Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-01-01
THE STRANGER
AND THE PRINCESS
BY SEWARD w. HOPKINS
Copyright, 1900, bv scpcard Hopkins
Copyright, 1900, Dv se,sara ". Hopkins.
BY SEWARD W. HOPKINS



ter to leave them IN their stupid error
than to stir the mess all up again."
81 agree" said Nandal.
II agree!' Il agreew said Reber and
Robello.
This delightful quartet reached the
house of Nine. du Barry and stood out
side looking stupidly-at least all but
Casparin, who knew little of the place
at the windows. which were darkened,
but which We're usually ablaze with
light till nearly morning.
What is wrong here!' muttered
Nnndal. Mime. du Barry must be i'll.
The house looks like funeral"-
1T will be place of funeral soon,"
chuckled Reber. "That chap l found
on the bridge. Ho. no! lie didn't know
what was good for him. But, after all,
what is the difference between the eel
lar of madame's house and the Seine"
Yes. what" added Robello.
Shut up" said vandal roughly. ~
tell you don't like this 1t means
something"
Nandal, being favorite of ma
DANES and having use for her con-
venient house sometimes when she was
out, carried n key. lie opened the door,
The hall was dimly lighted. A serv-
ant sat nodding in the hall.
Hello, Francois. What is this?
Where is madame?" asked yandal.
Francois looked up sleepily.
II don't know, monsieur" he said.
went this morning to lie down with
her headache. She is out, so much I
know, for the cook, who was coming
from the markets, saw her leave the
house."
And did she leave no word with any
one:'
Not u word, monsieur"
''That is strange. Well, sit up for
madame. We are going up stairs. In a
short time you may hear us moving
about We may even bring our own
wine from the cellar. There will be no
need of attending us. Do you under
stand:
uuuerStauu, monsieur.
Francois did more than understand.
He rcjoiced, for he was sleepy.
The four passed on up stairs. They
entered the room in which they had
held the conference overheard by
Buckford.
Get light, Reber, while 1 unlock
this door," said Vandal.
''Poof" muttered Reber, moving
about slowly to obey. at is time we
got that thing out of there. Poof! And
it is not so very hot either"
Eyes, it is high time" said Robello.
Reber having found lamp and
lighted it, yandal 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 ut each other. Casparin was
the first to recover his speech.
"There is something wrong here" he
said. "Some one has removed the
body"
impossible" blurted out vandal
"None but Reber and myself have the
keys"
You are surely mistaken. The dool
was locked. Look! Has it been tam
pered with?'
Vandal handed the lamp to Rebel
and examined the door and lock.
at is in ORDER" he said. Il do moi
understand this-I swear do not"
Some one certainly has access tc
, this room," said Casparin. you tolt
me you two held the keys"
"And so-that is the truth. myself
had this partition placed here. l pu
on that lock with my own hands
There were two keys with the lock
ald l gave one to Reber. AS l live
these are the only keys that will I'm
| lock this door,"
"Then account for this mystery. W.
left dead man locked in here. He Il
gone, and yet you alone could open tn,
door,"
'And we thought he was getting
no, the window is open!" said Reber
at was not so this morning"
That is still greater mystery!
said Vandal. "The window was lock
ed on the inside. Some one has man
aged to come up and get it open AM
take out the American"
Casparin laughed-a long, low hiss
ing laugh of anger and derision.
AZ am beside myself with delight,
he said. 81 came from Deneslia to fin
men who were quick and shrewd Il
planning. 1 thought the French coul
excel in that. Why, we have pillow
men in Deneslia who are better"
"What do you think, thenY" aske
| yandal.
"What do 1 think? My God! Ar
you still in the dark! What do think
know. The man you left in here wa
not dead. He recovered consciousness!
climbed out of that window and mad
his escape. We now have him agains
us and at liberty. We might bette
have left him in the Palais de Justice
There was no certainty he would b
believed"
"He must have escaped" said Val
dial, having thought only for the d.
aster.
"He must have escaped. Yes, h
must surely have gone out Of the vii
dow" said Reber and Robello.
"And of course, since you are S
wise, you gentlemen said Casparil
"you can associate his escape and til
disappearance of your Nine. du Barr
with each other"
mo, no! Surely not" said Yandal.
Surely yes! Was her room not III
der this?'
Her room is there"
"Her room no longer, my friend.
fear you will find the lady dead in hi
room. 1t was not Nine. du Barry IL
cook saw leaving, but the America
dressed in madame's clothes"
AT this Mortified cry came fro
Vandal, and he rushed for the doc
He led the way and the others follow
ed him to the floor below. The door I
madame's room was not locked. Va
dnI antarnd eynnctinp tn see n mo