St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-09-05

eutly engaged IN prayer.
NJ Claude broke off a portion of
bark from the tree and tossed it
through the window. AS it fell upon
the floor the girl arose with a faint
cry of alarm and ran to the easement.
Il am friend of NJ Radcliffe" he
said, "and DESTROYS of helping you,
Mile. Thurber."
A tinge of rose color crept into the
girls pale face and she clasped her
small hands convulsively.
You are welcome, monsieur" she
said, but I fear it is too late. He is
in deadly peril"
"So!" said the chief, dryly IN.
Maynard is still in the land of the liv-
ing. For whom then was the magnifi-
cent coffin intended, of which gossip
Quentin, host of the inn, spoke?"
For the man I love, Captain Rat
cliffe," responded Alice Thurber, with
trembling lips. "He was seized this
morning by M. Raymond and his men
when he entered the grounds in the
endeaVor to mark where my room
was.
"Obey me, mademoiselle, and we
may yet save your lover" he said,
curtly. Il will lower you to the
ground and you must make haste to
the inn of the village. known as the
Golden Grape. The road lies due
south for about half a mile and then
turns east. When you reach the inn
inquire for M. Blauvert. He is an in
spector of police and will know what
to do"
But you" began the girl. NJ
Claude interrupted her sharply. 81
am armed and can take care of my
self. Go now and good fortune be
with you, mademoiselle."
He Topped one end of the improvised
rope under the girls arms and assist
ing her across the window sill lowered
her gently to the ground. When the
cessation Of the strain on the rope
warned him that she was in safety,
he leaned out of the window and
obtained a momentary glimpse of a
slender figure fitting swiftly under
the shadow of the trees. Then he ap-
preached the door and turned the han
die. As he expected it was fast, but
smiling grimly he produced a bunch
of skeleton keeps and inserted one in
the lock.
The bolt shot back in response to
the pressure and the door swung open.
He stole softly along the dark cor
ridor and had almost reached the land
ing where lamp burnt dimly, when
the sound of a heavy footstep mount
ing the stairs caused him to halt alb
ruptly. The figure of a big, burly
man came into view, a man with a
thick crop of bright red hair.
IN. Maynard, lately deceased and
miraculously restored to life" NUT
tered the chief, and retreating to the
room he had just left he entered it
and closed the door behind him.
The tread of the newcomers feet
echoed through the corridor and
ceased at the door of the room where
M. Claude had taken refuge. Then
followed the rattle of key in the
lock and gruff oath of surprise from
Maynard at the discovery that the
door was not fastened.
He pushed it open and, entering,
stood staring stupidity at the disar-
ranged bed clothes and open window.
At that instant NJ Claude crept from
behind the door and brought the mas
sive butt of pistol down upon the
visitors unguarded head with terrific
force.
The luckless Maynard's knees bent
under him and he collapsed in limp
heap on the floor and lay motionless,
with thin stream of blood ebbing
from the cash in his skull. M. Claude
took the counterpart from the bed
and tearing it into strips tied the
ankles of his senseless victim togeth-
er and bound his hands tightly behind
his back. That done, he again ven
tured forth into the corridor and de-
scended the stairs without encounter
ing anyone.
Reaching the main hall he stood
still and listened intently. A murmur
of voices came through the half open
door of room adjoining the entrance
and thither the chief stole softly.
Through the crack of the door he was
able to obtain view of the occupants
of the apartment. NJ Raymond, tall
man in the early forties, slightly bald,
with strongly marked face and cyni.
cal mouth full of white, eager teeth
that flashed as he spoke, was the first
to attract the observers attention,
Beside him stood a robust woman of a
coarse blonde type, smiling at some
remark made by small, wiry man
with 1ron-gray hair who faced her.
At the far corner of the room lay a
large coffin, the lid of which stood on
end against the wall. M. Claude saw
that it contained white shrouded
form, and cold SILVER ran through
his stalWart frame as he realized who
the occupant must be. At the sound
OF Raymonds voice he bent forward
to listen.
now stfong was That last dose OF
the drug, Lupin?" he inquired of the
little man.
lie is due to awaken in the course
of the next 20 minutes" replied the
latter, in sharp, vibrant voice, the
curious tones of which struck familiar
ly upon the chiefs ear. 81 could re-
store him now if it were necessary.
The next administration of my good
medicine will keep him slumbering
for ten hours, If such be your will"
1T may be that that internally OBJ
stinate wench may yield when we
show her the lover in his shroud." said
Raymond. What is keeping May
nard? | told him to bring her down
at once and the fool seems to be TAX
=,