Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-11-09

ilt uau as ne uAN DttN READY 10 re
heve the good
In word. Locke imagined that he
had done more than his dury in ofrer-
ing his friendship and confidence.
When he made up his mind that this
friendship and confidence was not re-
turned. his friendship turned TO in
tense dislike There was no middle
. course for him he enjoyed a fight
quite as much as a love feast, perhaps
better.
To resume my narrative" drawled
Locke. you disappear within the
chamber. Ny friend Forbes is having
his little interview with you But
presently I see you again at the win
dow. packet IN hand You lean far
out; you toss the packet into the ba-
sin OF an empty fountain. The shut
ters are closed. Your work Is finished
for the night. And so is mine-that
is. after 1 have rescued from the
empty fountain the packet.
Which you promptly returned to
Captain Forbes. no doubt"
Who has a greater right 90 it?"
returned Locke c0olly.
But he had not returned e 70
Forbes. I was sure OF that Locke
was a newspaper man trained in the
school Of modern journalism. He had
determined on grand coup Tor his
paper If the sealed dispatch prom
Used 70 be OF assistance 20 him he
would break the seal.
That would not suit me az all Ny
.r-r %
Sir Mortimer Brett and his mistress.
Locke was determined Co give &c the
/ fullest publicity. Our ends were utter
| ly az variance. Every sentence of his
recital made me see that more clearly.
7 saw. too that the object OF his
story was 90 overwhclm me wsth the
\ certainty that 7 must make a fun con-
fession 90 him or suffer those conse-
L 0uences- Aly one hope was 20 avert
those consequences until my inter
view with Madame de WARMER.
hoped everything from that
For the present 7 need fear nothing
from Forbes Helena had given me
her word that She would trust nae until
midnieht put The silence Of Helena
and Forbes was useless unless Locke
also was silent 7 awaited the rest OF
his narrative with anxious concern.
"Thc next morning I besur myself
early. you NAV Doe sure az that Cap
tain Forbes rest had been equally
rer.urbed. Together we discover the
starting fact that early as we had
aroused ourselves. our patient with
his nurse and physician had been even
more energetic. But my discovery is
~ o. nature more dramatic than that OF
Che kings messenger He imagines
that it as Sir Mortimer who has fed.
I am forced to the reluctant conclu-
sion that 90 is ST. Ernest Haddon.
American tourist mas1uo1sGiug as
che diplomoust Sir Mortimer Brett.
ls it necessary that Z enter into exc
plantations for this discovery. or shall
wo take the fact for grantcd2"
"Tare Dc for rranrcd br an means.
! since you have already taken so much
for granted"
II shall not bore YOU much longer.
Captain Forbes and myself join
forces. I needed but ono argument TO
persuade bin Co do that knew
whore Madame dc Varnicr and her fell
low conspi-ators were bound. Captain
Forbes did not'
And Mrs and Miss Brett-did you
reveal your suspicious to thcme"
$50 far" Locke looked at me sig
uidcantiy. OF have revealed them 90 no
one We arrive no AItcrhonon. then.
/ Tho four OF us. Captain Forbes insists
on storm.ng the chateau with what
result you know better 'han T. AS for
myself. I prefer Co keep my counsel.
and. first OF all 90 give my friend
Haddon n friendly hint ] bride one OF
| the servants at tho castle 90 convey a
note 20 him requesting the honor OF
an interview 90 ten this morning. Ny
friend Haddon denies me the honor OF
an interview Then 90 the mountain
viii not come TO Mohammed. Moham-
med must so TO the mountain.
"I am directed 20 the castle by the
stairway that leads 20 the village
! street. I have not descended a dozen
l steps of the gloomy stairway when I
hear some one coming up them in fu-
rious haste Naturally. ! pause; and
| quite as naturally I take the precau-
tion OF placing my hand on the revolt
yer In my hip pocket. which I carry
with me. remembering the fate OF my
acquaintance. Captain Forbes.
ITO my surprise the person in this
extraordinary haste conceals himself
in the little glass-covered room at the
angle Of the stairs. descend the
steps cautiously and curiously. There
are other surprises in store for me.
/ First Of all 7 see a second figure stand
| ing fat against the wall. As my eyes
/ become accustomed 20 the darkness
I I am startled TO discover that the man
| concealed in the lodge has a revolver
/ in his hand. For the moment I think
/ he is lying in wait for myself. But
! almost Immediately / hear steps from
below. There is click as the trigger
| Is cooked. I am averse to bloodshed
even the killing OF a would-be muir
| derer. ! fire. not at him, but to shat
ter the pane OF glass and divert his
: aim.
"Now for my last surprise. The as
sassin. rather tardily l must say, has
been grappled with by the man who
had concealed himself against the
wall and was apparently awaiting de-
\ velopments But the would-be assas-
I 81 In fraogror hFv.-oTf