River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-03-15

0E1AlNs zlE Has NAu1EA " NOANNS- AIA
identity under the nom de plume Of Miss
ROcnefort."
a random arrow often hits where we'll
directed shot fails. "A certain man drew a
bow at a venture and smOte the King be-
tween the joints Of his harness" And this
bow. drawn at a venture, sped its arrow
straight 10 the mark, which was Louvait
and LerOi
Those two worthless, in their eagerness TO
get information relative 10 the mysterious
case, were in the habit Of perusing all tae
prominent dailies. They both read the fore
'ng item. and Immediately arrived at the
conclusion that il furnished the long -desired,
genuine clue.
Putting this and that together, they made
keen ana untiring researches, and each
separately arrived at me second conclusion
that no theory was so reasonable as the one
that Louvait, about a month previously, had
written Odt and sent in to the head Of the
police department Of the governmental
theory that Leroi by dint Of patient toll had
evolved some time later. To LOuvait it had
come as an inspiration. But whatever the
manner in which it arrived, conviction re-
manned with both. Each knew that he pos
sessed the right clue, and an angel from
Heaven could not have persuaded him 70 the
contrary.
A steamer was TO sail from Havre the
very next day. Louvait resolved TO risk all
and 10 take passage upon her. His assistant
was given sole charge Of AFFAIRS during his
masters absence.
LOuvait went 10 the steamship agent, and
was about to enter a fictitious name upon
the passenger list, when his attention was
attracted by the previous name-'Jacques
I.arue." He instantly recognized the hand
writing. disguised as it was. 1t was the,
alias Of his rival, Jean LerOi. who, in thus
getting ahead OF him, had ''bitten of his
own nose
Louvait looked up reiectively. appar entity
debating the pros and cons of some question
in his mind. but in reality carefully scanning
all the passengers.
Not twenty feet from him stood tall,
muscular individual observing him in an
apparently nOnchalant manner. He was
smoking cigarette and carelessly leaning
against pile of baggage LOuvait instant
" recognized Leroi in An exceedingly clever
disguise. He saw, too, that the latter had
penetrated his own disguise. CHANGING back
at the sheet of paper before him, he reflect
ed but only for moment.
A steamer of the White Star line was adj
vertised 10 leave Liverpool late the follow
I ing afternoon. She was known as one Of
the feetest Of Atlantic boats, and, even IL
dav later in her start. would undoubtedly
overtake and pass the French vessel
Laying the pen down, he asked, in a voice
lowered apparently that none should hear
Z him. vet so distinct that the keen ear OF Lee
I roi could not fail to catch ii:
when does your next steamer gol"
''Next Saturday.
Il Will 60 then, instead of to-day. Here is
I the money for my passage"
{ Forthwith he proceeded TO register his
name in the list of Saturdays passen-
/ gers
With an absolutely expressionless face,
{ and softly whistling to himself he went out,
+ casting a seemingly careless glance at lie
I rOi That individual was deceived and could
I scarcely restrain a look of triumph.
An hour later the steamer sailed, and the
/ deceived Leroi had the satisfaction Of see
z ing MS great rival. Jean LOuvait, left be
I hind upon the dOcks-just as that guileless
I creature took good care that he should.
/ Now for Liverpool Just twenty six
I hours behind the Vile de Brest, the Ger
manic steamed out of Liverpool harbor with
Monsieur Jean LOuvait among her passen-
gers.
While these events had been going on,
Mr. Nebbitt was on the alert. Contrary TO
I his expectations, Fairfax had actually alb
/ Quoted the Princess. Now that his young
/ friend had been so successful in the be-
j ginning of his hair Drained scheme, he was
anxious that the dsR0HsmeHi should be fully
7 as successful Furthermore, his own IN
furnished reputation was at stake.
He knew well that both LOuvait and Leroi
suspected him of completely in the affair.
Both men had been imprudent enough to
visit him in their official capacity with re-
gard to the matter. And he knew them to be
men Of immense resources, energy and dis
. elimination. and, accordingly, he took care
to post himself as much as possible upon
their doings.
Latterly they had both been unusually
quiet Nebbitt suspected mischief.
One morning he came across a paragraph
in London paper nearly eight days old. 1t
was the item from the pen Of the American
correspondent. He read it, and knew inn
mediately what il meant. II meant that Le-
roi and Louvait were already on their way
TO America.
Putting himself in instant communication
with the police authorities at St MalO and at
St Brieux. he learned from the former that
Louvait was '.absent, and might not be back
for weeks" From ST. Brieux came SINH
lar response as regards LerOi.
This. then. explains the fact Of LerOi and
Z Louvait being on their way TO New York,
o
| alive telegram to his captain
Let US hear the adventures Of these two
enterprising Frenchmen-
The Germanic arrived in New York har-
Dor early one afternoon AS she was steam
ing up the bay another vessel, flying the
French flag, followed a short distance be-
hind her Iouyait scanned the vessel
carefully through pair Of powerful field
glasses II was the Vile de Brest, and
among her passengers he distinguished the
form Of his rival, Leroi
All. said he grimly 10 himself, ''you are
clever. my friend, but have beaten you this
time"
Nevertheless. he was too cautious to pre-
sumo upon LerOi's ignorance of his presence
in America Jean LerOi invariably took
every conceivable precautiOn to ensure sue
cess. and none better than Jean LOuvait
knew this
He studied the Railway Guide Book. This
told him that the only proper route to Bar
Harbor was rid the Fall River line from
New York 20 Boston; thence by way Of
either the Eastern or Western Division OF
the Boston & Maine railroad 10 Portland
Ne. where he would be transferred 10 the
Name Central railroad, which route would
lead him directly TO Bar Harbor.
One Of the Fall River steamers left New
I ork Al 1:tg p. H. ahOlntE al % 10 p III,
E Ler0i's extreme caution he knew would
lead that man 70 san by the former. Could
he himself only take the latter, there would
be Just time 10 run down 10 the dock where
the ..Namovna'' was moored, and there
make few investigations.
Again he inspected the Railway Guide
Passengers by the first boat were due in
Boston at ESQ the next morning; those by
the second At 600 a. must fifteen min
utes before the famous '.Vestibule" train
left for Bar Harbor
We'll. Ist Leroi take the first boat. il he
wants 70. I'll risk myself by the next, and
get there in plenty of time"
With that he FASTENED tO.view the Yacht
CHAPTER XXVL