Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-08-05
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''Of course" he went on, 1.-The safest
course to adopt would be to stop the
play at once. VIII you do that?''
mo; 1 will not do that" she replied
slowly. 1T is too great a success"
Gould you then, identify the man
who gave you the letter."
~Yes-oh. yes; / can see his face,
his horrible face, nowi"
well, then, you must help us in this
way After the play tonight go TO
The Place de Greve. You will be met
there by one OF our agents, who will
conduct you to one of our secret
houses in the Rue de Sainte-Croix .
There we have several men under ar
rest, and you must see them. Had the
man scar under the left eyer"
Yes, yes-a deep scar. remember
that distinctly"
MANY men have such scars, but still
this may be the right one. You will
come, them"
Il will. shall see you there. mon
sieur?"
Eyes. And, by the way. has any 9TH
er agent of the Chambre called? You
see we work secretly and hardly know
each others plans and movements"
mo; no one else has been"
All, then au revoir, madame. To-
night, after the play, in the Rue do
Sainte-Croix."
And he made obeisance and went out
III.
Mile. Moliere was depressed and ner-
vous that evening, despite her inherent
inability to take most things seriously.
She thought of the words of NJ Dupin,
and feared to eat, feared to go out,
feared to stay at home, feared almost
to look around, and yet kept contin-
ually glancing rapidly and timidly over
her shoulder. The customary hour.
however, found her, as usual, on her
way to the theatre, thickly yelled and
cloaked. She took quite a circuitous
route, avoiding all the quiet streets and
mixing as much as she could among
the crowd.
At the corner Of the Rue Mazarine,
in her haste, she ran into a drunken
man who would have turned upon her
and struck her but for the gallant in
PREVENTION of a passing gentleman. A
crowd collected all in a moment. as
crowds will collect, and for one brief
instant she caught sight, amid the
throng, Of face that chilled her with
fear. 1t was the SCARED, reptile face
OF the deliverer Of the threatening let
ter. She would have swooned but for
the excitement buoying her up.
So the Chambre Ardente could not
have the right man under arrest, after
all. That was her first thought. Was
he not uncaptured, and walking
abroad? What should she do? Per-
haps, though, she argued as she sped
along, she was mistaken in the face.
There were plenty of SCARED visages
in Paris, as M. Dupin had said. She
determined in the end, as women will
Recommendations vast amount OF
consideration-to keep her appoint
ment in the Place de Greve, but mean
while, arrived at the theatre, she has
tily scrubbed a note and dispatched Il
to the Chambre. II ran thus:
Have just seen in the Rue Mazarins
the man who gave me the threatening
letter-at least, / believe it was the
man. will, however, come tonight
to the house in the Rue de Sainte- Croiz
as l promised your agent, NJ. Dupin
| this afternoon"
".
The play was over, and the audiences
| had dispersed. The streets. softly II.
lumined by a newly risen moon, were
still and deserted. Mile. Moliere, veilei
and hooded again, walked swiftly in the
| direction OF the Place de Greve. As
she entered the square, recently so wild
| and luTid with tongues of hungry flame
|
| peaceful and beautiful in the deli
cate light, she esp-ed a figure approach
ing her.
Mile. Moliere?" he queried in a deep
low voice when he came near.
/ She nodded her head.
| Follow me-" he added.
4 They traversed a labyrinth of streets
and no further word was spoken until
a quarter OF an hour afterward, tn,
man raped gently at a house door il
a queer little street
This is the Rue de Sainte-Croix,
/ he murmured.
The door was instantly opened. En-
l ter, he said, and madame went in
with her attendant at her heels.
The passage was pitch dark. Sh
stood still affrighted.
Where am -" she cried.
This way-this way. IT'S all right
said a voice.
"Oh, is that you, M. Dupin?"
Eyes, it's I, madame"
p Thank Heaven! I began to fear
had been entrapped.'
A hand took hers in the darkness
: and conducted her several yards. The
a door was opened, and they entered
dimly lighted room, half laboratory
y half library.
pray be seated, madame" said Du
pin genially. Il think I've settled thl
affair. The Chambre Ardente know
r what it is about. Ha, ha, ma! shout
think sol Have some wine, first, ma
7 dame, before you look on the SCARED
3 ugly faces of the rogues / have man
acled here. Besides, you must be ex
hausted after your walk, and possibl
frighte1ell, eh?''
He laughed pleasantly as he poure
her out some wine. 1t struck her wha
a courtly, affable man he was.
Drink" he said.
She emptied the goblet at a draugh
for, in truth, her nerves were all in
culver, and replacing it on the tab
looked round at her host and larghe
!; back at him with q weIl-assured conf
dence and gayety. But as her glanc
fell upon him her laughter ceased 81
gazed at him first in Wonderment, the
:. aghast- M. Dupin was glaring at he
fercely.