Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-02-02
CHAPTER XVIII.

"MR. FAIRFAX, L BELIEVER
The sun had sunk below the horizon; the
sky became darkened, and the lights of the
'sNamovna" more and more dim. Fairfax
reused himself from his reverie, gave one
last look at the yacht, with silent prayer
for her safety, and was turning back to
the world and to work, when an iron hand
was land upon his shoulder, and a clear
voice, with a slightly foreign accent,
uttered the selfanswered question:
ssMr. Fairfax, believer
Naturally somewhat startled, Fairfax
looked at the face of his interlocutor. In
the darkness, he could distinguish a short,
stout man with strong Napoleonic nose
and jaw. He knew it could be no other
than Louvait, of st. Malo.
.'Ahr' said he, quickly, monsieur Jean
Louvait, I've been expecting you. l am
delighted to see you"
Louvait, in his turn, was surprised. How
did this man know him! Where had he
ever seen him! Again, supposing he had
seen him, how was he aware of the pres
ence in America of the detective, Jean
Louvait, who was supposed to be at his
post in ST. Malo? His respect for the
wonderful cleyerness of this Fairfax in
creased. Recovering himself, he said alb
ruptly.
ssWhere is the Princess Natalie!'
Fairfax made no reply, but pointed to the
scarcely visible lights of the 'Namovna."
Louvait looked and understood. With an
oath he brought down his clenched fist
upon his thigh, and quickly turning to Fair
fax, he assumed his most pleasant smile and
held out his hand, saying:
MIR. Fairfax, you are the most clever
man / ever saw. You have spoiled the
making of the finest detective in all Europe.
am beaten, but respect you with respect
l give to no other man. How did you accom-
plish it!
A little f1attered by such praise from a
man himself so able, Fairfax entered into
more pleasant humor, and putting his arm
through Louvait's, said:
''Friend Louvait, you have not dined. You
must be hungry. Come with me and We'll
talk it all over together over bottle of wine
and cigars. Tomorrow morning l leave.
We may not meet again"
The two, detective and detected, the one
unsuccessful, the other successful, yet de-
feated, passed leisurely over the meadow
toward Glen Gore cottage.
As they neared the house tall, muscu-
lar figure, with long, firm strides, came
swinging down the road that wound up to
the cottage Louvait disengaged his arm
from that of Fairfax, with the remark:
"Stopi think see friend coming"
Picking up the dead branch of tree he
planted himself in the newcomers path,
shouldered the limb as he would muSket,
and assuming bombastic attitude, called
out in hooking tones:
All: who art thou that's crossed the sea,
That dark and stormy water?
The bird has flown, fair Natalie,
'Tis all in vain we've sought her.
advance, friend, and give the counter
sign, or I'll shoot you on the spot. My very
dear, much respected and clever brother
detective, allow me to inform you that
although have beaten you in every point,
here. is gentleman who has beaten me, and
consequently both of US"
"Mr. Fairfax, allow me to present my
greatest rival, Jean Leroi.'
Monsieur Leroi, you must come with us
for bite and a glass of wine,'' said Fair
fax, shaking hands with the new somer.
Arm in arm the trio, Fairfax in the CEN
ter, sauntered down the avenue and en-
tered the cottage, where they were duly
presented to Miss Strong.
There was brilliant, if small party at
Glen Gore that evening.
Louvait and Leroi could assume at will
the role of gentleman or a peasant with
such cleverness that the genuine members
of either class could with difficulty be per-
suaded that they beheld only veneering.
Each man of the company was seeking to
Each man had risked a great deal in this
affair of the abduction. Each recognized in
the others men of unusual ability, of
extraordinary courage and determination;
and each was bent upon creating in the
others favorable opinion as regards him
self
That little dining-room re-echoed with
such brilliant sallies of wit, such astonish-
ing anecdotes, such marvellously keen
opinions of men and matters in general, that
Miss Strong listened in pure delight and
onder. She afterward declared that, al
though it had been her good fortune to
hear some of the brightest wits and table
takers of the day, she had never before
listened to such meteorically-br dis
play of conversational ability.
After dinner the men fingered over
their wine and cigars. Fairfax took adj
vantage of a temporary lull in the CONVEX
Itsation to say:
''Mr. Louvait, you are anxious to hear
my story. l will tell you with pleasure,
but only on one condition. First, however,
let me inform you that the Princess Natalie
Radziwill is now on her way back to Europe
under the protection of the Lady Lydia
Broadacres."
Louvait and Leroi both stared at this
''She will prefer no charge whatsoever
against me. On the contrary, she and lady
Lydia both desire to keep the matter as
quiet and secret as possible. / have the
latter's own word for it. Furthermore, no
effort will be made even to discover who
were my CONDUCTORS in the abduction. They
will endeavor, IN every way, to protect
from the law the owner of the yacht that
brought us hither-and you, gentlemen, of
course, know all about that--and also to
protect all others directly or indirectly con-
nected with the affair You see it will be
futile to attempt anything farther.
"Will you, gentlemen, give me your prom
Use that you will let the matter dropa'
For a moment there was silence. Louvait
was the first to speak.
81 will, said he, ''but only upon one con-
dition, as consider it useless to pursue
the business farther. And then, again,
Pm anxious to learn if your story comedies
with my theory"
81 will, also, Mr.. Fairfax, and for the same
reasons" added Leroi
.sWhat is your condition, Mr.. Louvait2'
inquired the American.
THAT, if your story agrees with my
theory, of which I have copy in my pocket
;f;& aprees with nv theory, YOU will prom