Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-09

both Its advantages and Disadvantages. tta
could profit by and render itself profitable
to your larger and-less technical associas
The mere fact that the mysterious
strangers knew about him and his band.
and how much did they know ?-won for
them the Intense respect Of Abel and his
lientenants; while even after they had met
and planned and worked together, Abel
knew most of them only by vague nick
names, The Big Emile Sans souoi."
Key" win and-Lose'' and 9Little AL
phonse." Only after the wholesale arrests,
when confronted with them on the frontier,
did Abel and his companions learn names
probably destined to even a greater celeb
rity than their own when all these mys-
teries are Observation-Disclosures and Gustav
verbecke. Jerome Decocker, Henry De-
kimpe and Vlrginie BucQuoy. the latter q
girl who dressed and lived like man.
Put to Severe Test.
There is glimpse of the trying" OF
Abel by the judicious Belgian experts. A
convent at Peperingho was reputed very
rich. but Camille Guyard and his men had
not dared attempt 1t. Let Abel take three
men some night and show what he could do.
IT don't need nightr boosted the mer.
curial young Frenchman. "rn do ii in full
day-and right now!'
Skeptical but admiring. Camille Guyard
and one of his lieutenants volunteered TO do
lookout for him. and at pm. Abel climbed
the wall An hour passed. The two Bel
gians were persuaded Abel had been sur
prised by the nuns-who would telephone
the police commssary; then. suddenly, they
saw the great portecochere open and the
convent supply wagon drive out with Abel
on the front seat He TRANQUILITY jumped
down, shut the double doors behind him.
mounted and drove toward them.
Get I'M laughed the young Frenchman.
81 think I have everything"
Only the next day did the good nuns per-
Cety0 they had been robbed half their
riches.
Now began a golden period for Abers
band. Content to obey blindly, they found
themselves sent here and there by rail and
automobile, without knowing any too well
with what peculiar experts they were
working" but conscious Of new and im-
proved methods. Abel was still the be.
loved master. but in the shadow, silent.
morbid, concentrated. moved the ominous
figure Of Henri Fauvart, self-constituted
guardian Of the secret of the crypt-pre-
venter of suspected treachery. At various
times comrade disappeared! And Henri
grimy polished his stiletto!
Which leads to an incident Of capital inn
portance. Outside Caloone-sur-Lys. on an
isolated farm, lived old Achille Deron, re.
puted a miser. One night, in bed. he opened
his eyes to find himself in the grip of men
''Old miser, where's your hoard?" they
Missed: but he cried:
towards, bandits! XIII me. you'll not
find liard!'
A Deroo boy Drained him with rusty
saber from the wall.
Hes done for" observed Abel, now to
work.
But, rummaging conscentiously, they
found but $500 in silver!
AS they walked home, troubled and dis
contented, in the moonlight. the unmis-
taxable tinkle of falling gold piece was
heard.
Hal" exclaimed Abel. looking terribly
at Leon Fauvart, Henrls younger brother.
Perhaps there's more gold on you? traitor:
fba r6
Ho. boys!'
Leon begged for mercy. He gave up the
treasure-some $500. AS they cooled
down. Abel and the Deroos were perplexed.
How punish a Fauvart boy-why, they were
going to his mother at that moment! Later
Abel, in half-humorous bitterness. when ne
had told the tale alone to Henri fahuvar,s;
the Avenger added: Give us your stiletto!
Fate of Traitor.
LET ber glowered the morbid fellow.
and as Abel, in his grand way agreed that
IT was O. first offense, boys temptation
that should be kept secret from the band'
It looked as though the incident were
closed. The truth dawned on them in its
horror the next day-when Leon disap-
peared Undoubtedly this Henri Fauvare
is wrong In his head. That night he killed
his brother. alone AM unaided. dragged
the body through an almost unused under.
ground massage leading to deep old weHI
After this the band lived on almost two
years 1t had Belgian experts now 10 open
safes; a new connection for the business
like fencing of merchandise: new indica-
tons fo- rich hauls, and crimes increased
with impunity, while wealth increased with
crimes. But the seeds of treachery had
been planted! ,-
In the mysterious old house of Vieux-
Reruuin a mysterious old heart suffered
and hated And old eyes watched. Widow
Fauvart obstinately. ignorantly blamed the
dashing Abel and his three lieutenants Tor
the disappearance of her Benjamin. she
watched and waited with a deadly purpose.
After nearly two years came her oppor-
tunity. A word in the ear OF a man whose
secret object had marked him for death
at the hands of the band led to the arrest
of Abel and his brother Augusta. That
man was the Partisan sleuth-the Prlnclpai