Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-20


last. Where is the MANI"
What man." said.
"This Cocheforet!" he roared, car
ried away by his passion. Don't lie
to me! He is here and will have
him!"
you will not. You are too late!"
said watching him heedfully. I'M. lie
Cocheforet is here, but he has already
surrendered to me and he is my
prisoner"
your prisoner"
Eyes, my prisoner!" answered,
facing the man with all the harshness
l could muster. II have arrested him
by virtue Of the cardinals special COM
mission granted to me. And by vir-
tue Of the same I shall keep him!"
He glared at me for moment in
utter rage and perplextty. Then on
sudden I saw his fate Tighten. "It is
. id ruse!" he shouted, brandishing
his pistol like madman. 1T is a
cheat and a fraud! And by Cd you
have no commissionl see through 1t!
I see through It all! You have come
here, and you have hocussed us! You
are Of their side, and this is your last
shift to save him!"
What folly is this?" I answered.
mo folly at ALL" he answered. con-
viction In his tone. You have played
upon us! You have fooled us! But
I see through 1t nowl An hour ago
I exposed you to that fine madam at
the house there, and thought marvel
that she did not believe me. thought
1t marvel that she did not see
through you. when you stood there
before her. COMPOUNDED, tongue-tied,
rogue convicted! But understand it
now, She knew you'll By - she
knew you! She was in the plot, and
you were in the plot: and I, who
thought was opening her eyes, was
the only one fooled! Butityis my turn
now. You have played a bold part,
and q clever one, and II congratulate
you! But" he continued, a sinister
light in his little eyes, 1T is at an end
now. Monsieur! You took us in fine
ly with your tale Of monseigneur, and
his commission. and your commission,
and the rest. But I am not to be
blinded any longer. or bullied! You
have arrested him, have you? You
have arrested him! Well, by
Cd, shall arrest him, and shall
arrest you tool"
you are madi" I said, staggered
as much by this new view Of the mat
ter as by his perfect conviction of It's
truth. Mad, Lieutenant!'
II was!" he snarled dryly. but I
am sane now. / was mad when you
imposed upon usi when you persuaded
me that you were fooling the woman
to get the secret out Of them, while
all the time you were sheltering them,
protecting them. aiding them, and
hiding him-then I was mad! But
not now. However,, ask your par
don. M. de Barthe, OK M. de Berault,
or whatever your name really is. ask
your pardon. thought you the clev-
crest sneak and the dirtiest hound
heaven ever made, or hell refusedl I
find that you were cleverer than I
thought, and an honest traitor. Your
pardon"
One of the men who stood about
the rim Of the bowl above us laughed.
I looked at the lieutenant and could
willingly have killed him. mon Dieu!"
l said, so furious in my turn that I
could scarcely speak. do you say
that am an impostor--that do not
hold the cardinals commission"
IT do say that!" he answered cool
~. "And shall abide by it"
"And that belong to the rebel par
ty?"
IT do" he replied in the same tone.
"In fact" with a grin, II say that you
are an honest man on the wrong side,
M. de Berault- And you say that you
are scoundrel on the right. The adj
vantage. however. is with me, and I
shall back my opinion by arresting
you
A ripple of coarse laughter ran round
the hollow. The sergeant who held
the lanthorn grinned, and trooper at
distance called out of the darkness,
"a bon chat bon rat!" This brought
fresh burst of laughter, while I stood
speechless. COMPOUNDED by the stub
bornness, the crassness, the insolence,
Of the man. "You fool" cried at
last, you fool" And then M. de
Cocheforet, who had come out of the
hut, and taken stand at my elbow, in
terrupted me.
Pardon me one moment" he said
airify, looking at the lieutenant, with
raised eyebrows, and pointing to mo
with his thumb. But am puzzled
between you. This gentleman's name?
Is 1t dc Berault or de Barthe7"
Il am M. de Berault," said, brusque-
", answering for myself.
"of Parish"
Eyes, Monsieur. Of Paris"
You are not then the gentleman
who has been honorins my poor house
with his presence?"
ooh, yes!" the lieutenant struck in,
grinning. "He is that gentleman, tool"
"But I thought understood that