Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08

| compliment" she answered, allowing anger
to warm her voice at last. but this is al
| most beyond joke. A woman comes to
| the rooms of a friend. Both of them so
placed that they prefer her call not to be
| talked about. For that reason. and for the
woman's sake. the friend chooses to take a
name that isn't his-as he has a right to do
| Yet. Just because that woman happens, IN
| fortunately, to be we'll known-her face and
name being public property-she Is followed,
she Is spied upon. Inundated. and all. no
doubt. on account of some silly mistake or
malicious false information. All, it is
| shameful monsieur! I wonder the police
| of Paris can stoop to such stupidity such
meanness.''
when we have found out that 1t Is
mistake. the police of Paris will apologize
| to you, mademoiselle. through me-" said
| the commlssary: until then l regret II our
duty makes us disagreeable to you" Then
turning to his two gendarnes, he directed
them to search the room, beginning with
all possible places in which a paper parcel
or large envelope might be hidden, within
ten meters of the spot where mademoisele
and monsieur had stood talking together
when the police opened the door.
Maxine did not protest again. With her
head up, and a look as If the three police
men were Of more Importance to her
than the furniture of the room. she walked
to the mantelpiece and stood leaning her
elbow upon it. WEAKNESS. Disguised In
difference were in her attitude: but 1
need of the physical support.
The two gendarmes moved about in
| noseless obedience, their faces expression
less 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 scornfuily
toward him. 1 knew why he watched her
thus. and thought of a foolish, chids game
l used to play twenty years ago. at little
boy and girl parties, the game of hide the
handkerchief While one searched for
the treasure. those who knew where it was
Now you are hot-boiling hot. Now you
are cool again. Now you are ice cold" 1t
was as II we were five players at this
game, and Maxine de RenZie's white,
claim against her will: Now you are
warm; Now you are hot. Now you are
ice cold
There was a table In the middle of the
room. with or two volumes of photo
graphs and brightly bound guide books OF
Paris upon it, as well as my hat and gloves.
which had tossed down as came in The
gendarmes picked up these things, exam
ned them laid them aside peered under
the table, peeped behind the silk cushions
on the sofa. opened the doors and drawers
of bric-a-brac cabinet and small writ
ing desk, lifted the corners of the rugs on
the bare, polished floor, and finally. bowling
apologies to Maxine for disturbing her.
took out the logs from 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 pair
confessed. with shrugs Of the shoulders,
that they were at a loss.
During the search. which had been con-
Quoted in silence. had curious sensation.
caused by my intense sympathy with Max
ines suffering. l felt as if my heart were
the pendulum 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 behind the sofa
cushions. a gray shadow round Maxines
eyes made her beautiful face look like a
death-mask in the white electric light,
which did not fail now or spare her any
cruelty of revelation. She smiling con-
temptuously still-alWays the same smile
but her forehead appeared to have been
sprinkled with diamond dust.
l saw that dewy sparkle and wondered.
sickeningly. if the enemy saw 1t too. But
1 had not long to wait before being salts
fled on this point. The keen-eyed French
man gave further instructions to his
ba fled subordinates. but crossing the room
to the sofa stood staring at 1t fXedly. Then,
grasping the back with his capable-looking
hand, instead of beginning at once quest
which his gendarmeS had abandoned he
searched the face Of the tortured woman.
Unf1inching in courage. she seemed not to
see him. But 1t was as II she had suddenly
ceased to breathe. Her bosom longer
rose and fell. The only movement was the
visible knocking of her heart. l felt that,
In another moment, if he found what she
had hidden, her heart would knock no
longer and she would die. For a second
wildly counted the chances OF overpowering
all three men, stunning them into uncon-
seriousness and giving Maxine time to es-
cape with the letter-case. But l knew the
attempt would be useless. Even If could
succeed, the noise would arouse the hotel.
People would come. Other policemen
would rush in to the help of their COM
rode ri axx-itb
than before.
The Frenchman. having looked at Max
inc and seen that tell-tale beating of her
bodice. deliberately laid the silk cushions
on the floor Then pushing his hand down
between the seat and the back of the sofa,
he moved 1t along the crevice inch by inch.
I watched the hand, which looked cruel to
me as that OF an executioner. l think
Maxine watched 1t, too. Suddenly it stop
ped. 1t had found something. The other
hand sprang to its assistance. Both
worked together, cropping and prying for
few seconds: evidently the something hid
down. Then. up it came "a dark-red
leather case. which was neither letter
case jewel case. but might be used
for either. My heart almost stopped beat
ing in the intense relief I felt. For this
was not the thing 1 had come from London
to bring Maxine.
1 could hardly keep back a cry of joy.
But l did keep 1t back, for suspense and
anxiety had left me a few grains of sense.
'Voila!'' grunted the commssary OF
police. II said that you were clever, made
moselle. But 1t would have been as we'll
for all concerned II you had spared US this
trouble"
"YCu alone are to blame for the trouble
answered Maxine. Il never saw that thing
before in my life
l was astonished that there was no ring
of satisfaction in her voice. 1t sounded
hard and defiant, but there was no tri-
| umph in it, no joy that, SO far, she was
saved-as If by a miracle. Rather was her
tone that OF a woman at bay, fighting to
the last, but without hope.
Nor did 1 ever see it before" I echoed
! her words.
She glanced at me as If with gratitude.
Yet there was no need for gratitude. !
was not lying for her sake. but speaking
the plain truth, as 1 thought that she must
know.
For the first time the commissary of
police condescended to laugh. Il suppose
you want me to believe that the last occu-
pant of this room tucked some valued
possession down into safe hiding place
and then forgot all about it. That is likely,
Is 1t not? You shall have the pleasure,
mademoiselle-and you, monsieur-of see
ing with me what that careless person left
behind him.
He had laid the thing on the table. and