Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
CHAPTER XI-(ContiDued }

gllstening III big drops on the thick hair
on his heaving chest. as he rushed across
the floor Of his sitting room, holding his
towel around him with one hand lie
opened the door little way and took III
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
Villeneuve."
The heat of his young and vigorous
body had almost eyaporated the moisture
He went back into his bedroom and put
on soft, silken suit of pajamas, caught
at the waist with brocaded belt He
took a tasselled Turkish fez from its peg
and put 1t 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 languid
interest, eating very deliberately as his
eye Travelled over the paper. Suddenly be
came to this item:
Nothing new has transpired since
yesterday in regard to the murder OF
Nine. Roupell at the Chateau Vile
neuve--"
lie got no further. Like q fash he
dropped the paper and reached out and
took hold of the letter which he had
almost forgotten. exclaiming:
The Chateau FilIeneuve! Villeneuve
Why, that's the place Cassagne writes
from. Pshaw! what am l thinking of:
He can't have been called in on that mat
ter. 1t was in the hands of the project
of police, and | know he hates Cass&gn
like poison"
Nevertheless it was with fingers which
trembled little in their eagerness that
he opened the letter.
All Y he exclaimed, here's 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. | know him; ole
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
tons. His first excitement over, Charles
D'Aubuson read them twice very care
fully, slipping his chocolate so 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 10 think
1t was curious that his new field OF
activity should at last have brought hin
into contact professionally with a mar
whom he had hitherto known only social
ly. NJ. Jules Chabot, while a mere ac
quaintance, belonged to q club of which
he was a member-the Alliance" He
was not very constant in his attendance
but he was tolerably well acquainted
there. Jules Chabot he had known as
one is apt to know those one casually
meets in the billiard room or at the care
table
How fortunate it was that. acting I'M
der the advice of his friend Cassagne, he
had scrupulously hidden from all mis-
patton 1t would be a comparatively easy
task for him to keep watch of Chabot's
movements. The only question was how
to do so without exciting his suspicious
He sat revolving this matter in his
nind for nearly an hour, at the end oil
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 a rich
innocent dandy, to whom appearance is
everything. and who has not a thought IL
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 al
the rage among the bouevards. He put
on a very tall collar and recktie of 6
very ultra fashion, a 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'Auburor
was as different being as you could well
imagine, from che free and easy Bohe-
milan of an hour previously. A slight
drawl was apparent in his speech. Hail
ing a 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 hant
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 s
look in which contempt struggled Will
politeness and got rather the best of it
There is that insufferable fop, D'Au
huron, coming up the steps," he remarked
10 an intimate. Il think that fellow
looks bigger fool every day."