Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-11

living, and for that reason you car
como and see me whenever you like
As a proof of my sincerity, may |
suggest that you give me the pleas
ure of your company at dinner to-
night. Oh, you needn't be afraid.
I'm not a Caesar Borgia. ] shall not
poison your meat. and your wine
will not be drugged. 1t will he rath-
err unique experience. detective and
criminal dining together, will it not?
What do you say?"
Tho opportunity was so novel. hat
decided TO embrace it. Why slould
not do so, since it was yer, good
excuse for keeping my man in sight?
He could scarcely play me any tricks
at a fashionable restaurant, and
was certainly curious to study an
other side OF this mans complex
character. l accordingly accepted
his invitation and promised to meet
him at the well-known restaurant he
named that evening.
"In the meantime you will tele-
graph to your clients, I suppose"
he said "You may be able to give
me their reply this evening when we
meet"
1T shall hope to be in . position
TO do So" I answered, after which
he babe me good-by. and picking up
his hat and stick left the room.
sat down and wrote letter to
Miss Kitwatcr, telling her all that
had occurred: then went out to dis
patch It with a telegram to Kit
water himself, informing him Of the
offer Hayle had made. I could guess
the paroxysm of rage into which it
would throw him, and I would will
ingly have spared his niece the pain
such an exhibition must cause her.
could see no other way out OF it,
however. The message having been
dispatched. l settled myself down to
wait for . reply, with all the pa
thence 7 could command. In my own
mind knew very we'll what it would
be. II was not so much the money
that Kitwater wanted as revenge.
Thai Hayle's most miserable offer
would only increase his desire for
it, felt certain. Shortly after three
o'clock the reply arrived. 1t WAS
short and to the point, and ran as
follows:
Tell him will have all or moth
ing"
Here was nice position for a
man to find himself in. Instead Of
solving the difficulty we ha6 only in
creased it. l wondered what Haylc
would say when he heard the news,
ana what his next step would be.
That he would endeavor to bolt
again, felt quite certain. It was a
point in my favor, however, that he
would not know until the evening
what Kitwater's decision was. SO I
felt had still some time to arrange
my plan of action. OF one thing I
was quite determined, and tina. was
that he should be watched day and
night from that minute, but not by
Mr.. Dickson. That worthy I babe
return to England. and his rage on
discovering that Mile. Beaumarais'
maid had tricked him would have
been amusing to witness, had the
principal event in which l was most
concerned not been so grave. The ex-
pressions ne used about her were
certainly far from being compli-
mentary.
Feeling that I must have other as
sistance, ! set off for my old friend
Leglosse's residence. I had the good
fortune to meet him by the con-
cierge's lodge. and we assembled the
stairs to his rooms together.
81 have come to ask you to do me
a favor" I said, when we were seat
ed in his sitting-room.
"a thousand favors. if you wish,
cher ami" the old fellow replied.
Tell me how can have the pleas
uro OF serving you"
II want you to lend me one Of
your men for few days" said. 81
have to send my own man back to
England, and I am afraid the gentle
maa we were discussing last night
may give me the slip in tho mean
time if I'm not careful"
The better to enable him to up
prsciate the position, I furnished
him with a brief summary of tn,
case upon which was engaged.
And SO you are to dine with your
prisoner to-night?" he remarked
with one of his quiet chuckles
That Is droll--very droll. 1t is very
good for you that it is at such {
place, or l should have my doubts a:
to the rascal's intentions. But 70,
are well able to take care OF your
pelf, my friend; that 1 know"
! And the mani"
"You shall have him. You shall
have half a dozen II you like. I an
only too pleased to be able to hell
in such a good work. You shall hay,
Pierre Lepallard, my right-hand.
cannot give you better. Nothing
escapes Pierre, and he is discreet, oh
yes. my friend. he is discreet. HI
will not obtrude himself, but he will
know all that your friend does, t.
whom he speaks. what he said t.
him. and sometimes even what he in
tends doing before he does It,"
"In that case he is just the maj
for me-" ] replied. II am exceed
ingly obliged to you for your cor
siderate courtesy. Some day / ma,
be able to repay IT,"
Within half an hour the estimab BIZ
Lepallard had been made acquainted
with his duties, and within an hour
ragged tatterdemalion of a man wa