Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-20
THE LOST PROVINCES,

they had been crying.
Il went TO have a talk with Agnes Car
haix," said Foliet
But t am she, monsieur" said the girl
Coed 1 am of the police-from the
prefecture. You called there this morning,
1 think
Yes. monsieur. but"
Just want to have a talk with you-'
Well, monsieur-if that is 80
Her eyes dropped. She was confused.
What the devil" said Folliet to himself
is the matter?''
IF monsieur will-will step this way
with me-we might sit together in the
cabaret au Vraf Bruyant just yonder out
side, anG there talk
cant any one enter the house then T
he added:
Really, but it isn't worth all that trou-
Die, you know. L wanted merely to ask
you a question or two about yo.ir sweet.
heart, NJ Bach. 1 may tell you at once
that We nave every hope of finding and re-
storing him to you, if We can just get a
The girls eyes leaped upon him.
Of hnding him-really, monsieur?" she
Yes. really-why not? These temporary
disappearance are quite common 70,
know, in a place like Paris Let rs sit
ter over" -e''
Still she hesitated a moment. Then
turned reluctantly and led the way
As Folliet moved to follow her Soma
tnlns slowly falling from above through
a. the ar brushed past his nose. He caught
II quickly, and quickly poked it into a
pocket 1t was feather
Inc courtyard in which thew had stood
was dark, but the room On the ground
unor INTO which Agnes Carhaix now lei
MIN was darker still. Folliet placed his
chair so that, while he remained in ali.
Solute shadow a Jim glimmer from the
half-open door made her movements and
attitude di5cernible
But 1t was his nostrils, and his ears.
rather than his eyes, which were husv
He had no sooner entered the room than
singular odor greeted him. He mad no
sooner settled himself on the chair than
T T,nsu nap- sound fell upon his ears.
Inc odor was the faint, fetid odor of
a stable The sound was a single ono
resembling the stroke of club tbumDing
upon boards. AS it sounded through the
room the girl WINGED.
wen, now about Bach" said Folliet.
with every sense on the alert. ..You will
una mat the questions l have to ask Won
doCut MIN are not many, and easily an
s s"ereo. FIRST of all, how long have you
been engaged to him?"
II she said in evident confusion
come, now-how long?"
ADout-about two weeks"
That ALP
Down in answer came sounding the club
upon the boards. a single blow.
'Yes-thats ALL
And when were you to be narried?"
In-ln a week.
80? Really? Not a very long ene.,a-
ment then. all tolu"
No. But what has that to do with
the matter, MONSIEUR
ell. IN a case Of this kind everything
Is OF Importance, you know. Just answer
my questions-you will find them eaSy to
al swer How long have you known
Bach?'' "h
About-about three weeks"
mat an! He was anxious to be married
quickly, them" to
On, come. now, if the man is to he
iI' IL Is clear that you must let me
Know the facts, you know"
An, n CnSieur, do not torment metz
Sne buried her face in her hands.
W ell, then" he said I'VE start with
th'S TACT; Ihat Bach was anxious for some
reason or other, to get married in frantic
haste Bach-or you. Which was it-Rach
or your" t'
The mysterious sound of the. club came
pouhdssesn answer upon the boards The
covering girl was silent
An, you are not open and candid. yCu
see" said Foliet: how do Won exnect roe
10 hhd your lover for you? Well then. I
must ask you something else Was the
appolntHent which Bach had to keep on
the day he disappeared an important one?';
Il suppose So
only suppose?"
Il believe So"
Come, now; that's better. You believe
Well, what was it all ahout o.,
L don't know
very well, then / shall leave you to find
your lover for yourself, that's all
He was going to meeting
Il suppose So"
He told you sop
Yes in the faintest whisper, came
from her.
An assemblage of Germanso"
On, not necessarily Germans"
HOW do you know"
He did not say they were Germans.
Why should you pitch upon Germans?''
Bach is a German?'
fes-a naturalized Frenchman
irg?"
You do not suppose that Mr.. Bach told
IT was a secret meeting. then?"
Il suppose so.''
Why
Because-I do not know. suppose 1t
was secret"
He told you it was secret?'
WE'LL suppose-yes"
And you know nothing of it's object"
How should I?'
When did you first meet Mr.. Bach?"
Here, in this house.
SO? How came he here?"
his" VI
"A German friend?"
'Well-yes."
Who knows you, also?'.
'Yes-he lives here
"A lodger?"
YES"
Have you any other lodgers?S
About five
"AH Germans?"
Most OF them, I believe"
THE house is yours?"
Mine and my two sisters"
Have you always lived herer
Nearly always"
Your fathers house?p
MY uncle's."
He is alive now?'
He is lately dead"
How long ago?'
Three weeks ago."
About the same tine when Won met
Bach, them"
She lowered her eyes.
Yes"
Folliet rose. As he did so, for the TWEEN
tieth time, the club sounded It's solitary
strange blow upon the boards.
Well all l can say" he said, SIS that
you know a great deal more than you
choose to tell me. IT is very foolish If You
are anxious to find him, you know 1 sup
pose you are anxiods?"
"Ah, monsieur, find him, find him quick
~ for mer' she walled with hidden face.
We'll" he said, Il won't hide from you
that We have a clue-that his recovery is
possible-soon-but--'
He turned sharply IN surprise There