Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-06

now and November o. I should like to
look into it. on the spot. at once"
"At Biskra?'
Certainly. There is time, believe. for
me to pay visit to Biskra, to make in
quiries. hear all about this De Fivas and
Mirabel and the rest. Above all, to see the
young prince and hear his own version"
He has given it here" said old Black,
hitting the confession with his knuckles as
it lay upon the table.
He is said to have given it there. That
may be a forgery. The signature, the
official stamp of the notary, both might
have been obtained by some nefarious
dodge. The young prince may be under
coercion
MY dear Major Macnaghten-Innes,"
broke in Black, impatiently for one so Sc
date and stolid, lin my experience, an
ounce of fact is worth Shipload of con-
lecture. 1 think that the safest course
is TO send the meney-exchange it for the
confession. Let us carry out the con-
tract. That. moreover, in fact, is what
risk.
Brightsmith, having fuller confidence in
my skill, took my view. and after much
debate it was decided that Prince Casimir
should be consulted. He came up to
Gresham street, rather limp old gentle
man, to whom this was a browning bit
terness in life of disappointment, and
we had some difficulty in persuadng him
to the holder course. 1t was the money
that settled it. He was not rich and
would have been glad to save the 81 800
blackmail
Having arranged that the sum in ques-
ton should await my orders at Cooks
bank in Algiers, l left London for Biskra
on November 2, and, taking the most ex-
peditious route. that via Marseilles and
Philipville. reached the desert town on the
evening Of the third day. November D. AL
lowing three clear days for the return
journey to AlgierS, where. If my inquiry
failed. l must be on the evening of No
vember D. l had just sixteen days before
me.
Biskra owns several hotels. but I chose
tfat which had been named in the letter
from NM. de F'ivas and Mirabel, believing
L should be safest in the heart of the en-
emy's country. AS l had my guns with
me, and proposed to call upon both the
French commandant and the kaid or Arab
governor, as an English sportsman, eager
TO nunt all kinds of game, hoped to es-
cape importunate curiosity. In support of
TINS character rode out twice with the
kaid's falcons and spent a night in the
desert under the AUres mountains
AT the same time 1 prosecuted my in
quiries with the utmost caution. If it
got wind that an agent from Prince CAST
mir was in Biskra my mission might fail
at the very outset, and the worst would
happen was satisfied the first day to
walk through the Place de la Sahara,
where l did actually find the brass plate
OF La Ramie. Notary" at the door of his
office etude. 1 ascertained. too that -
club called the "Cercie ell Salahin," ex-
listed, and that it was not difficult r. gain
admission to it, e'
But as yet l could hear of no DE Fiyas"
no MlfaDei. There were no such per
sons residing at the Hotel des Zibaus tho
the demands! OF course people might
ana do. make use of an address thai is
borrowed or fictitious, yet there was corr
Tort IN the thought that these heightened
known. w"
again, l could not find that any princa
certainly no Prince Stanislas de Medea. had
recently sojourned in Biskra. This was also
not set much store by it, for princes of All
catesor1es have fondness for incognito
and there might be good reasons WIN
prince stanislas should pass under a small
er ana assumed name. / had his photo-
graph with me- reputed a good likeness and
1 always carried it about with me- hoping
1hat might run up against the original in
some goo corner. But not only did l never
meet MIN. but could hear of no one an
swering to his description at any of the
hotels. VI Tic
My first substantial move was made when
l was admitted a member of the FL SaIa
hin Club 1 at once examined the LIST Int
locked In vain for the names "De Fivas"
ai;d M1raDel They were not members
OF the club. that was clear
This. to my mind knocked the bottom
out or the whole story. If a gambling scan
dial had occurred in the club. n wouId SI,ra
iy nave been dealt with by members not
Cuts'ders; certainly not by such outsiders
shadowy, obscure personages of whom, after
five days inquiry, / could hear nothing in
Biskra. But there was still stronger reason
to doubt the story. Now that I was a mem
Der l was in a position to ask. caufiouslv
about the case
No one had heard of It at all. If was
pure invention: there had been no cheat
irg, no Prince Stansias in the club.
In1S conclusion relieved of a apvtoty
with RESPECT to the negotiations The
biackmailers were not to be greatly dread
cd; their plot was thin and COMMONPLACE.
lheir threats might be disregarded and the
money must assuredly rot be paid
But 1 found myself in the presence of a
much more serious question II was ner
iectiy clear to me that something had ham
nened to the young price. No plot of this
KIND could have been set on foot without
ms being actively or passively concerned
IN H. He was party to 1t. whether as a
victim or tool or prime mover For a mo-
n,ent ! wondered whether 1t was the last
HAD this young scapegrace sought thus to
-lies?
No. I could not bring myself to believe
,nis quite II was so much more likely that
ne nad failen n prey to some artful villains
who by sop'e means or other had recog-
nized him In B skra. penetrated his incognito
and turned their knowledge to serve their
own nefarious ends
This implied foue play of the worst kind
They might even have made away with
him tn this far-off semi barbarous land: at
least, they could hold him sequestrated
somewhere. close prisoner. until they had
achieved their purpose-the extortfon OF
hush money for a social offense that only
| existed I'm their own evil minds.
saw now that 1t was my bounden duty
IN apply to the authorities The police at
Biskra were semi-rilitary in character and
Under the orders of the commandment, a
colonel of Spahis, Baron d'Hautrine by