Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-16

piu. ou, nauaHle, assure you We
know you well, but even the police do
not think you are quite as bad as your
enemies would declare"
Enemies! My enemies! Have en-
emies, then, who denounce me to the
police?
Buckford laughed easily. He saw
now that he was gaining ground
Enemies! Madame | have learned
more in three days from your friends
than I ever hoped to know"
"My friends! Name them! Tell me
one secret of mine which my friends
told the police, and 1 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. yandal? Well, got
from his own lips portion of the sto-
~ of the murder that was committed
In your house last night"
Mon Dieu! That Nandal! And he
is to become my husbands"
Bucllford laughed long and sow-a
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 short time ago |
overheard a conversation between him
and your other fricnd-shall call him
simply Casparin? -about young girl
of Deneslia he was to marry"
"Vandal"
mo other. 1t was as reward for
service done for CasparIn. The girl is
young and beautiful"
ooh, oh! This is too much! 1t is
well sometimes to receive visits from
the police. They learn everything"
1--WE do that, indeed" said Buck
ford. "And NJ. Reber? You know him
well?"
"Reber! That fool! He muddles
things. He got fool Of an American
mixed up in an affair that
81 know-the prisoner who escaped
and came to your house."
"Alas, he did come, I admit, mon
sieur! But swear 1 do not know at
the present time where he is"
Buckford leaned forward and in his
most impressive manner said:
"But know, madame. The plans of
your friends have not all succeeded.
have been through your house, mad
anne, and the prisoner Is gone"
Madame heayed great sigh of re-
lief.
Good! Then I am not under ar
rest?"
mot for that"
"Oh, oh! Then am still am
Madame, listen to me. We do not
start out with only one charge in our
guns. We are ready at any moment to
turn from one quest to another, as cir
cumstances demand. I came here to
find that prisoner learn that he is
gone. Now have other matters to at
tend to- and it will be greatly to your
advantage, madame, to follow my adj
vice"
II am ready, monsieur" said Nine.
du Barry, with shiver. 1t was i'm
possible to foretell what advice this in
scrutable agent Of police might give
her. But-there was that murder in
her house, and how many other crimes
there is no guessing.
MADAME, you are a true French
woman, believes?
"Ah! Am not! All for the honor of
France"
"Ah, France is indeed safe when her
honor rests in such hands! Then know,
madame, that this Casparin, who as
sumes title to which he has no right,
is really a spy in the service Of Ger
many"
"Mon Dieu! Is it so? Then Yandal
is
"Quite true, madame. M. Vandal is
acting in accord with spy and of
course Is subject to the law"
"Then seize him, monsieur. Oh, that
serpentlike scoundrel! He claimed,
monsieur, that he loved me-
II wonder that he did not, madame.
1t would have been one virtue among
his hideous faults"
ooh, but you cannot know half!
They would have killed that prisoner
too. But then that makes little differ
ence to him. You-oh, forgot, mon
. sieur. that was talking to one of the
policew
"But you need not fear to speak.
What were you about to say concern
4 ing the prisoner?"
why, it seems that he was as ba6
: as his enemies. Why they want to xii
a him l do not know. But the police
8 want him-oh, how the police wan
0 him! saw 1t all this morning in the
papers"
$50 it has leaked out, has it? Have
you the papers handy, madame?
: left home early and have had little
time to read this morning. There may
be something in the papers to change
:. my plans"
: Eager to please this agent of police
who held she knew not how many Sc
crets against her, Nine. du Barry hus
tied around the room and brought hin
that mornings copies of two papers.
Sitting near the door, SO that the wo
man could not escape, Buckford fount