Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-21

wheel. 1 knew the makers, had hundreds
of friends among the prominent motorists.
I knew values; could not be fooled on re-
pairs. In a word, no one was better fitted
Than to open an automobile livery stable"
80 you made money from the start?" l
said tntelligently.
You mean 1 lost money from the start -
she laughed mirthlessly. You see, l had
lived only among theatrical folk and care
less worldlings, and my first six months in
the business world nearly gave me nervous
prostration. Well, I ended by trusting no.
body. By doing everything myself
You have certainly known how to adver-
tise yourself" 1 said. doubtless you start
ed the elopement speciality with that OBJ
ject?"
Yes" she answered, my first abduction
made my general business SO well known
that l never sent bill to DIR. Marcile.
HE who carried off Mile. lie Play, daugh-
ter of the old senatorf' l asked.
Yes, that first case made an immense
sensation. Most Of the abduction business
Of Paris seemed to come to me naturally
after tiny organization was so obviously
superior. That is where the artistic tenn
permanent comes in. Certainly We have
perfected the machinery since, but only by
way of additions--the kidnapping of Mile.
LIE Play remains typical
What would 1t cost me to carry OF
iady-now that the system is perfectedY' l
asked confidentially.
Two hundred dollars, if we succeed the
first trial." laughed the lady, but the FIRST
attempt seldom succeeds"
Then what do you charge per fatlureF
"Oh, say 800 per failure!'
lis not that a trihe dear-for failure?
DO you call it dear-to mobilize an auto,
a cyclst troupe and troupe of Apaches :
started at the word-"Apaches'' are the
deadliest kind of Paris street toughs.
"Oh, they are regularly gentlemen
Apaches, rich young fellows who pay me
- oy,a rt-,rr IN
game" said mademoisere; "but I charge
for their services.
what services p
Carrying Off the girl. parole! And
holding her aunt or governessi And
obstructing the police until the automo
bile gets away! What else would they be
for? Stringing pearls?
Always a Row
You see," she continued there is al
ways big row. We have never had a
case in which the girl did not try to
back out at the very last moment
cling to her natural protectors, cry out
and resist-tt Is instructive with the
French young girl!
"sapristi mademoiselle," said, you
take her, then?"
Its the instructive fear of the I'M
Known; and how can you expect woman
to face circumstances courageously when
she is not dressed for them? OF course
they do not have en- proper automobile
costumes when they are taken!
You see this is how it generally pass
es,'' continued the specialist 1t is al
ways an engaged couple. The engage
ment has regularly been accepted On
both sides of the family; them for va
rious reasons-money disputes, sudden
crankiness OF parents, or the finding or
better parti for the girl-her father
and mother forbid the match
After that, of course, the girl is never
left alone moment. In all her outings
they prudently accompany her, oftenest
by two perSonS-her mother and aunt,
he- governess and Il married friend, her
brother and the governess, and SO on
For that reason, 1t always takes little
force"
And patience?" I suggested.
"Ah yes" replied the lady. $50 much So
and to avoid Notwithstanding now pre-
fer to take the whole job at my risk for a
lump sum-not to charge for failures-say
81 Geo for one auto ard one troupe, or $1,000
for two autos and two troupes.'
"But why should one pay you 5000 If
you agree to bring off the event for 81 ,Ge0?''
Does time count nothing with lover2
Monsieur, l am astonished at you! ITEMS,
we might never have got Mile. LIE Play
had we not exerted all our then means To
begin with, we had troupe of five cyclists.
One was always stationed close to the
girls door Another remained at the cor
ner of the street-to pass on the sign Ian
guage of the first to the waiting automobile
further up the side street.
who were in tt?
why the gentlemen Apaches-friends of
Dr. Marcile on that first occasion, but now
/ have my troupes. Well, that lasted If
teen days. AS we had but one auto, we
often lost track of the girl when she was
taken out in carriage. The driver would
whip UP, and before the cyclists could get
the signal to jewellers on the threshold they
would disappear around a corner and be
lost.
Then we put on a second automobile. We
kept one at each end of the street Never
after that did they give US the slip; but as
they always went out in the middle of the
afternoon, along much frequented avenues,
we found no good opportunity. You see, we
were beginners then"
'.I see'' said. lost In fear and admfSa-
ton.
The Opportunity Arose.
"Once it was arranged TO take her as she
was leaving the Grand Opera. but her old
father, the senator, was wary--it turned out.
he had asked a whole party to supper
November afternoon The cyclist came hur-
rying to the right-hand automobile with
news that the girl was approaching-on
foot and accompanied only by her gov
erness."
.As 1t happened, DR.. Marcile was not in
that auto. A cyclist hurried to him In the
other while the frst-filled with five gem
tiemen Apaches-foilowed the girl and the
governess as closely as II dared. At last
they started to enter church. The OPP
portunity was excellent No one was IN
sight. Two Apsches threw themselves on
Mile. LIE Play. Two grabbed the goyArness-
The fifth kept lookout
Naturally the girl screamed and kicked
The governess also. A gentleman