The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-07
CHAPTER v.-contlnued.

Know that you are very clever,
Mademoiselle."
Perhaps l ought to thank you for
the compliment" she answered. allow
ing anger to warm her voice at last:
but this Is almost beyond JOKE. A
woman comes to the rooms of a friend
Both or them arc so placed that they
prefer her call not to be talked about.
For that reason. and for the woman's
sake, tho friend chooses to take n
name that isn't his-as he has right
to do. Yet, Just because that woman
happens unfortunately to be we'll
known--her face and name being pub
lie property--she Is followed, she Is
spfed upon, Inundated, and all. no
doubt. on account of some silly mistake
or malicious false information. All, II
is shameful. Monsieur! wonder the
police of Paris can stoop to SUCH
stupidity, such meanness."
when we have found out that II is
| mistake. the police OF Paris Will apol-
ogize to you Mademoiselle, through
me-" said the Commissary. until then,
1 regret IL our duty makes us dis
agreeable to YOU" Then. turning to his
two gendarmes, he dierectcd them TO
search the room. beginning with all
| possible places in which paper parcel
or large envelope might be hidden.
within ten metres OF the spot where
Mademoiselle and Monsieur had stood
talking together when the police
| opened the door.
Maxine did not protest again. With
her head up, and look as IL the
! three policemen Were of no more i'm
| portance to her than the furniture OF
| the room, she walked to the mantel-
| piece and stood leaning her elbow upon
| 1T. WEAKNESS. disguised Indifference
We're in her attitude; but I guessed
| that she felt herself actually in need
OF the physical support.
The two gendarmes moved about in
| noiseless obedience, their faces express
! sionless as masks. They did not glance
at Maxine. giving themselves entirely
| to the task at which they had been
| set. But their superior officer did not
! once take his eyes from the pure
profile she turned scornfully toward
| him. knew why he watched her thus
and thought of foolish child's game
| ] used to play twenty years ago, at
| little boy -andgirl parties: the game of
| "Hide-the- Handkerchief" While one
| searched for the treasure. those who
| knew where 1t was stood by, saying:
Nov you are warm. Now you are
hot-boiling hot. Now you are cool
| again. Now you are ice cold" 1t was
II we were five players at this game,
and Maxine de Renzie's white, deathly
/ smiling face was expected to proclaim
against her will: Nov you are warm.
Now you are hot Now you are ice
cold"
There was a table in the middle Of
1 the room with one or two volumes of
/ photographs and brightly-bound guide
books of Paris upon 1t, as well as my
4 hat and gloves which had tossed
down as came in. The gendarmes
/ picked up these things. examined them.
laid them aside, peered under the table:
4 peeped behind tn silk cushions on the
! sofa, opened the doors and drawers
4 OF a bric-a-brac cabinet and small
writing desk, lifted the corners Of the
rugs on the bare, polished floor; AMI
i finally, bowing. apologies to Maxine for
disturbing her. took out the logs from
II the fireplace where the fire was ready
/, for lighting. and pried into the vases
!, on the mantel. Also they shook the
silk and lace window curtains and
moved the pictures on the walls, When
/ all this had been done In vain, the
4 pair confessed with shrugs OF the
; shoulders that they were at a loss.
During the search, which had been
conducted in silence, 7 had q curious
J sensation, caused by my intense
sympathy with Maxlne's suffering,
felt as IL my heart We're the pendu-
4 lum OF clock which had been Jared
until 1t was uncertain whether to go
on or stop, Once when the gendarmes
! were peering under the sofa, or be-
? hind the sofa cushions, a gray shadow
round Maxine's eyes made her beautiful
: face look like a death-masl in thf
Il white electric light, which did not fa1
: now, or spare her any cruelty Of reve,
i lation. She was smiling contemptuous.
2 ", still--always the same smile-bu
}. her forehead appeared to have beer
= sprinkled with diamond dust.
i I saw that dewy sparkle, and won
9 dered sickeningly, II the enemy say
: It, too. But I had not long to wal
: before being satisfied on this point
/. The keen-eyed Frenchmnn gave no fur
4, ther Instructions to his battled subor
dinates, but crossing the room to tn
sofa stood staring at 1t ftxedly, Then
crashing the back with his capable
!, looking hand, instead of beginning a
!. once quest which his gendarmes ha'
h abandoned. he searched he FACE OF tn
! tortured woman.
s Unflinching In courage. she SCENE,
o not to see him. But 1t was as II sll
2 had suddenly ceased to breathe. He
! bosom no longer rose ard fell TIL
~ llR ISnnr1y