Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-05-15

cately scented, and had borne a crest and |
monogram on the outside, zach as were
only used by persons of rank.
As the train rushed across the land
scape, Cassagne relapsed into medita-
tive mood. The thought required to him,
was this woman, after a lapse of so many
years, yet alive, and would it be possible
to find her? If Graham was the murder
err, as he now believed, the person most
likely to know of his present whereabouts
would be this one-the woman who, in
all probability, had been his wife. He fell
to studying how old this boy could be
now. He calculated he must be nearly
thirty years of age. For old Gughatoff,
the concierge, had given the child's age at
about ten when Graham had left Blois,
and little more than twenty years had
elapsed since that time. If he could find
him, he perhaps might yet be in com
munication with his father
When Henry Graham had left Blois he,
too, had turned his steps in the direction
of Belliers. For Gughatof had forward
ed several letters to him at that place. 1t
was toward Belliers, therefore, that he
Cassagne, must hasten, there to pursue
his investigations; but first of all he
would go to Paris. He must find out
what Nj. Lablanche had accomplished. He
must also receive the report of his as
sistant, who meantime would not have
been idle.
The first thing NJ. Cassagne did upon
his arrival in Paris was to hail cab.
Jumping in, he babe the man drive to
the apartment of his friend and assist
ant, D'Au6uron, in the Rue de Provence.
1t was about noon when he assembled the
staircase and raped loudly on the door
of the vestibule. D'Auburon came out
himself to let him in, rubbing his eyes.
Il have been up pretty nearly all night
he said, yawning terribly. wait till
get bath. Then we will have some
breakfast"
"Confound the fellow" exclaimed the
impatient Cassagne. 81 never call OH
him but he is either in the bath or JUS
about to take one. 1t is the one thing
against his making a good detective. He
is too fond of water"
A minute afterward D'Auburon appear.
I'd in a loose dressing gown and Turkish
ilippers, swinging two enormous Indian
clubs In a manner that threatened de.
struetion to the chandeliers and orna-
nents.
While he was thus engaged, Cassagne
had arisen. He was walking restlessly up
and down the room. The splashlng of the
water had given him a sudden fit Of shiv
ering The sight of his friend wastne
precious time on what he deemed a frv
olous exercise, also irritated him. Sud
denly his eye fell upon a card In the
receiver on the center table. 1t was a
very elegantly engraved piece Of paste
board, surmounted with a coronet EN-.
bossed in gold. Its inscription read:
THE Vicomte de Valiar."
"Ah," exclaimed Cassagne, that's the
man to whom | procured you the letter
of introduction. You managed to &c;
there?"
"Yes," replied D'Auburon, "and he call
ed when l was out and left his card. A
great financier he is. President OF hall
dozen big companies. He has mad
one fortune and has twenty irons in the
fire, all of which he manages to keep re
specially heated"
Never mind him for the present." In
errupted Cassagne, impatiently. "Tel
ne of Chabot, above all. | want to know
what the project Of police has accomplish
cd. How many men has he got on th,
case?"
"Four!'
who are they7"
"vougeot, Remoul, villeroy and Cou
tinet."
None of them is up to much excep-
vougeot," unused NJ. Cassagne to whom
the detectives named were well known
"Vougeot Is pretty smart fellow. Wha;
is he doing"
"He is shadowing Chabot. So far he
has accomplished nothing"
Now tell me what has happened. Thi<
man Chabot Is monsieur lie project still
serious in his belief that he is in some
way implicated in this crimeY
"Assuredly but there is a more absurd
phase to 1t than that. Whom do you
think, in addition to Chabot, monsieur lc
project has placed under surveillanceP"
"oh, can't tell The man In tn
moon, perhaps"
NO, not so bad as that. But, deter
mined to cover all points, suppose, he
has placed a watch upon the movements
If the American DIR. Paul Mason. That's
not all. Poor, honest Pierre the butler
at the chateau, man whom you yourself
examined and said wouldn't hurt a fly
has also been included. 1t Is positively
shameful to permit such bunglers as La
blanche to squander the secret service
funds in such fooleries Another fellow
| understand, has been haunting the park
at Yilleneuve, and was nearly shot BY
one Of the keepers, who took him for
poacher. They hauled him before the
mayor down there, and the man had to
tell his whole story to clear himself Tho
prefect was raving when he heard of it
He discharged him from the force"
"More bungling," remarked Cassagne
-.Nho was it?"
"Little Trifflet."
Hunt him up. Pay him well, and tell
him to keep his mouth shut. He may
know just enough of the projects plans to
be a very useful man for us. Meantime,
what have you found about this Mon
sieur Chabot?"
He is an adyenturer, one of the de
cayed gentleman class belongs to a cou-
pie of clubs; has the entree into some
very good and also some very question
able society He has become affiliated
with the vicomte and his set only within
the last year or two. They are in several
schemes together. Lately he has been
making some money"
"And the vicomte, you say, is an able
! financier2"
VERY, l should say. He hoated the
City and Suburban Messenger Company,
and was shrewd enough to withdraw be
fore IL went under. He is, as told you,
| president Of the Mutual Credit Com
pany, and a large operator on the Rourse.
He appears to have been very succ Issful.
His wife, the vlcomtesse, has doubtless
been a powerful factor in the making OF
his fortunes. All, but she is charming
You should see her. 1t was her infiu-
ence, doubtless, which secured the CO