Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-01-01

agree. L agree, said Reber an(
Robello.
In nm hour the three were in bed
and consultation was being held be
low between Robard and his son.
We'll, luck has at last come to u.s.
chuckled the old villain to the younger
one. Twelve thousand francs. din
monds and watch on him and 5000
francs for returning him to the Paris
police. But where is ali that money
Six hundred francs only we found"
We'll. we took his purse, thinking
that contained all his wealth. A ped
dler with $50 francs is a rare bird
But 1000! Is he safe for awhile yetyi
We'll. | gave him good dose. But
God, suppose had killed him, as | in.
tended ut first, and lost that 1000
francs! oh, if those three wise French
men only knew their thief was asleer
in this house, Well. we would have To
kill them. We mu not lose this prize
From this delec lole conversation il
will READILY be gathered that only a
portion of the story told by Robard to
Nandal was true. Buclford. as will
be remembered. gave Nine. du Barry
the slip at Strassburg. He left Strass-
burg by the first train toward Deneslia
and on the way managed to resume his
natural appearance and placed the
gown of Nine, du Barry In his yalise.
Arriving at Ontro, he had seized the
first opportunity to get rid of the
gown and had presented it to the wife
of his host
She, pleased with the gaudy thing,
accepted it.
Judging that man who could give
away gown that was better than any
his wife had ever had must have plen-
ty of money, Robard had given the
traveller a room into which he had a
way of going by stealth
In this room he and his son had crept
after the unSuspecting Buckford was
asleep and had drugged him heavily.
They had then proceeded to rifle his
clothes, till. having found his purse,
they had taken it, leaving him in his
stupor while they thought of way to
either explain his loss satisfactorily
or kill him if he made any fuss.
They had given him more of the
deadly stuff than they intended, and
he had slept all that night and all day.
But as has already been seen, Buck
ford had a constitution of iron and
rallied from attacks that would kill
ordinary men,
He rallied from the effect of the
drug, at first slowly, with n bewilder-
Ing sense of trying to recall where he
was. Gradually his senses came back
to him, and he remembered the inn at
Ontro.
He felt somewhat ill, the natural
effect of taking into his lungs the
fumes of n stupefying drug.
He lay on his bed expecting some
one to come to him. He knew that in
any inn-any well regulated inn-when
guest slept too long there would be
an investigation.
But the hours passed and no one
came.
Buckford had a feeling as If he had
been ill long time. He knew that one
day had elapsed since he came there,
but knew not how many more.
The longer he lay there the better he
felt. The strength was returning to
his limbs.
He did not even feel the pangs of
hunger,
He at last got out of bed and went
to the door to call some one He found
it locked.
There was another door on another
side of the room. He opened that. II
led into space now evidently used as
closet, but from which, on the oppo.
site side, another door led somewhere.
This he tried. but could do nothing
save push, as there was neither knob
nor latch.
While he was in the closet he heard
voices.
THE fellow is the very devil fo1
escaping" said u voice. .'First he
eludes us at Paris, then at Strass-
burg and now at Ontro. 1t is a pity
old Robard did not hold him. That
5000 francs would pay for the trou-
ble."
Buckford's heart beat rapidly. He
recognized the voice of yandal.
HAS he gone to Trolle as ped
dler?" asked Reber. This is a strange
game. Why did he sell the gown to
that woman?"
"Oh, to get money to buy the horse,
l suppose. But that was gay story
about his stealing diamonds and 12,-
600 francs. Well, had to say some
thing. Three of us would not chase
across all Europe for 1000 francs"
Buckford. painting in the closet, Won
dered what it all meant. Evidently
they We're under the impression that
he had gone on toward Trolle. They
had also been told that he had sold the
woman the gown when he had pre-.
sented 1t to her.
These things, together with his
strange sensation of illness, made him
suspicious. He stepped quickly back
to his room and felt for his purse. 1t
was gone.
"Ah" he said bitterly. 81 have
lalien among thieves again. This raS-
cal of an innkeeper has robbed me.
Now, how shall get out Of this scrape
with no money and my enemies in the
very house,"
He crept back to the closet.
The three pursuers of the thief who
stole so much wealth had been
given two connecting rooms. keper
and Robello occupied one, and Vandal
was alone in the other. Their CONVEX.
sation, carried on while they We're pre-.
pairing for bed, was necessarily lit.
de loud. Buckford heard it easily.
How far Is Trolle from here?" Ro.
hello was asking. when will he ar.
rive there:'
Glow old is goose? 1t all depends
on the horse the innkeeper sold him
If it was a good one, he can do it III
two days.
1.-Two days. And we are a day be
hind him."
well, we will get the best horses tc
be had and try to overtake him. saw
soma horses in tho ctahla todoy-po,