Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-10-26

and when ne came up here-if be ever
came"-
(Which is as good as proved" put
in.
"Not to my satisfaction. You stick
to your point, however. 1t is like you
English. But will you explain why no
one, none of US at any rate, has met
him or heard of him? Biskra is small
place. Why are there no traces Of
him:"
"That is the darkest part of the busi-
ness, to my mind. !"
"You shall not say, monsieur, that
we have not tried our best to clear up
that. There shall be no imputation Of
foul play undetected where I command.
Immediate search shall be made through
the district-a complete battue. Your
Prince Charmant must be very securely
hidden if he escapes our people. He
shall be found whether alive or dead. I"
He was not found nevertheless. But
day or two later the baron sent for
me and said they had laid hands upon
the two rogues, Picpus and Della Croce.
"They are both in Algiers, known to
and identified by the police. No doubt
they await your arrival with the magot,
the great prize for which they have
angled so cleverly. Now we shall arrest
them. am writing to beg that this be
done at once, for by interrogation they
may be got to confess what they have
done with the prince-at least when in
custody they cannot carry out their
programme They will not be silenced
by tho payments they demand, but they
cannot very we'll communicate with
the press.
This news in a measure ended my
mission, which did not extend beyond
laying bare and neutralizing clever
attempt at extortlon. But could not
rest satisfied with that had still to
fulfill duty to my employer. | must
unravel the more serious mystery Of the
princes disappearance
So prepared to return without de-
lay to Algiers and assist, so far as
might be permitted. in the examination
of the conspirators.
Then luck interposed in my favor,
and in no profession does the action of
blind chance go further than in that of
the detective. The strange fact has been
proved again and again and might be
illustrated by many curious examples.
The very day before that fixed for my
departure I was wandering aimlessly
through the little town of Biskra, when
chance-the detectives good fortune
rather-took me into an Arab caravan
sary on the outskirts near where the
road comes in from Touggourt and Ell
Wayla, the farthest confines Of the
French territory.
It was of the same character as those
I had seen in the far east, a great square
Enclosure, the center filled with refuse
and garbage, among which stood the
camels, horses and other animals, while
on the four sides were low doors open
ing upon the travellers rooms.
A little on one side was new arrival
-one of those old fashioned hooded
vans seldom seen out of France and only
there in out of the way districts remote
from railways and large towns. They
are used by quack doctors, cheap jacks.
wandering photographers and the like.
The proprietors of this van seemed to
combine all these callings with that of
horse dealer, for number Of promising
colts stood around tethered by their
fetlocks, and an old man in blue blouse
and sabots was giving them water. Sud-
denly l saw him look toward the back
of the van, give low, shrill whistle,
and whisper:
"Gare! La patronne. Et patiti-eJ
patitap'
Following the direction of his signal
l saw two young people flying apart
with haste that showed they were do
ing wrong. 1t was the old, old story.
Love was not running smoothly, and
the chief obstacle was no doubt this
stalwart female in the mans red ber-
retta who had just entered the caravan
sary
drew near, amused as l saw the
youth snatch up water bucket, the
girl hurriedly resume her task of shred