Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-07-03
CHAPTER XXI.


Two weeks passed, during which time
NJ. Cassagne, in the character OF the
Bernese manufacturer, continued his WIS.,
its to the de Valiars. He was now but
rarely accompanied by D'Auburon, who
adhered so closely to his contention that
the detective was simply wasting his
time, that, as he put it, he considered 1t
altogether wrong to encourage him in his
obstinacy.
These detectives, after ALL" thought
D'Auburon, ''are only human. He Is fas-
cinated by the vicomtesse. Every one
falls into that net. l suppose one can't
blame him-she is handsome"
NJ. Cassagne had apparently made great
strides In the good books Of de Valiar.
He spent his mornings in the office of the
Mutual Credit and Loan Company, where
he gave really valuable advice concern
ing the floating of the Consolidated Dock
enterprise.
He passed his afternoons seeing Paris,
with the vicomte and Chabot; and his
evenings he divided between the vicom.
Jesse and the card table. In a house
where high play was the principal event
of the evening, it was impossible not to
come more or less within its influence
Certain it is that the vicomtesse had
taken a more than ordinary interest In
her foreign guest. Perhaps he was
good listener, which Is the sincerest fat.
terry to your brilliant conversationalist.
Anyhow she insisted upon accompanying
NJ. Lazare to the table upon the first
night, and by her presence prevented the
stakes running unduly high.
She need not have been so solicitous on
the Swiss gentleman's account. The
first night or two he lost quite a con-
siderable sum, to be sure; but they had
hardly been playing a week before de
Valiar and his friends discovered that NJ.
Lazare knew as much as they did.
De Valiar particularly was nettled to
see this quiet, transformations foreigner
come in and walk away with his money.
To tell the truth, pending the floating of
the Consolidated Dock Company, that
article was rather scarce with him.
A boom In some of his Argentine Re
public securities on the Bourse had given
him, however, a welcome lift. 1t was
quite a sum. Three hundred and fifty
thousand francs had been placed to his
account with the Credit Foncier. That
very evening he drew half of 1t in cash,
and came prepared to pit his fortune
against that of NJ. Frederic Lazare.
But NJ. Lazare would not play. From
an early hour in the evening 1t was OBJ
served that he kept in the outer salon.
He was unusually thoughtful and re-
served. He paused by the side of Nine.
Colbert-Remplin. An expression Of pity
lowered on his features as be stopped
and sald
twill you do me favor? ask 1t for
the last time. Will you 60 quietly home?
am willing to save you all can"
Nine Colbert-Remplin's white hand
glittering with jewels, trembled as It lay
upon the arm of her easy chair. But her
face was adamant and her voice without
tremor, as she replied:
mo, l will not stir from here l will
stay and save him. 1t would kill me to
see him go back to the galleys."
The detective looked upon the frail,
white-faced woman sitting before him,
and an indescribable something flashed
across his features. 1t was the tender
ness of a supreme pity, blended with ad-
miration.
"You can do nothing" he urged. "You
had better leave him to his fate. l can
feel for you, but he richly deserves It."
Ito be continued.)