The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-06-22
CHAPTER xvH.-continued.

CaAfIEh AVu.-COntiuueu.
The Brasserie Of the Blue Rab-
bit was but sparsely patronized at
that hour and they found Its sane
tum quite empty. There they in
stalled themselves at a corner
table, and, having given a sleepy
waiter an order for absinthe, and
brandy, and beer, tried some pre-
liminary tricks Of fence until 1t
was quite clear to all that all were
rogues, without a scruple among
them. Then the glasses were re-
plenished. at Seager's order, and
they began to talk business.
Look ydp. gentlemen" said
Jules Chevrel, after he had swal-
lowed the greater portion Of the
opalescent liquor the waiter had
just brought him, an example
which Seager was prompt to fol-
low, Il have a plan. If you will
pay for 1t you may have an inter-
view with the lady tonight. But in
calculating the payment you must
remember two points. These are,
first, the sacrifice of my own in
terests, to further yours, and then
the fact that this may be the last
chance you or l will have. Tomor-
row she may be on her way to La
Roche-Segur, or the Chateau des
Reeves, or London, or Rome, or
Vienna. Monsieur, my late en-
ployer, is a man Of many strange
caprices. There is but this one
opportunity to be counted upon.
and l value 1t very highly"
put a price on 1t" Seager re-
torted bluntly. IF that's not too
steep, and the plans all right, we
can probably do a DEAL"
Arendsen looked extremely un-
comfortable while Jules Chevral
was making a quick mental calcu-
lation. Seager's cavalier method
OF discussing money matters irked
him more than a little. The French
man gathered from his sullen
scowl that 1t must be he who held
the key of their treasury.
The worthy Jules had amassed a
modest fortune of some 10000
francs, including the eve thousand
of which he had mulcted Madame
Ia Duchesse In New York, during
the few years which had elapsed
since he first entered monsieur's
service, and 1t was his present am
bition to increase that sum to six
figures, when he would at once dis
charge himself without warning.
To that end he had intended to ex-
tort ten thousand more from
madame, under threat that he
would otherwise feel 1t his duty to
tell the due how she had spent one
afternoon In New York and dined
at Martins with her husbands
valet. Either she or monsieur
himself, to whom he already re-
ferred as his late employer, must
pay to suppress that story. But he
had been foiled In his effort to get
speech with the duchesse. and
monsieur might prove dangerous.
Meantime here were two provi-
Dental Americans, no doubt
wealthy, who did not seem to
know that this Miss Lorraine in
whom they were so deeply inter
ested was really the Duchesse des
Reeves. And he certainly had no
object in undeceiving them. n
they would pay him the ten thou.
sand francs he required from some
quarter or other and no matter
how, 1t would be simple matter
to give up in their favor his
further plan for interviewing
madame. 1t would do her no harm
to meet two Of her countrymen for
half an hour, and they would bear
in his place the brunt of any re.
sultant unpleasantness. He abrupt
ly opened negotiations at fifteen
tnOuSanu francs.
Arendsen almost cried out in hor.
ror, but Seager laid a restraining
hand on his arm and nodded saga
ciously. From his point Of view
three thousand dollars was an alto.
gether infinitesimal sum compared
with what 1t would bring them,
And his brain, stimulated by the
brandy he had imbibed, was busy
now. He had already conceived a
scheme which must make success
quite certain, II they could but
reach the girl.
spit out the PLAN" he com
manded, and Jules Chevral could
have gnashed his teeth for that he
had not asked more, while Arend
sen only contained himself with a
visible effort and in response to a
warning pressure from his accom-
pllce.
III it's sound one" he com
manded, an tack on a bonus OF
the same amount. So that you'll
stand in with us to the tune OF
thirty thousand francs. There's
nothing mean about poor old Dom
Stephen Quaintance."
.sNs coughed and stared fixedly al
the Frenchman.
Jules Chevral leaned across the
marble topped table, and spoke u
a low. rapid voice.