The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-04-05

ONCE MORE HE LOOKED OVER LYDIA's NOTE.
have come just when it did, Nothing could
more have favored them"
With this he took down a map OF Cote du
Nord from the shelf and unrolled it.
| IF they escaped by sea-" continued he,
''therc is the place where they embarked"
Here he pointed to bay at the head OF
which stands Chateau Ncuf
/ "Mireille! Ho. Mireille." he suddenly
1 shouted
His first lieutenant quickly appeared.
'.Mireille, | want You to go to Chateau
Neuf and lind out what you can there about
i any and all vessels Of whatever description
that have been there within week,
/ He then informed his lieutenant Of what
had happened.
Mlreille, himself. was remarkable man
and hoped. in the advent Of his chiefs adj
vanccment, to step into the lattcrS shoes.
All of his work was characterized by
shrewdness care. vigilance and-more es-
pecially-pertinacity. His eye glowed with
delight. Here, indeed. was noble oppor-
tunity for fame. He at once departed for
Chateau Neuf.
Returning to his train Of thought, Louvait
continued:
..Of course. too such clever fellows must
| carry her to the shore. All! there's clue
| number one. The vehicle, if not DESTROYED,
| must have been hidden or returned to its
usual quarters.
As to the farmer and huntsman and, in
fact, all Of the abductors, they were in dis
guisc. OF course. One thing is certain It
was done by persons knowing well the
haunts and habits of the Princess And,
yet, none of the people about here would
or, for that matter, could have been clever
enough-to have done it. Therefore, they
were strangers and yet men who had
studied the customs of the Princess. So
they must have been seen. at some time,
or other. There's clue number two.'
Louvait was known to the world at large
as middle-aged, portly and grave, hut act
i've. Little did people imagine that this ex-
traordinary man. undisguised. was deter
mined young fellow Of thirty "a mere beard
less youth.
ITO succeed as detective" ran one OF
Lonvait's maxim's, lone must remain I'M
known"
Accordingly, the real I.ouvait was not
known.
OF he larted on az Oiseau.n the fieetest
horse in st. Malo. His plans were all con-
cocted ere he arrived at the chateau.
Thirty minutes afterwards, Lcroi. tho in
evitable. appeared. But in that time his
| rival had already succeeded in inspiring tho
household with the wonderful confidence
in his ability which he invariably aroused.
The management Of the case had been en-
trusted entirely to him.
Ieroi perceived that fate was.Oncc more
against him, but with his usual bulldog per-
tinacity, instead Of giving up the game and
returning home. got into conversation with
the inmates Of the chateau and soon learned
the state of affairs. He resolved to institute
search for the culprts on his own account
Louyait. having achieved this victory over
his rival, returned to Baudray's inn, where
he was told that no strangers had been en-
tertaincd as guests for two or three weeks;
and that, furthermore, no strangers had
been seen in that ncighborhood for as long
time. The only guests who had lately left
the inn were the American, Fairfax. and tho
Englishman. Oxford.
by this time, daylight was approaching
and Mircillc arrived with the news that no
strange boat had been in the harbor.
All the vessels which came in before the
storm were yet there. However. some Of
the sailors thought they had caught a feet
ing glimpse Of huge boat, passing out to
ward the island in the harbor. And one old
superannuated fisherman sworc that. while
he was inspecting his nets, after the storm,
he the brilliant lights Of a steamer moving
out toward the channel.
Louvait felt that the hour for immediate
action was gone. and that this was case
requiring time. tact and patience. His de-
light increased as its magnitude and COM
plexity increased. Clearly no conspirato.s
Of small caliber were concerned in it. This
was deeply planned. tincly-eSecutcd plot.
Men with means and authority were its
originators and executors, and were, there
fore, none Of the people in the region there
abonts. The glory to be gained was greater,
as the intricacy of the affair was greater.
Louvait's spirits rose to the occa sion. His
enthusiasm became boundless az his am
bition.
Not only have secured the sole man.
agcment Of the case--a thing l didn't OK
pect at the outset-but ! have beaten
Leroi,'' exclaimed he, joyously.
So the two worthless, in the most compia-
cent and self-satisfied humor. retired for
brief rest
The result Of Louvait's careful and unre-
hitting cxcrtions, next day, were as fol-
lows:
A carriage had been returned TO livery
stable in Dol. about four o'clock on the very
morning following the abduction.
ut is full seven hours drive from the
sea-coast to Dol. Surprising il came direct
from Chateau Neuf. it must have left there
about nine o'clock last evcning-just about
the hour when the fishermen think they
saw the yawl and the steamer! The owner
says it was hired late during the previous
night. BY whom. Think by the conspira-
tors-anothcr clue"
Thus he reasoned.
After further inquiries lie discovered
that five suspicious-looking characters left
the cars ut Dol, on the very night when the
vehicle was procured ut the livery stable
two alighting from the st. Malo express to
Paris, and three from the express arriving
| from Paris.
! That they had hired the chaise. Louvait
fully believed And that this was the chaisc
used in the abduction he clearly proved by
comparing the distance between its wheels
| with that between the tracks cut in the
earth about the old ish-house. It was an
old-faskioncd vehicle, with a tremendous
breadth of axle So it was quite unlikely
that any other conveyance should have made
those broad ruts.
The result of the detectives subsequent
| investigations was such as TO fasten his
suspicious upon Fairfax, Oxford and Roger.
| But. then, to Offset the suspicion that the
| Englishman and his servant were the inter-
esting pair that mysteriously left the st.
Malo express ut Dol, the station-master at
st. Malo showed card, bearing the sigma
| ture .Arthur Fairfax requesting him Ito
reserve compartment for two on $50 p. III.
express to Paris-to be called for by Mr..
Richard Oxford and valet.''
| Mr.. Oxford and valet had not only called
| for this compartment but occupied it in per-
son, during the entire trip to Paris-so the
guard said.
Did the gentleman in such a compart-
ment travel to Paris or get off at DOLE"
He and his valet went direct to Paris"
Describe their personal appearance"
Their hats were drawn down over THEN
! faces, but ] think one Of them wore light
mustache. He was Mt least six feet in
height. The valet wore only short-croppcd
| sice-whiskers. lie was about five feet
| seven inches tall
This correctly described Duck and his
| valat. Vet l~snvait was not satisfied
kaxs