The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1902-01-17

it is not SO very hot either"
Eyes, it Is high time" said Robello.
Reber having found a lamp and
lighted it, Vandal took his key from
his pocket and opened the door. He
stepped In with the lamp. The others
followed him.
Vandal stood with the lamp raised
above his head. The other three stood
grouped around him gazing stupidity at
him and at each other. Casparin was
the first to recover his speech.
There is something wrong here!' he
said "Some one has removed the
body"
"Impossiblew blurted out Vandal
"None but Reber and myself have the
keys"
you are surely mistaken. The door
was locked. Look! Has ii been tam
pered with?"
Vandal handed the lamp to Reber
and examined the door and lock.
1T is in ORDER" he said II do not
understand this-I swear | do not"
"Some one certainly has access to
this ROOM" said Casparin. You told
me you two held the keys"
"And so-that is the truth. l myself
had this partition placed here. | put
on that lock with my own hands.
There were two keys with the lock,
and | gave one to Reber. AS | live,
these are the only keys that will UNI
lock this door"
'Then account for this mystery. We
left dead man locked in here. He is
gone. and yet you alone could open the
door"
and we thought he was getting
no, the window is open!' said Reber.
1T was not so this morning"
THAT is still greater mystery"
said Nandal. The window was lock-
ed on the inside. Some one has man
aged to come up and get it open and
take out the American"
Casparin laughed-a long low hiss
ing laugh of anger and derlsion.
al am beside myself with delight
he said. II came from Deneslia to find
men who were quick and shrewd in
planning. l thought the French could
excel in that. Why, we have plow-
men in Deneslia who are better"
What do you think, them asked
Nandal.
"What do | think? My God. Are
you still in the dark, What do think!
/ know. The man you left in here was
not dead. He recovered consciousness,
climbed out of that window and made
his escape. We now have him against
us and at liberty. We might better
have left him in the Palais de Justice.
There was no certainty he would be
believed"
HE must have escaped" said Van
dal, having a thought only for the dis
aster.
He must have escaped. Yes. he
must surely have gone out Of the win
dow" said Reber and Robello
and of course, since you are so
wise, you gentlemen" said Casparin
you can associate his escape and the
disappearance Of your Nine. du Barry
with each other"
mo, no! Surely not. said Vandal.
Surely yes! Was her room not un
der thisr'
"Her room is there"
Her room no longer, my friend.
fear you will find the lady dead in her
room. 1t was not Nine. du Barry the
cook saw leaving, but the American
dressed i'm madame's clothes"
At this a Mortified cry came from
L. o \
He led the way and the others follow
ed him to the floor below. The door Of
madame's room was not locked. Van
dial entered, expecting to see a most
CHASTITY sight.
He saw nothing but a bed, slightly
rumpled, and articles of female cloth
ing lying about.
Il own my mistake" said Casparin
with laugh. THE American has not
killed madame. He has eloped with
her"
Vandal cursed roundly and well. Re.
Der and Robello shivered.
Nine. du Barry knew their secrets.
Not crime had been committed by
either of them in years that Nine. du
Barry did not know. And now she
had gone with their foe-the American.
1--WE will follow them! 1 Will kill
them BOTH cried Vandal.
take my advice and go to bed
said Casparin. 1--WE can do nothing
before daylight. There is nothing to
fear at once, for the American will
not give himself up to the police be-
fore he ascertains what fate they have
in store for him. A reward of 5000
francs is offered for his apprehension"
Reber slapped his leg.
Good! 1t was worth 5000 francs
to us for him to escape. We will run
him down and earn the rewardr'
my friend, you are quick to think,
but you invariably think the wrong
thing. We shall do nothing OF the
kind. We will run him down, but the
police shall never see him."
"Oh, as to that, you are able to pay
the 5000 francs"
"And will. Now get some rest. We
must be early astir."
They obeyed him, and early in the
morning they were ready and eager
for the chase.