Charlevoix county herald., 1907-08-17


heed of Madame de Varnier.
She was giving her message to AL
phonse after ALL She had taken my
hint of making herself heard through
the closed door. 1t was a short mes
sage. / had not understood one word
of it. Though she had raised her voice
almost to a shout, she had doubtless
spoken in her native tongue. She re-
seated herself complaisantly, offering
me her cigarette case.
"Now am ready, monsieur, for our
little affair"
"The sooner it is over the better"
said, irritated that she had stolen a
march on me.
Are you familiar with the hand
writing of Sir Mortimer Brett?"
She had opened drawer of the ia
BILE at which we sat. | caught the
sheen of a japanned box.
NO" / said. pretending that had
not seen the box. II the proofs of
Sir Mortimers dishonor were In that
dispatch box it would not be many
minutes before l had destroyed them
IF that is the case. copy is as
useful as an original" she said coolly,
and, placing the box on the table, she
unlocked it with little key that hung
at her chatelaine. She took out of the
dispatch box two envelopes. Their
shape and bulk suggested wildly the
packets that she and DR.. Starva had
been examining in the hotel at Vitznau
Evidently you think me very
trusting person" l sneered mo,
madame, | am not quite so callow as
that. A copy may be forged Per-
haps you are as clever with the pen
as DR.. Starva Show me the originals
or nothing"
You wrong me-" she protested
mockingly. "And you wrong yourself.
| am not so stupid as to expect you to
take these typewriter copies for
granted. Nor am l so stupid as to
trust the originals in your hands. You
might destroy them, for instance"
Again it looks like deadlock. The
burden of proof lies with yourself. AS
you say, | am not familiar with the
handwriting of Sir Mortimer. Who is
to vouch for it's genuineness?"
"One whose word you will scarcely
doubt-the sister of Sir Mortimer"
l raised my clenched hand. Her
cruel smile made me for the moment
forget her sex. If she had been a man
| think l could have killed her then.
Then, that was your message. You
, have sent for herr"
"She will be waiting in the music
room below. 1t is for you to say If
she is to be spared the ordeal. You
will cause her the suffering, not l."
| lowered my hands slowly. II have
laughed at the old doctrine of the per-
sonality of the devil. believe it now.
Show me the papers,"
Let us understand each other first.
In this envelope are copies of certain
dispatches and notes made by Sir Nor
timer. The originals are in a. safe
that is in the third room yonder. You
will examine these copies. 1t will be
for you to determine whether Miss
Brett is to be the final arbiter of Sir
Mortimer's guilt or innocence"
And if / refuse to call on Miss
Brett?"
Sooner or later she shall see these
papers,"
What advantage will that be to you
when | have failed to be partner to
your nefarious intrigues.
Il shall be revenged on you, mon
sieur." Her eyes glittered. "And my
revenge will be profitable. The Rus
sian or Austrian governments would
pay long price for the papers in the
safe, NJ. Coward"
Il will give you your own price for
them" | said hoarsely.
And be robbed of my revenge?
They are beyond price. Come, you
weary me with questions. Are you
ready for the proofs?"
"One moment. These dispatches
were stolen from Sir Mortimers apaSt-
ments that night at Vitznau. You
gained access to that apartment by
passing me off as Sir Mortimer. Where
did you find them? How did you know
they were there?"
"Sir Mortimer had hidden them be-
tween the folds of Venetian blind.
That they were concealed in his rooms
at Vitznau was told DR.. Starva by Sir
Mortimer himself. When he had left
Sofia for Lucerne he was very i'll. He
was accompanied only by his physic-
ian, his nurse, and his valet. l need
hardly say that DR.. Starva was the
physician; myself, the nurse; and AL
pnonse, the valet. But Lucerne SAVIOR
ed too much of publicity for our plans.
Even Vitznau was not desirable, espe-
cially in view of the alarming state
of Sir Mortimer's health This cha
teau was our rendezvous. But on the
way here Sir Mortimer suffered col
lapse.
Or. Starya remained with his pa
tient; | returned to Lucerne to throw
off suSniciOn rs TO our movements In