The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-09
To be Contlnued.1


 fantasies. the strange caprices of RouIetabilie during the last two years. But nothing that entered my mind could have warned me of what had happened or. still less. have explained 1t to me. Where was Rouletabille? 1 went to his rooms in the Boulevard St Michel. telling myself thHt if l dic not find him there l could at least leave Mime. Darzac's letter. What was my astonishment when 1 entered the building to see my own servant carrying my bag. I asked him to tell me what he was doing and why. and he replied that he did not know-that must ask Nj. Rouletabille.
 The boy had been. as it turned out while l had been seeking him every where except naturally in my own housel. in my apartments In the Rue de Rivoli He had ordered my serv- ant to take him to my rooms and had made the man fil a valise with every thing necessary for a trip of three or four days. Then he had directed the man to bring the bag in about an hour to the hotel in the ''Boul Mich" | l made one bound up the stairs to my friends bedchamber. where 1 found him packing in a tiny hand satchel an assortment of toilet articles. a change of linen and a nightshirt- | Until this task was ended | could ob- tain no satisfaction from Rouletabille. for in regard to the little affairs of ev- eryday life he was extremely particu- lar and despite the modesty of his means succeeded in living very we'll. having a horror of everything which could be cnlIed bohemian. He finally deigned to announce to me that we | were going to take our Easter vaca- | ton" and that since 1 had nothing to do and the Epoch had granted him a three days holiday we couldn't do bet | ter than to go and take a short rest at the seaside. But my silence did not disturb Rouletabille in the least. and. taking my valise In one hand. his | satchel in the other. he hustled me l down the stairs and pushed me Into a hack which awaited us before the door of the hotel. Half an hour later we found ourselves in a first class car riage of the Northern railway. which was carrying us toward Trepot by way of Amiens- As we entered the | station he said:
 Why don't you give me the letter that you have for meT'
 gazed at him in amazement He had guessed that Mme. Darzac would be greatly grieved at not seeing him before her departure and would write | to him. He had been positively ma licious l answered:
 Because you don't deserve it" And 1 glve him good scolding. to which he interposed no defense. He did not even try to excuse himself. and that made me angrier than ever. Finally 1 handed him the letter. He took it. looked at it and inhaled its fragrance. As 1 sat looking at him curfously he frowned. uyi yiEg. as | could see. to repress some strong feel ing. His face betrayed the fact that he was suffering profoundly.
 "welly- | said. Aren't you going to read the lerter?'
 -No." he replied; mot here; when we are yonder.r Tl
 We arrived at Trepot in the blackest night that I remember after six hours of an interminaDIe trip and in wretch ed weather. The wind from the sea chilled us to the bone and swept over the deserted quay with weird sounds of lamentation. l walked behind Rou- letabiile. who made his way with diff ficulry in this damp obscurity. How ever. be appeared to know the place. for we finally arrived at the door of a queer little inn which remained open during the early spring for the fisher men. Rouletabille demanded supper and fire. for we were half starved and half frozen.
 -Ah. now, my friend" I said when we were settled after a fashion. will | you condescend to explain to me what we have to come 10 look for in this | place aside from rheumatism and | pneumopiag"
 But Rouletabilie at this moment | coughed and turned toward the fire to 4 warm his bands again.
 "Oh. yes.- he answered.: "I am going | to tell you We have come to look for | the perfume of the Lady in Black"
 This phrase gave me so much to | think about that | scarcely slept at all | that night
 Esriy In the morning I was awak- ened by a changed RouIetabiIle. His | face was distorted with grier as he | handed me a telegram which had | come to him al the Bourg. having | been forwarded from Paris in accord | ance with the orders that he had left.
 Here is the dIspatch:
 Come Immediately without losing a min | ute We have gwen up our trip to the | orient and will join M Stangerson at | Mentone at the home of the Rances at Rochers Rouges- Let this message TO- | main a secret between us It is not nee | essary to frighten any one. You may | pretend that you are on your vacation or | make any other excuse that you like. but | come. Te.egraph me general delivery, | Mentone. QuicSly. quickly: 1 am wait ing for you Yours in despair.
 DARZAC-
 "Well." cried. leaping out of bed. | "it doesn't surprise mer
 You never believed tbat he was dezdT" demanded Rouletabille in . toae flled with emotion
 | T never felt quite sure of it. an- ewered. "It was too useful for him to pass for dead 10 permit him 10 heSi-