The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-12-14
CHI RTER XI.-(Continued. }
B y A u ST y n

on his heavlng chest. as ne ruSneO across
the floor of his sitting room, holding his
towel around him with one hand. He
opened the door little way and took in
the letter. Still holding his towel about
him, he stood examining the envelope very
carefully. As he stood thus, with one
foot slightly thrown forward. all his
weight on his left leg, his muscles stood
out like whip-cords. His eyes were bright
and the light of a new interest suddenly
sprang into them. He presented thus a
splendid specimen of physical manhood.
He had little occasion for the brisk rub
bling to which he treated himself, when
he had put down the letter unopened,
merely remarking:
Il wonder what Cassagne is doing at
Eilleneuve."
The heat of his young and vigorous
body had almost evaporated the moisture.
He went back into his bedroom and put
on soft, silken suit of pajamas, caught
at the waist with a brocaded belt. He
took tasselled Turkish fez from its peg
and put, it on his head. Then he went
in to his chocolate and rolls, picked up
his morning paper and began to read. He
skinned the sheet at first with a languid
interest, eating very deliberately as his
eye travelled over the paper. Suddenly he
came to this item:
Nothing new has transpired since
yesterday in regard to the murder of
Nine Roupell at the Chateau Vile
neuve-"
He got no further Like a fash he
dropped the paper and reached out and
took hold of the letter which he had
almost forgotten, exclaiming:
THE Chateau Villeneuve. Villeneuve !!
Why, that's the place Cassagne writes
from. Pshaw! what am 1 thinking Of?
He can't have been called in on that mat
ter. 1t was in the hands of the project
of police, and l know he hates Cassagne
like poison"
Nevertheless it was with fingers which
trembled little in their eagerness that
he opened the letter.
All" he exclaimed, heres fun at
last. Cassagne is engaged in that Vile
neuve matter after all. Called in by a
friend of the suspected party, too. AL
ways on that side of the case-the most
difficult, of course. Wants me to watch
one Jules Chabot. l know him; old
fop; club man. About as much chance
of his being implicated as Of my getting
married. Well, | declare! ~
There were two long sheets of instruc-
lions. His first excitement over, Charles
UAuburon read them twice very care
fully, slipping his chocolate 50 slowly that
the contents Of the cup were almost cold
before he finished it. Several minutes
elapsed before he finally put Cassagne's
letter on one side and lay back to think
1t was curious that his new field of
activity should at last have brought him
into contact professionally with a man
whom he had hitherto known only social
ly. NJ. Jules Chabot, while a mere &C
quaintance, belonged to a club of which
he was a member-the Alliance" He
was not very constant in his attendance;
but he was tolerably we'll acquainted
there. Jules Chabot he had known as
one is apt to know those one casually
meets in the billiard room or at the card
table.
How fortunate it was that, acting I'M
der the advice of his friend Cassagne, he
had scrupulously hidden from all his
friends and acquaintance his new occu-
task for him to keep watch of Chabot's
movements. The only question was how
to do so without exciting his suspicious
lie sat revolving this matter in his
mind for nearly an hour, at the end Of
which time he arose and completed his
toilet, dressing himself with unusual care.
The role he had now to play was one
which had deceived many-that of rich,
innocent dandy, to whom appearance is
everything, and who has not a thought In
his head beyond the set Of his hat or his
tie
He selected from his wardrobe a fine
morning frock coat and a lowered waist
coat of an oriental design which was all
the rage among the boulevards. He put
on very tall collar and a necktie of a
very ultra fashion, glossy hat, patent
leather boots and silver-headed Malacca
cane completed his outfit. As he descend,
ed the stairs he put an eye glass in one
eye.
Thus accoutred, Charles D'Auburon
was as different being as you could we'll
imagine, from the free and easy Bohe-
milan OF an hour previously. A slight
drawl was apparent in his speech. Hail
ing cab, he directed the driver to pro-
coed to the Alliance club. He was the
most innocent looking young man in the
whole Of Paris. A vacant smile PLAYED
around his mouth. One gloved hand
sought his blonde mustache in a caress-
ing manner, while with the other he re-
turned the salutations of his numerous
acquaintance. NJ. Jules Chabot. seated
in the bay window Of the Alliance club.
saw him alight, and surveyed him with
look in which contempt struggled with
politeness and got rather the best of IT.
There is that insuferable fop. pan
huron, coming up the steps," he remarked
to an intimate. II think that fellow
looks bigger fool every day."
CHAPTER XII.
When Alfred Cassagne bid DR.. Mason
adieu, it was to return to Paris, first "a
think and then to act. Never In tha
course of his experience had enconn-
tered case which presented obstacles ~
50 puzzling nature He was a trua
Parisian. A day or two in the conntrv
soon satisfied him. He required the slim