The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1907-12-26

so very feet, when the leader put eys
hand to his mouth and uttered peculiar
cry. Immediately from the alley ahead
of him sprang two men. He was upon
them before he knew it. He raised his
heavy stick and struck one down. The
other jumped at his throat and bore him
to the ground.
Even while he was thus fighting and
struggling for his life he became con-
scious that something was being done in
his favor. He saw a medium sized, thick
set man standing over them and heard
him speaking in tones of authority. I'M
mediately the fellow with whom he was
fighting relaxed his hand on his throat.
On his dirty face alarm was plainly visi-
bic. With a muttered apology 10 the
thickset man he rushed to meet the mob
of his fellows, exclaiming:
Back, you fools. 1t is Monsieur Cas-
sagne."
Quietly they all sneaked away from the
man whom of all others they dreaded. He
had been known to go in among them,
and at the point of the pistol pick out
some desperate criminal and deliver him
over to justice. That's how Alfred Cas-
sagne and Charles D'Auburon became ac'
quainted.
Profoundly grateful to NJ. Cassagne,
D'Auburon not only did not lose sight
of him, but visited him often. The
friendship of the detective WAS the others
salvation. Merely curious at first, DAu-
buron ultimately became completely fas-
cinated In the character and career Of his
friend.
Thinking that he, D'Auburon, had seen
and exhausted everything, he was aston
ished to find these new fields of adven-
ture and occupation which this man had
titled to such perfection that they yield
ed an abundant harvest. Imagining he
knew 1t ALL he stood humbled in the pres
ence of thai genius, whose unequaled PEN
etration Of the thoughts and methods, and
whose extraordinary knowledge Of the
ways of men and women, astonished while
1t enthraIled him.
With an ardor which he could not have
believed he possessed, he willingly placed
himself and his fortune at the disposal Of
the great master in that most difficult Of
professions. D'Auburon, as Cassagne be-.
fore him, succumbed to the fascinations
of pursuit which the ignorant despise,
simply because they do not comprehend
it. D'Auburon became first the pupil,
and finally the assistant of the great de-
tective. And D'Auburon and "Cliquot"
were one and the same man.
1t was nearly ten o'clock one morning
when D'Auburon jumped out Of bed. He
had worked late the evening previous on
pet literary project-Lives of Great
Detectives. On the table of his sitting
room the manuscript upon which he had
been engaged still lay. Scattered near 1t
were half dozen volumes, all relating to
the same, subject. D'Auburon stepped
lightly from his bedroom into a small
kitchen at the back of the fiat. He struck
match, lit his gas stove and put on his
chocolate. Going to his bathroom he
turned on the cold water. Then he went
out and stood for a moment in his dress
ing gown and slippers looking out through
the lace curtains into the street. He was
perceptibIy bored. Active service was
what he was longing for. Failing that
for things had been dull of late, he had
| fallen back upon his book.
He was aroused from his reverie BY
the sound Of the water boiling over ir
the kitchen. Passing quickly through tht
other two apartments he busied himself
in the preparation of his chocolate. Thi.
done, he took two rolls from small cup
board, put them on plate and carried
them into his sitting room, where he de
posted them on the table. Then Will,
his chocolate was cooling, he went to tn,
bathroom, where he threw aside his dress
ing gown and undergarment, kicked of
his slippers and disported himself for ,
minute or two in the water. He wa
plunging around, enjoying the icy con
tact as only a thoroughly robust mai
does, when loud knocking at the doc
of the sitting room was heard. He open
ed the bathroom door without stepping
from the tub, and shouted Justify;
"Wait minute; am bathing"
II can't wait. Hurry up," replied
voice on the outside of the door. There
letter for you, monsieur"
(To be continued.)