The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-12-20
CHAPTER VIII.

| IHE AlDNAPlNG Ot NINE. DC BARRY.
NN ME. DU BARRY'S face became
Iva whittier still. 1t was evident
lSsVySS in Il moment to Buckford that
49, there were subjects the men,
tion Of which she dreaded even more
than that of the missing prisoner.
"Oh, monsieur, have mercy" she
walled. Il am but a poor, weak WON.
an!'
Madame" said Buckford sternly
"your history is one of crime. 1 shud
der even when look at you and think
of the misery you have caused in this
world"
ALAS! 1t is not all true. 1 am not
so bad as they say"
''Heaven If you were but half as
bad! Oh, madame, I assure you we
know you well, but even the police dc
not think. you are quite as bad as your
enemies would declare"
Enemies! My enemies! Have 1 en-
emies, then, who denounce me to the
police"
Buckford laughed easily. He saw
now that he was gaining ground.
Enemies! Madame, l have learned
more in three days from your friends
than l ever hoped to know"
my friends Name them! Tell me
one secret of mine which my friends
told the police, and I will assist you in
any work you want-that is, monsieur
of course, with an eye to my own safe.
| ty."
Better and better.
"Why," said Buckford, edo you hap.
pen to know NJ. Vandal? WE'LL / got
from his own lips portion of the sto
ry of the nnurder.that was committed
in your house last night"
'Mon Dieu! That Vandal! And he
is to become my husband"
Buckford laughed long and low-s
meaning, insinuating laugh.
MY dear madame" he said, pardon
my rudeness, do, but it seems incom
| prehensible that woman of your in
telligence should be so easily gulled
Vandal to become your husband
Why, it was but q short time ago
overheard a conversation between him
| and your other friend-shall I call him
simply Casparin ?--about a young gir
Of Deneslia he was to marry"
"Vandal"
mo other 1t was as reward fol
service done for Casparin. The girl is
young and beautiful"
"Oh, oh! This is too much! 1t IL
well sometimes to receive visits from
the police. They learn everything"
eve do that, indeed" said Buck
ford. "And NJ. Reber? You know hin
well?
''Reber! That fool! He muddles
things. He got fool Of an American
mixed up in an affair that
Il know--the prisoner who escaped
and came to your house."
"Alas, he did come, l admit, mon
sieur! But swear l do not know a
the present time where he is"
Buckford leaned forward and in hi.
most impressive manner said:
"But know, madame. The plans o.
your friends have not all succeeded.
have been through your house, mad
anne, and the prisoner is gone"
Madame heaved great sigh of re
lief.
Good! Then 1 am not under ar
rest?"
, "Not for that"
"Oh, oh! Then am still-T am
"Madame, listen to me. We do no
start out with only one charge in ou
guns. We are ready at any moment t,
, turn from one quest to another, as cir
cumstances demand. I came here t,
/ find that prisoner. ! learn that he i
,, gone. Now, have other matters to at
} tend to, and it will be greatly to you
advantage, madame, to follow my ad
vice"
~ am ready, monsieur" said Nine
du Barry, with a shiver. 1t was i'm
possible to foretell what advice this in
scrutable agent of police might Civ
her. But-there was that murder II
her house, and how many other crime
there is no guessing.
Madame. you are a true French
woman, believe"
"Ah! Am I not! ALI for the honor o
France"
"Ah, France Is indeed safe when he
honor rests in such hands! Then know
madame, that this Casparln, who as
sumes title to which he has no right
is really spy In the service of Ger
many"
Mon Dieu! Is it so? Then Wanda
is"-
"Quite true. madame. NJ. Vandal
acting in accord with a spy and o
course is subject to the law"
Then seize him, monsieur. Oh, tina
serpentlike scoundrel! He claimed
monsieur, that he loved me-"
II wonder that he did not, madame
1t would have been one virtue anon
his hideous faults"
"Oh. but you cannot know halt
They would have killed that prisone
too But then that makes little differ
ence to him. You-oh. l forgot, NOR
sieur. that was talking to one of tn
policep
But you need not fear to speal
What were you about to say concern
ing the prisoner?"
why, 1t seems that he was as ba
as his enemies. Why they want to XII
him do not know. But the polio
want him-oh, how the police wan