The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-22
CHAPTER ". (Continued.)
OlLA4 4LAAN Il - ANC-NN-a- =
- HE duke frowned, but kept sll-
ence.
The young man appears to be

ence-
The young man appears to be
rather insuffcienuy nourished;
but with proper food, ana no Nlhs, no
viii be At as a farmer ~ a. leW U@'9
The blade did not touch the bone
Thank you; good night sald ms
lordship in a tone Of dismissal, ana Ihe
loquacious doctor, with ms asslSlai'-
and paraphernalla, vanished.
DC Montreuil, with knitted brows,
carefully perused what he mad written
The letter ran:
My Lord Duke:
In addressing YOU thus have reason
TO believe that ! anticipate by a short
time only the honor his majesty designs
TO bestow upon you; therefore, belns
the first 20 recognize you as one OF US
] venture TO offer some counsel which
though unasked may not. be unWei-
come. When YOU become member OF
The nobility you may find IL desirable
both for your comfort and your safety
that the class to which YOU VIII then
belong believes you TO be peer OF lhe
realm in spirit as well as IN name.
II will ultimately prove disastrous il
throughout our ranks there filters n
suspicion that a man OF title, no mat
ter how highly placed, goes about IN
danger OF an assessins knife IoniEi!J
] visited you at your own request, ana,
also at your ONn request, / came unat-
tended. entering your dwelling sur
reptitiously, leaving In the same man
uer assured OF secrecy and safe con-
duct I have since learned that / was
followed from your very door by an
armed person whom j believe TO be
an expert swordsman. but luckily, be
fore I spoke 70 him he had received
wound in the arm and was partially
disabled This wound was given by
some individual whom the young man
did not recognize and who doubtless
escaped undetected 10 his own home,
wherever that may he, Cor your ser
seant could give me no idea regarding
The culprits identity.
Z confess at once that when learned
De Cardillac, the wounded man, had
followed me from your palace, 7 sus-
pected that you had set him on my
track. and In this ] admit 7 did you an
injustice. for he tells me il IS YOU. and
not myself, against whom he harbors
feelings Of injury, and It was you he
expeced to attack, being misled by one
Of your miniOns named TresOr into the
belief that YOU, following the example
Of the caliph I'm the Oriental tale,
roamed the city at night I'm disguise
AS have myself conducted large
affairs Of state, ] know by experience
The Inconvenience often caused by the
injudicious zeal Of an underiing, and
while personally 7 aCQuit YOU or an
knowledge Of this mysterious affair. J.,
nevertheless. venture TO point out 20
YOU that such knowledge filters abroad
often, before the person, like your
self, who has the most at stake, re-
ceives the faintest inkling Of g.
have myself tonight been able 20 DO
YOU a good turn IN preventing pub
came known, with various eNaEgera-
lions might have produced unpleasant
results. Luckily the police sergeant, by
whom 7 forward this letter TO be given
privately into your own hand, proved
To Re q man Of discretion 7 have i'm
posed strict silence upon him, which
COMMAND YOU VIII doubtless emphasize
when you see him. one odd feature or
the affair is that CardlllaC. while pro-
Tossing the utmost enmitv 20 yourself,
nevertheless carried upon his person
p, most cordial and intimate letter from
YOU This letter 7, knowing your hand
writing. believe TO be "A Forgery. In spite
~ the fact that &c is written ON palace
paper.
own eye until such time as I receive
Instructions from YOU regarding mis-
disposal Ny physician has been dress
ing his wounds, one in the arm. one iu
lie neck. while ] write. and an this
ntpIuent reports them as being most
serious. TIE young man is therefore
safe. and cannot attempt 10 escape for
several days IL least.
7 have the honor 70 be, my lord duke
With many compliments.
Your well-wishcr
DE MONTEE.f IT..
sThc lengthy communicated Dis lord
ship folded. and closed with his own
seal This done. Uc rose WcariIE fo
his feet stretched ont his arms. and
vsRned ike "a man tired az the day
cxrftions with the air OF one relaxed,
knowing himself 90 be iu the presence
81 hfs Interiors and careless or their
opinions concerning his manners
The sergeant Of police had been
standing iu a rigid. semi-miItary rash-
Jon since the doctor had left the room
Cardiac sat in a chair his shapoir
legs stretched out and bis feet crossed
Naming back with his ewes half closed
-eyes which. nevertheless. had beer
fastened all the while on fEe duke. "a lz-
INK quiet inventory Of him. estimat-
INK the manner Of man he was.
rra rnuf1g f'arGiflnr was half aGTrFr
and IN this condition the duke judged
Nm 10 be. although. as matter of
fact. he was never more alert iu DIFF.
life. kept on tension Boy his uuCeaeiut
hunger and the equally uUceasing stiul
~ bis wound. The duke addressed am,
quest Toned the officer in spirit OIL
IamEuor and Indifference hut the acute
Cardiilsc saw what the sergeant dil
uot-that his lOTdshiD gathered "a GOO.
dead Of important Information b.fnr
HE apparently careless oolloquy wa
u am sorry to have kept YOU waiting
sergeant. AZ this late hour when Urr
hsps your superior lu office is 'mpa
tent for your report at police head
Not 50. nay lord duke. Tn lbis cas-
am acting under instructions issue
direct from the Palace he Luyucs. thu
tudeDendcnt OF my chief. and. Indeed
under orders 10 report nothing 10 hiH
~ foniEhts proceedings.
ftAh. in that case, sergeant. my aug
ffiN departs. no palace OF DC LTffs
like my own. is undoubtedly closed rO
tho night Would YOU give your me
outside liberty 10 drink 0a.or or tv
- wine before YOU DEPART Meanwhile
TtshaH order for yourself Vintage
think viii please YOU"
As he said this. be struck bel
which being Immediately answered Do
gave his commands Tor quautifv n
stout burgundy To be supplied 10 thos
outside. and some champagne or th
wear 1879 for the business room. Az 90
sergeant returned and the wine cam
in. the duke addressed DO Cardiiiac.
.'Tn one respect sir ! think ma
coniraveue the orders or ms cNcoIlef
physician. ] am quite sure that
measure Of this celectabie champaign
~iN not iniure YOU
s"Indeed. my lord" said CardUla
cheerfufT - WAS about 20 make.
similar suggestion. The advice Of y