Evening star., 1898-08-27
CHAPTER Y.
WfJheIm-s Pigeons,

wreckage of all the nations ot the eartn III
mutual war.
On the night of its discovery there was
a long secret confabulation, wonderment,
suggestion. invective. till near morning.
Here was an unexpected complication of
the marriage problem left them by their
uncle What if she, the petite. the despised,
carried off the fortune without knowing it.
Ard what could they do TO avert the trag-
edy? They could beat her till she sickened;
jeanne actually proposed 1t. They could
lock her in her room. and never let her out
till after things were settled These were
the OBVIOUS, brute remedies for the situa-
ticn.
But that they would not Go. Agnes felt
Mat the child would pc missed from her
work: there would be inquiries. There re-
mained but one thing; to wac her, wait
ing, hoping in luck, and in what mlght
turn up. Jeanne undertook the charge.
Again, on the next night, the night CT
Vansittarts spill from mis- brougnam, the
lovers met at the 3uItss-Chdumon-, While
Jeanne Iurked ard listened.
Almost imms diately after the first rhap-
sodies. Marie began 10 question him about
''the Invention" II mad filled her mind all
the day She had a profound faith III rs
woodworking powers What could not
her love do He was the hero Of the world,
the great magician.
And ths model" she said. 'IIave you
finished it?''
Il have been seeing to it-and 1t is i'm
isked."
And you yourself think it good? 1t will
do what you meant 1t 10 do?'
1T will kill something like thousand
men at one attempt"
How wonderful you are! And is II big,
this mOdel?'
big enough to nearly fill my ROOM
"Oh, the model! Don't think of that. 1t
is Of no Importance
so that We shall always remain poor,
ard not be married, and be pracUcaIE
He caught her to him.
Yes, soon, soon B'It--do you know what
I shall do? l shall go to the king. or TO
Mr.. Vansiitart, and tell him-really.
Then you must write to some one, and
tell them about the invention. Promise ME.
One should be serious and see 10 things
Premise"
If / have fifteen centimes TO buy a
stamp"
Il viii give you. Promise
And so the promise was made
At about the same time, FGliet was turn
ing key in the door of Jeannes room at
No. IL rue Pigalle He had been lurking
throughout the evening near tbs gate, and
had seen the setting out OF Marie TO meet
her lover. Then, crouching behind her,
Jeanne; then, half an hour after, Agnes.
The house, ne knew, was now empty OF its
female occupants, his opportunity was
come. He entered the courtyard and the
house. He had sworn not to sleep until he
spiracy which menaced the safety of the
country.
On the previous day he had taken careful
note of the rather intricate way to Jeannes
triangular room. He was able to reach it
in the dark In his pocket were number
of keys and implements.
He entered the room, and listened. No
sound, but the occasional scratching of
pigeon against it's cage in the next apart
ment- All was dark Folliet turned the
key in the lock which shut him from the
pigeon room: he had provided himself with
a duplicate in case it should be removed,
but the original key was there. Then he
softly took of his shoes. laid them behind
the bed curtains, and stepped through the
open door He Was in the enemy's terri
tory.
The room in which he found himself was
small Tfere. at the one window, was a
man looking out, his elbows leaning on the
sill. The faintest sound now would have
betrayed Folliet.
But he did rot make 1t. No sooner had
he discerned the dim and silent figure than
his revolver was in his hand. Then, with
eyes that lad acquired the faculty of see
ing in the dark. he looked about the room.
In a corner a spot of perfect blackness
caught his eye; it was the cupboard in
which on the previous day the two men
had hidden from Jeanne. But ii was per-
Iously near the window and the notion
less man. 1t was, however. the only ap
parent hiding place.
When thing had to be done Fn!liot was
not a man to hesitate. With concentrated
aiertness he stepped nearer and nearer to
the vague, broad back at the window,
ready 10 shoot if it stirred. Then he
touched the open cupboard door: in an in
stant he was within the aperture. He
drew himself cautiously inward.
Once the man at the window lifted him
self and paced three or four times round
the room. muttering few inaudiblo words
in his beard. Two Of them only could Fol-
het make out. The man had said: No
messagel No MESSAGE Then he resumed
his place at the window, and the dead ST
lence recommended.
HaIf an hour more, and footsteps were
heard outside the door. Then four men en-
tered.
Altogether. in one breath. they cried QUE.
News! Is there any news2'
They spoke in German Foiliet held his
breath. noting every word with a straining
ear. The man at the window turned and
said:
Not a word. Been looking out all the
evening. It's sure to come. / suppose"
Some one struck light and lit candle
on a table IN one corner.
For a time there was silence: the men
IT was clear. had been walking much. or
working They were tired. But Folliet
said 10 himself: This is the height OF luck.
Presently they will start to jabber"
He had not to wait very long orc said:
We'll. Karl, my boy, so far everything
has run pretty well for US. think."
Grand. came the answer. We didn't
want te kill the man. after sll, but only to
keep aim a prisoner in Paris for day or
two. And that's what we've done"
But is that sure2'' said the man at the
window.
Sure enough, Franz. His right arm is
cislocated at the shoulder-or SO every one
Is saying II he gets our of bed before
three days he'll have the will of a mule.
that's all But ii isn't likely that the doc
tors viii let him.
I pity the poor beggar myself"
On. PITY So do We ALL Rut what is
one man where the interests of so many
D for
landr'
Hurrahi Hurrahi' said another, with
q kind OF ianGuld enthusiasm.
A third. big, red-bearded man. began
10 hum:
M1ttersprache. AuterIant
VIE 50 wcnnesAin. trauti
Poor old Bachr' said the man at the
window; you mind how he was always
humn1ing the old tune?"
Yes. poor old Bachi Pity he was such
a fool
Wonderful little fuss the Paris noItca
have made over his death. don't YOU
think
Good reason why. my boy They are
so utterly at sea. They are trying to cloak
over their own iEcapacity. Here is a man
who. though found In the river doesn't
look as IL he was drowned: and he wasn't
poisoned: and he wasn't struck, or stabbed:
what can the poor police think2 They SIM
ply stare, and rub their innocent ewes and