Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-06-15

"Mordioux!" cried Tonti, all aflame
with eagerness to carry out the pro-
posed plan. When do we start?"
"As nearly two weeks from to-mor-
row as we can. The ship is the Saint
Honore,' and we sail from La Ro-
chelle."
I'VE will go with you" suddenly
spoke up Pompon, "and you need look
no further for the 10000 francs; Capt.
de Tonti and myself will furnish then
as our share of the expedition"
Tonti looked at his newly-made
friend in condition bordering upon
stupefaction. For himself, he had no
money and this man, just out of the
Bastille, he knew could have none
either. A look from Pompon checked
any exclamation of surprise that he
might have made, so he contented
himself by offering his hand to La
Sale in token of his acceptance.
"But how about the royal commits
sion?" he asked. "Will that not be
necessary"
"Yes," replied the explorer, "but
leave that to me. To-day is Tuesday.
Meet me in the kings antechamber on
Friday and all will be easy. Now, as
for myself, | must go on to the pal
ace. You see now why | interrupted
your toast Fill me another glass and
pledge all health and success to the
three members of the firm of M. Tonti
and Company"
So saying, he drained his wine to
the last drop, and, picking up his hat
and drawing forth his handkerchief,
waved a perfumed farewell to the two
men and left the room.
For a moment there was silence in
the room. Then Pompon spoke:
Fortune is a woman; if you neglect
her to-day, expect not to regain her
tomorrow. She knocks once at every
mans door he is fool who does not
invite her in"
True, mon ami" replied the other,
| in. we will bolt the door behind her
so she cannot escape. But tell me,
why did you offer the 10000 francs
when we have not so much as half a
louis left-unless perhaps you found
| the pockets of those clothes | gave
you lined with rouleaux of gold?"
The sea is not measured with a
bushel, neither is a man always known
| by his looks" was the enigmatical re-
ply. "Wait for me here" and Pom
pom glided out of the door and stole
silently down the stairs. He was back
within a half hour, bearing in his hand
a mildewed bit of parchment. He
summoned Tonti to the window where
the light was good and carefully un-
folded it,
This happens to be a parchment
written upon with secret ink that
dampness will not blur. The day be-
fore NJ. Fouquet was taken l learned
of his proposed arrest, and at consid-
erable risk warned him of his danger
and begged him to flee while there
was yet time. He only laughed and
| said he would not run. He wrote on
this piece of parchment and handed it
to me, saying: Mon brave Pompon
| have buried the sum of $4,000 francs
in the place described here. Take this,
and if | am arrested, go and get the
| money and leave France at once He
was arrested the very next day, and
the day after, before | had time TO get
the gold. | managed to hide this pa
per with my friend, the cabaretier
who furnished you with the dye, be-
fore | was imprisoned. You see he
has been faithful to my trust and has
kept it safe for me all these years"
l.. \, InFg
the astonished eyes of Tonti, who
read the first line as follows:
Emrmrfctgjjyecmdca
"'Tis all in cipher!" he exclaimed
Eyes, the same that M. Fouquet
used, and in which | wrote his secret
messages" responded Pompon. Blu
it is very simple. Each letter is two
places in the alphabet removed from
the proper one. So all you have to dc
is to count ahead two letter each time
The first line will then be:
Go to the village of Ecouen tc
the"
"Bravo!" cried Tonti, ''let us fnist
reading it,"
They went on, and, after the whole
hhu DCCh uCIlpu TIC lIuuCl
sage read:
Go to the village of Ecouen to the
inn called the Striped Ass. Take out
the middle floor brick in the row mex
to the hearthstone and pull on the iroI
ring beneath it. Then go to either
end of the stone and bear your weigh
upon it. The stone will turn, and II
the hole beneath it you will find two
bags, each containing a thousand pis
toles. They are yours in token O.
many years of faithful service"
"Corpo di Bacco! Two thousand
pistoles!" exclaimed Tonti. That will
leave 10000 francs, after paying NJ
de la Sale, What will you do witt
it?"
Il think we can find a way to spent
it,"
"We?"