The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-07-24


clown isl
q Unless we learn it too soon for cur
own good" said Clameran musingly.
Whlle Layers and the forgemaster
Were full Of anxiety the clown hurried
up the back street and reached the
Archangel hotel as the clock struck 8.
prosper, who was watching from his
window, saw him in the distance and
ran down to open the door for him and
led him up stairs impatiently.
What have you learned?'' he said.
What did you find out? Did you see
Madeleine? Were Raoul and Clameran
at the ball?"
But NJ. Verduret was not in the hab--
it of discussing private affairs where
he might be overheard. !
"First of all let us go into your room
and get some water to wash this cut,
which burns like fire."
'Heavens! Are you wounded?'
eyes; it is little souvenir of your
friend Raoul. All, will soon teach
him better mannersv'
Prosper was surprised at the look of
merciless rage on his friends face as
he calmly washed and dressed his arm.
Now, Prosper, we will talk. Our
enemies are warned, and we must
crush them with the rapidly Of light
ming"
M. Eerduret expressed himself in a
quick, imperious tone, which Prosper
did not understand.
Il have made a mistake. I have been
on the wrong track. 1t is an accident
liable to happen to any man, no mat
ter how intelligent he may be. have
taken the effect for the cause. The
day I was convinced that culpable re-
lations existed between Raoul and
Nine. Fauvel l thought I held the end
of the thread that must lead US to the
truth. I should have been more doubt
full. It was too simple, too natural"
"Do you suppose Nine Fauvel to be
innocent?"
such as I supposed. I imagined that,
infatuated with a seductive adyentur-
er, Nine. Fauvel had first bestowed
upon him the name of one of her re1a-
tives and then introduced him as her
nephew. This was an adroit strata
gem to gain him admission to her hus-
bands house. She began by giving
him all the money she could dispose of,
later her jewels, which he pawned.
Finally, having nothing more to give,
she allowed him to steal the money
from her husbands SAFE That is
what I thought
and in this way everything was ex-
plained?"
mo, this did not explain everything,
as l we'll knew at the time How is
Clamerans position to be accounted
for under my first theory?"
"Clameran is Layers accomplish"
"Ah, there is the mistake! I for a
long time believed Layers to be the
principal person when, in fact, he is.
nothing. Yesterday in a dispute be-
tween them the forgemaster said to
his friend, And, above all things, my
friend, would advise you not to resist
me, for if you do I will crush you
That explains all. The elegant La
gors is not the lover Of Nine. Fauvel,
but the tool Of Clameran. Besides, did
our first suppositions account for the
resigned obedience of Madeleine? It
is Clameran, and not Layers, whom
Madeleine obeys."
Prosper began to remonstrate
NJ. Verduret shrugged his shoulders.
To convince Prosper he had only to
utter one word. He had simply to say
that three hours ago Clameran had an
nounced his coming marriage with
Madeleine. But he did not
"Clameran," he continued-"Clame-
ran alone has Nine. Fauvel in his pow-
er. Now the question is what terrible
secret is the basis of his mysterious
power? / have positive proof that
they have not met since their early
youth until fifteen months ago, and
Nine. Fauvel's reputation has always
been above the reach of Islander.
Therefore we shall not know all till
we know Clameran's past All, to-
night when I mentioned his brother
Gaston's name he turned as white as
If he had seen ghost. And then re-
membered that CASTOR died suddenly
while his brother Louis was making
him a VISIT
"Do you think he was murdered?"
81 think the men who tried to assas-
sinate me would do anything. The
robbery my friend, has now become
secondary detail. It is easily explain
ed, and If that were all to be account
ed for l would say to you: MY task is
finished. Let US go ask the Judge of
instruction for warrant Of arrest"
Prosper started up with swelling
breast and sparkling eyes.
"Oh, you KNOWS it possible?'
eyes, I know who gave the key, and
I know who told the secret word"
1.-THE key might have been NJ. Eau
veps. But the word''-
''The word you gave. You have for
gotten, suppose. But Gypsy remem-
bered. You know that two days be-
fore the robbery you took Layers and
two other friends to sup with Nine.