The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-24

-..-,~.mIlNININN|NIlY q
put price on it," Seager RED
torted bluntly.
4 The worthy Jules had amassedI
a modest fortune of some 100000
francs, including the 5000 of
which he had mulcted Nine. la
Duchesse in New York, during the
few years which had elapsed since
he first entered monsieur's SER
vice, and it was his present ambi-
: ton to increase that sum to six
figures, when he would at once
discharge himself without warn
, ling. To that end he had intended
to extort 10000 more from mad
am 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 danger
GUS.
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-
Iested, was really the Duchesse des
Reeves. And he certainly had nc
, object in undeceiving them. II
; they would pay him the 10000
! francs he required from some
, quarter or other 1t would be a
simple matter to give up in their
favor his further plan for inter-
viewing madam. He abruptly
opened negotiations at $4,000
francs.
spit out the plan," Seager
commanded, and Jules Chevrel
, could have CRASHED his teeth for
that he had not asked more, while
IArendsen only contained himself
with a visible effort.
Jules Chevrel leaned across the
handicapped table and spoke in
a low, rapid voice.
, Tonight" he explained, ''she
will go to the Elysee. There is a
; soiree at the Palace to which the
due has promised to take her. She
: will drive there alone. The chauf-
feur will be we'll out of the way,
, butt shall be there at the
time. And ready, as i always am,
: to oblige a friend. Can you ham
die an automobile?
Seager nodded again, and rose
, from the table. -
81 think we can make deal of
J it," he remarked with brisk COM
/ placence. II want you to wait
here till we return"
81 am not afraid" Jules Chew
; rel assured him with bland UNI
J truthfulness. II shall wait ID
no, 20 minutes for you, until
> s o'clock"
At the darkest corner of the
dark Impasse Seager stopped be-
; fore an almost invisible posterp.;
Arendsen followed him, muttef-I
= ling, into a passage black as the
pit, and, after Seager had closed,
the door carefully, he caught at,
! his confederate's sleeve, leading
: him forward with assured foot
steps.
They passed through other un-
Ibolted doors, crossed a wooden
( floor and climbed many flights
, of stairs, but no more was said
' till they stopped at the top in a
dim and shadowy space under a
> huge skylight.
) "Tbis is the hotel de Seager
, and Quaintanc," said Seager,
: Igrinning, as he struck a match
J and lit a couple of candles on a
) shelf behind the door. Arendsen
: looked round blinkingly, and saw
that they were in a dusty and un-
tenanted but comfortably furnish
ed studio. And, before he could
/ ask any questions, the other went
' lon.
/ "I lived here for nearly a week
| when my money went down. It's
4 an empty house, and hasn't been
/ let for years, so that it was easy
= to get the keys and inspect it, and
have skeleton made before / re-
: turned them. This rooms as safe
! as a padded cell. The buildings
t Jail round are warehouses. Once
we get her upstairs our troubles
| lare at an end, and we're going
5 to get her upstairs tonight, even
t If it does cost us $4,000. Now, do
lyou understand"
{ Arendsen glanced quickly about
; him again. There was no posi-
bility of escape through the sky
: light. 1t was too lofty. The win
) dowless walls were solid, the door
) was sufficiently massive and there
) was a second floor standing open
{ between them and the top of the
stairs. The place had been plan
; ned to insure seclusion from the
outer world, and they could have
: found none more perfectly suited
: to their requirements.
!, 1.-THE front door opens on to a
lane past the warehouses" Seager
i stated, but it will be safer to
bring her in by the back. Come
> on, Arendsen. Wen get back to
: our rat-faced friend, and fix
} things so that your $4,000 will be
> well secured. And by tomorrow
might we'll both be millionaires!"
j He laughed aloud, and Arend-
t lsen started nervously at the low
: leerie echo which died away
: Through the deserted dwelling.
FL When they got back to the
? ibrasserie, they found Jules Chew
/ rel awaiting them, outwardly most
: indifferent, but in his heart sur
t lprised to see them again. Seager
} lcurtly informed him that they had
! decided to close with his offer.
( They spent the Intervening
hours n making such provision as
/ lseemed good to them for the we'll
being Of their prospective pris-
} lonei. When they crossed the riv-
Her again an unexpected complies
} ltion had cropped up. julien Chew