Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-07-07
This cut. which burns like fire"

"Heavensl Are you wounded?"
"Yes, IL is little souvenir of your
friend Raorl. All. will soon teach
him the danger of choppfng up a
mans armi''
Prosper was surprised at the look
of merciless rage on his friends face
as he calmly washed aud dressed his
arm.
Now, Prosper. we viii talk as
much SIS you please. Our enemies are
on the alert, and we must crush them
instantly, or not at all I have made
a mistake. ] have been on the wrong
track; IL is an accident liable TO hap
pen to any man. no matter how intel
ligent he may be. 1 took the effect
for the cause. The day 1 was con-
WINGED that culpable relations exist
ed between Raoul and Mime. Fauvel.
I thought held the end of the
thread that must lead US 10 the truth
should have been more mistrustful;
this solution was too simple, too nat
ural."
do you suppose Madame Fauvel TO
be innocent?"
Certainly not But her guilt is not such
as first supposed. 1 imagined that,
infatuated with a seductive young ad-
venturer. Madame Fauvel had first be-
slowed upon him the name Of one of
her relatives, and then introduced him
| as her nephew This was an adroit
strata gem 10 gain him admission to
her husbands house.
'She began by giving him all tho
money she could dispose Of; later she
( let him take her jewels TO the pawn
! brokers; when she had nothing more
TO give, she allowed him to steal the
money from her husbands safe. That
is what I first thought
And in this way everything was
explained"
"No, this did not explain every
thing, as I well knew at the time. and
should. consequently, have studied
my characters more thoroughly.
How is Clameran's position to be ac-
counted for. if my first idea was the
correct one2"
"Clameran is Layers accomplice, of
course"
All. there is the mistake. I for a
/ long time believed Layers 20 be the
/ principal person. when. in fact. he
| Is nothing. Yesterday. in a dispute
between them, the forge-master said
70 his dear friend, And, above all
things my friend. would advise You
not 10 resist me. for if YOU do I viii
! crush YOU TO atoms That explains
all. The elegant Layers is not the
lover OF Madame Fauvel, but the tool
| OF Clameran. Besides, did our first
| suppositions account for the resigned
obedience of Madeleine2 II is Clam
eran. and not Layers, whom Made
leine obeys."
| Prosper began 10 demonstrate.
! NJ. Nerduret shrugged his shoulder
To convince Prosper he had only TO
utter ore word; To tell him that
three hours AFRO Clameran had aB-
nounced his intended marriage with
Madeleine; but he did not.
"Clameran," h. continued, "Cla-
meran alone has Madame Fauvelin his
power. Now the question is. what Is
the secret OF this terrible influence
he has gained over her? I have posi-
tive proof that they have not met
since their early youth until fifteen
months ago; and as Madame Fauvers
reputation mas always been above the
reach OF SANDER, we must seek in the
past for the cause of her resigned
obedience 20 his will"
I'VE can never discover it," said
Prosper, mournfully.
I've can discover il as soon as we
know Clameran's past life. All! to-
night he turned as white as sheet
when 1 mentioned his brother Gas-
| I /.
that CASTOR died suddenly, while his
brother Louis WIS making him a
visit"
"Do you think ne was murdered2"
II think the men who tried TO as
sassinate me would do anything. The
robbery, my friend, has now become
"a secondary detail. and is easily eN-
planned, and, il that were all to be
accounted for, / would say TO you, My
task is done, LEI us go ask the Judge
of instruction for a warrant of ar
rest"
Prosper started up with sparkling
eyes
''Ah, you KNOWS it possible?"
Eyes, / know who gave the key,
and l know who told the secret
word"
The key might have been Mon
sieur Fauvers. But the word"
THE word you were foolish enough
10 give. GU have forgotten, / sup
pose. But fortunately Gypsy re-
membered. You know that, two days
before the robbery. you took Layers
and two other friends 20 sup with
Madame Gypsy? Nina was sad, and
reproached you for not being more
devoted 20 her"
"Nes, | remember that"
But do you remember what you
replied TO her?"
mo, do not" said Prosper. after
! thinking a moment