot 0 ine SPOURC HE gre Ree we Overy: pew to pull inyeels to ri iny, And indeed how could any one Luis, He was at once shown inta "The amallest detatls were forescen HO™,calent everything ta! | Outside nave suspected it?" _ the study on the first floor. Hardly with Infernal clearness, You remem- garies of the police watching over my And, looking at Don Luin, he added: taking time to throw off bis great- rer, Monsieur le Prefet, that tur- crime, At no xreat distance Mari®, sally exceptional. power of ingight at he rushed at Don Luts: dnd.'wan found im the sate? There (2 opedience to my letter, ts hurrying and gifts to which we must all do cadet, Ou Ub With You, thle time, and was found In the safe? ‘There to the tryating place, while hor be- homage, to which { do homage, All Chief!” he exclaimed. “This la no mo- have seen it and picked It up. M. where his darlir uville was one of them. Well, he loved 1s roaming under the windows {\ s will not appear. ol t 2 little was just the one, whom we all'ex- striae’ hon D Puree > king; pick up your trunks e explanations which that madman Ment for jo! gave have been anticipated tn the @nd be off as quick as you can most accurate and bewildering fash. , Don Luts, who sat quietly smoking ies 4 Skip! ton." in an easy chair, answered: pepied) and vet it was he yee, oe Tord, what fun they are! A rope Don Luis bowed and, without re- . “Which will you have, Mazeroux? suspieio! pon me and to fore- round your neck, sir; i ¢ eato ct ‘ stall Interference which he felt rope Air gece and, madam, a plying to the praise bestowed upon A cigar or a cigarette?’ would be dangerous, seized the oppor- who poisoned the safel , .. , Was st not you, sir him, ald: ous At nspector Verot ‘this * right, M, le Prefet; he “But look her tunity and placed the twrquoise in morning and followed him to the cafe wase madman, and one of the most read the papers’ du Pont-Neuf, with your grand ebony dangerous kind, the tucid madman ‘Worse luck!” Mazeroux at once grew indignant. bief, don’t you ce a “In that case, the situation must appear as clear to you as It does to me and everybody else. During the lust three days, aince the double sul- cide, or, rather, the double murder of Marie Fauville and her cousin Gaston Sauverand, there hasn't been & newspaper but has said thie kind of thing: ‘And now that M. Fauville, his son, his wife, and his cousin Gas- ton Sauverand are di there's between mo Luis Mornington tnheri- “Do you understand thet means? Of course peopl of the explosion on Boulevard Suchet and of Fauville’s posthumous revela- tions; and they are disgusted that dirty brute of a Fauvill they don't know how to praise your cleverness enough. But there ts one fact that forms the main subject of every conversation and every discus- sion. “Now that the three branches of the Roussel family are extinut, who re- mains? Don Luis Perenna, In di fault of the natural heirs, who in- herits the property? Don Luts Per- enna.” “Sergeant, in ten minutes, when 1 have told my servants to go to bed, carry this portmanteau to 148 bis Kue de Kivoli, where ‘@ taken @ small flat under the nai Lecooq.” Don Luis had . . Recognizing how greatly the deaths of Marie Fauvill and Sauverand had altered the situation, con- sidered it wise to move to @ place of safety. His excuse for not doing so before was that he hoped to re- celve news of Florence Levasseur either by letter on, by telephone. As the girl ralst in kee} oe there, Pragtes reason why Lats should risk an arrest which the vol course of events made extremely probable. And in fact his anticipations were correct. Next morning Mazeroux came to the little flat in the Rue de Kivoll looking very spry. ou've had @ narrow enoape, Chief, Weber heard this morning that the bird had fi. wn. Ho's simply rurious! And you must confess that the tangle is getting worse. ey're utterly at @ lose at headquarters. ‘They don't even Know how to set about prosecuting Florence Levas- seur.” The days passed, Mazeroux called ‘an atlen rh posal ible, or else telephoned to Don Luis all the details of the two inquiries that were being pursued at it Lazare and at the Sante Prison. But, on the day. of the festing, Mazeroux entered Perenna’s fla ‘a letter in his hand and @ scared look on his face. “This is for you, Chief, It was ad- dressed to me, but with an envelope inwide it in your name, How do you explain that?" Quite easily, Alexandre. ‘The en- emy {8 aware of our cordial rela- tions; and, as he does not know 5 Don Luis opened he envelope read the following worda, written in red ink: “phere's still time, Lupin, Retire from the contest, If not, it means your death, too, When you think that your object is attained, when your hand 1s ralsed against me and you utter words of triumph, at that same moment the ground will open Deneath your feet. ‘The place of your death ts chosen, The snare is laid. Beware, Lupin!" Don Luts smiled, “Good,” he said. “Things are tak- ing shape.” Next Week’s Complete Novel in The Evening World “Roaring Bill” Wagstaff By Bertrand M. Sinclair “‘ROARING BILL’ WAGSTAFF” is a sequel to Sin- clair’s novel, “North of Fifty-Three,” recently printed in The Evening World. It ts also a complete story by itself, so that a knowledge of the preceding novel is not necessary to full enjoyment of it. 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. “Do you think ao, ( iiet?” This ime Don Luis did not protest, And who gave you the With a drawn face and set eyes watched the motor bu we've been lucky for once, moment was standing policeman to whom it ner of the Boulevard iin happened to live at Les “Stop!” he shouted to the driver,” next door to the bearer of The girl alighted. Lt was easy to the letter, He knows the fellow recognize Florence It was @ stroke of tuck, wasn't her nur uniform, She cast round her had it eileen Sa was not bei jowed, en rayon Taute sprang from ble seat, 2c, and drove down the “What do you mean? Out with It! 7 the Rue de la Pepiniere, to the You know who It re Saint-Lasare, » onne chap's an indoor servant culmea we te oe oe that rus up from joyed at @ aural jo Slimbini Ne Bre nS nursing home in the Ave the Cour de Rome and, O@ : 5 her, caught sight of her again at the Mae ee Ot Oe ee ee cKet olfice at the end of the waiting of , ; ag? You're youreelt “Quick, Mazeroux!” he said, “Get out your detective card and ask the clerk what Ucket she's taken, before another passenger comes,” Mazeroux burried and questioned “Well, of course! As long as there was nothing to do I alting for this evening and resting, for | can Rua, i fight will be tremen- the ticket clerk and returned: “Seound class for Rouen.” dous, But, aa the enemy bas viun- dered at last, as he's given me a trail to go upon, there's no need to wait, and I'll get ahead of bim, Have ai the Uger, Mazeroux!” ® minute. When they reached the It was 1 o'clock tn the afternoon Platform Florence was stepping into when Don Luis and Mazer &@ compartment ia the middle of the train, The engine whistled. said Don Luts, bi if as best he could. “Tel Mazeroux oudged The man was doubtioss 5 ope Doi the bearer of the letter, And, in re- © me from Rouen; and [ll join you* all, keep ply to the sergeant’s questions, be this evening, Abov madé o0 difficulty about saying that eyes on her, Don’t i he had been to the police office thay tween your fingers, Sue's very clever, morping. you know.” “By whose orders?” asked Maz- “But why don't you come yourself, eroux, Chief? It would be much better*—— “The mother superior’ “Out of the question, The “The mother superior?’ doexn't stop before Rouen; i. “Yes, the bome includes @ private couldn't be back Ull this eve: hospital, which is managed by nuns.” The meeting at the Prefect’s is at “Could we speak to the superior?” o'clovk, c 3 she bas = “And you insist on going?” % “More than ever. There, jump tnt” will she be in?” He pushed him Into one of the end “Ob, may be back at any time!” carriages. The train started aad soom ‘The man showed them Into thé disappeared in the tunnel. walting-room, where they spent over Then Don Luis flung himself on a an hour, ‘They were greatly puzzled. bench in a waiting room and ree What did the intervention of tbat mained there for two hours, pretend-— nun mean? What part was she play- ing to read the newspapers, But his ing In the case? eyes wandered and bis mind was People came tn and were taken ‘to haunted by the agoni: led that once more forved tect nae “ the patients whom they bad call Others went out. There were him: waa Florence guilty or not’ noving silently to and fro It was five o'clock exactly when and purses dressed in their long Major Comte d'Astrignac, Maitre Le- overalls belied at the waist. pertuls, id the Secretary of the nt doing any good here, American Embassy were shown tnto M. Desmalions’s office, At the same your mou some one entered the mes- senger’s room and handed tn his card, fhe meake: glanced " “U'm not wasting mine, The meet- ean pasieboutas, “uened. his nead ing at the Prefet's is not till Ave.” — quickly toward a group of men talke “What did you gay? You're Joking, ing in a corner, and then asked the’ Chief! You surely don't intend to newcomer: : go to It “Have you an appointment, sir?” "Why not?” vie’ essary. that “Why not? Well, the warrant”— jes here? esas Virdee, oe “The warrant? A serap of paper!" A kind of electric shock ran “A scrap of paper whlch will be- a come a serious inatter if you force ‘he little group In the corner; and the police to act. Your presence will Of the persons forming tt came be isoked upon a provocation bi ee Weber, the deputy chief “And my absence as a confession. A gentleman who comes into @ Pm, 3 two men looked each other bundred millions does not He low on ® Lips 4 tin the eyes. Don Luis the day of the windfall, So If must 4mlably. Weber was livid; he shook attend that meeting, lest T should |? “very limb and was plainly strive: forfeit my claim, And attend It 1 'PE, to contain himself, will.” ear him stood @ couple of jours vGbtef!"" nalists and four detectives, A stifled ery was heard tn front of “My Jove! they're there for mel” them; and « Woman, a nurse, who wag thousht Don Luis, “But their com- passing through the room, at once fusion shows that they did not te- started running, lifted a curtain and leve that [ should have the cheek te diaanveared: come, Are they golng to arreat me?" on Lule rose, hesitating, not anne did not move, but tn the en@ knowing what to do, Then, after four fies nae seers a certain satisfao~ or five seconds of indecision, he #ud~ © s.7, 6 Bee] saying: denly rushed to the pate 42 Lg you this time, my fine @ corridor, came up against Os eee shan't escape me, leather-padded door which ha: aries cee mnesseneer returasd closed, and wasted more time in atu. 7 Pei ‘ord, led the way for pidly fumbling at It with shaking Webe: renne passed in frost bands, er with the politest of bows, be- ‘When he had opened it be found wed a friendly little nod om the himself at the toot of @ back atair- “*yst } neva yy a . case, Should he go up It? On the to nim at once, with’ h urriet up right, the same staircase ran down ftretchod, thus sho ands out. to’ the basement. He went down it, Mretched. thue showing that all the entered a Kitchen and, wolzing hold (iron wnton he Cortina ee he bate ww e continur of the cook, sald to her, in an angry Private Perenna ot the Forelgm Les rH gion, But the Prefect of Police main. wayt” @ nurse just gone out thie tained an attitude of reserve which . was very significant, He went new oust nena aren Gertree tae turning over (he papers whieh ‘wea e , _ examining and conversed in a low gainer quick! She's wanted UP- Voice with the solicitor and the Amere “Who wants her? {can Secretary of Embassy. “Oh, hang it all, can't you tell me Rea Lule thought to himself: which way she went?” My dear Lupin, there's some one ow hat's your burry? sweetheart waiting for you?" ‘e're wasting our time, “Through that door over there,” going to leave this room with the Don Lule darted away, crossed a bracelets on his wrists, If it's not Uttle hall and rushed out on to the {0 f «| culprit It'll be you, my poor Avenue des Ternes. old chap.’ “Well, here's a pretty race!" cried The Prefect of Police remained Mazeroux, joining him, silent for a moment, as though asking Don Luis stood scanning the avenue, Niinself what that devil of a fellow A motor bus was starting on the Hittle Could be so pleased with; then he hard by, the Place Saint- fumbled through his papers once ana © and tn the end sald: ss inside it,” he declared, “Thig — “We have met again, gentlemen, ae I shan't let her go. we did two months ago, to come to @ He hailed a taxi. definite conclusion about the Morne “Follow that motor bus, driver, at ington Inheritance, Senor Caceres, hfty yards’ distance.” the attache of the Peruvian legation, "Is it Florence Levasseur™ asked W!!! be here. I have received @ Mazeroux, telegram from Italy to tell me that "Yes." Senor Caceres ts seriously {ll Hows “A nice thing! growled the ser- ever, his presence was not Indispen- geant. And, yielding to a sudden out- sable. There is no one lacking, there- Durst: “But, look here, Chief, don’t fore, except those, alas, whose claime you see? Surely you're not as blind (his meeting would Bladly have sane- @s all that!” tioned, that Is to say, Cosmo Morn. Don Luis made no reply, ington's heirs.” “But, Chiet, Florence Levasseur's | “There is one other person absent, Presence In the nursing-home proves Monsieur le Prefet.” as clearly as A BC that it was she M, Desmations looked up, The who told the man-servant to bring ker was Don Luis, The Prefect me that threatening letter for you! itated ant then decided to ask him There's not a doubt about it: Florence xplain, Levasseur 18 naging the whole “Whom do you mean? What pers business, 2?" . “You know it as wellasIdo, Con- | “The murderer of the Mornington fesa! It's possible that, during the hetrs.” last ten days, you've brought your- ‘What? self, for love of that woman, to look “Monsieur le Prefet, will you allow upon her as innocent in spite of the me to set forth the facts of the mat+ overwhelming proofs against her, But ter as it now stands? They will foi to-day the truth hits you in the eve, a natural sequel and conclusion I foe}, tt, I'm ware of it. tans it go, the titerview woes ee had after the Chief? I'm right, am 1 not: ‘ou see explosion on the Boulevard Suchet,” it for yourself?” (To Be Continued.) Sint I er | 1