Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-03-13

house. Oh. to be able to scale that wall.
and get into those grounds"
Looking around him his quick eve fel,
upon the tree Immediately over their
heads, along the branches of which he
thought he might possibly work his way
and so drop into the garden.
The night was tolerably dark. But
few people were passing in that fashion
able quarter. After a moments hesita-
tion he determined to attempt it. After
first instructing Mendotti to await his re-
turn, he then climbed upon his assistants
shoulders, and was just able to reach the
lower limb of the cedar.
Il am all right" he whispered, and he
commenced to work his way very eau
tiously along one of the branches. 1t
bent tremendously with his weight; but
he put up his hand and drew down an
upper bough. Thus distributing the bur-
den, he managed to pass the wall, and
continued to creep along the branches
until, they gradually bending with their
load, he was enabled to drop noiselessly
into the garden.
Il will go and wait for my lady in
| TIC SculcI VI Tue ldWu, anu L laQ DetLer
be quick about It," he said
Relying upon his general knowledge Of
the construction of Partisan garden, NJ.
Cassagne walked rapidly forward, struck
his foot against some Unforeseen obsta-
Gle. tripped, stumbled, and the next mo-
ment found himself struggling in the
water. He had overlooked the fact that
| some "a Ydana kava fountainS
Where have you come from, and wha,
have you been dolng?" was the astonish-
ed inquiry of Charles D'Auburon.
He had been aroused from his bed at
midnight by a thunderous knocking at
his door, and on going to see what all
the noise was about, had discovered Cas-
sagne, standing the picture of misery,
under the lamp on the landing.
Dripping yet with the moisture which
ran from all his garments; minus his hat
and shivering like an aspen, the famous
detective presented a picture well calcu.
lated to excite the utmost commiseration
but gleam of triumph was In his un.
dimmed eye; and he wore the air of q
conqueror rather than of man who had
met with humiliating accident.
Cassagne entered into circumstantia
relation of his adventures. When he ar
rived at what he facetiously termed the
"frog-pond incident" DAuburon coult
not restrain his mirth, and it was so con
tagious that Cassagne, though the JOKE
was against himself, could not refrain
FROM Joining him. The two men roaret
until the room shook again. When theil
merriment had somewhat subsidized NJ
Cassagne took up the thread of his nara
tive In this wise:
II had hardly got my head out o
water, and cleared my ears and eyes, be
fore l heard a door open and shut, il
the back part of the house. l crept softl.
out of the. fountain and lay extended a
full length\lpon the grass. Straining m
eyes in the direction of the house, l pei
ceived the figure Of woman coming to
ward me. She was a woman daintil
| dressed in full ball costume. ! had n
difficulty in following her. She had sliI
ped unperceived from the ball room, an
! NO doubt believed herself to be entjrel
free frnm surveillance. l crept along o
my hands and knees and got close to he
as she came around the bend in the grave
| walk AS she neared me, the moon, whic
; had hitherto been concealed by passin
clouds, shone out a little and gleame
upon her soft silk dress and her whit
t shoulders. In that brief moment / SAY
and recognized her."
"Who was she?" exclaimed D'AuburoI
, in a tone of almost breathless interest.
D 'She was the woman 1 expected. Sh
, was Madame Colbert Remplin, the banl
, er's wife"
: "You are joking" exclaimed DAT
buron. Both Mendotti and yourself mus
have been mistaken. The light was III
: certain, you say. 1t was some young lad
l of the household going to meet her lover.
E at was nothing of the kind. 1t wa
7 Madame Colbert Remplin, going to NEE
Madame Mechant, nee La Seur, who ha
, learned some secret of hers and Is tradin
upon it to her own advantage"
: Impossible "
e at is fact. l can understand mo-
how Madame Mechant is able to become
property owner by selling meat put
4 dings in the Rue BanQuiere. She is
4 blackmailer. myself heard money pas
a between them. The chnk Of gold piece
d 1t Is sound which cannot be deceive
in"
D'Auburon knew the almost marvelor
gift which his friend had received frol
. nature in the matter of hearing. No sta
, in the forest could catch slight<
d sound than his highly trained and e.
: quisite organ.
v "You are probably correct" he sal
= "were you able to CLEAN any particular
of their secretT"
8 81 was not. The interview was yer
brief, and what little conversation thel
s was was carried on in a very low ton
a In fact, only once or twice did l cate
e broken sentence. Once they spoil
7 | Madame aho,