The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-11

miration. Mime. Edith was right He
 had indeed constituted himself a cap
 tain. and be had not left one impregna-
 ble spot without defense.
 Rouletabllle lit bis pipe. took three
 or tour puffs and suId:
 Well. here we are. Can we hope
 that Larsan. after having so insolent-
 ly Haunted himself before us. at our
 very doors. in order to defy us. will
 confine himself to such a platouIc
 manifestation? And. content with
 what he has done, will he go away?
 l hardly think so. first. because such a thing would be foreign to his char acter. for he loves a light and Is never satisfied with a partial success. and. second. because no one of us has the power to drive him or We have. of course, no hope of any help from out side And he knows 1t well. That is what makes him SO bold and auda- cious. Whom can we call to our aid 7"
 '-The authorities" suggested Arthur Rance.
 The reporter looked at his host with an afr of pity which was not entirely free from reproacb. And he said in a chilly tone. which showed plainly to Arthur Rance how little value there was in his proposition:
 You ought to understand. monsieur, that did not save Larsan from French justice at Versailles 10 deliver him over to Italian justice at Rochers Rouges."
 M. Darzac said:
 This man must disappear but in silence. whether we move him by our entreaties or bribe him or Kill him. But the first condition of his disap- pearance Is 10 keep the fact that he has reappeared at all a secret. Above all-and am speaking of the heartfelt wish. of Mme. Darzac as we'll as my own-M. Stangerson must never know that we are menaced by the blows of this monster"
 Mime. Darzac's wishes are com mands." replied RouIetnbille. M. Stangerson shall know nothing"
 Rouletabille arose and exchanged through the window a signal with Bernier. who was standing erect upon the threshold of the square tower Then he came back to us and sat down again.
 "Larsan probably is not far ofr." he said. '-Bernier Is on the most friendly terms with these worthy people. and I am going with him to talk to them The Italian customs officer speaks only Italian. but the French officer speaks both languages as we'll as the patois of fhe country. and it Is this man. whom Bernier tells me is called Michael to whom | look to be of the greatest use to ua- Through his means we have already learued that the two revenue posts are much interested In the maneuvers of the boat belong ing to Tullio. the Fisherman. whom they call the bangman of the sea- Old Tullio is an acquaintance of the GUS toms men-the most skiIlful of smug- giers- He had wifb him this evening in his boat an indivfduaI whom the revenue officers had never seen. The boat. TulIio and the passenger all dis appeared at the Poinre de GaribaIdi. l have been there and found nothing. However. Larsan must have landed. I am sure that Tuliio's little boat is an- chored near the Pointe de GaribaldL"
 -Larsan certainty landed.- repeated M- Darzac. -He Is at Hochers Rouges."
 "ln any case. If the boat has been left at Rochers Rouges. he nas not come back here" exclaimed RouIe- tabille- The two revenue posts are placed in such a manner that DO one san pass by. whether by day or by night. without being seen. The senti- nei passes between the rocks and the sea The rocks are steep aud form a terrace sixty meters high"
 That Is true" said Arthur Rance. Tt is not easy to scale the rocks"
 He will have hidden himself in the grottoes." said Darzac. There are some deep pockets in the terrace"
 Il thought of that" said RouletabilIe. and l went back alone to Rochers ! Rouges after I left Pere Beruier. l l aad some things to say to Larsan | which l did not wish third party to | hear. We'll. 1 went back 10 Rochers | Rougcs and called Larsan's name | through all the caves. But. whether | | was that he heard me and saw my | white flag or not. he did not answer"
 Perhaps he was not there" I sug- rested.
 Perhaps not. I don't know. But ,eard noise In the grotto."
 And you did not enterT' demanded Arthur Rance.
 No" replied RouIetabille quietly. | But you do not think that 1t was be- ause I was afraid of him. do you?"
 Let us run- we all cried in one breath. rising at the same moment Let us go and finish up the business 
 T don't think that we shall ever ave a better chance of meeting Lar an." said Arthur Rance. We can To what we like with him at the bot om of Rochers Rouggs."
 Doubtless. replied Rouletabilie. my promenade to Rochers Rouges reduced no result because 1 was all lone, but If we all go I can assure ou that we shah find some results on UT return
 "On our returnT' echoed Darzac. Fho did not understand.
 Yes" replied Rouletabille. "on our eturn to the chateau. where we have ~