New-York tribune., 1910-09-25
BY LOUIS TRACY

the having stones, leaving Dale to gaze dsconsoatey
after 1t. IT.. :d ,,ot,e ito
activity For one thing, he had heard one OF the
STRANGERS alluded to as Monsieur lie Docteur- FoI
ro+er the newcomers carried curious LOOKING parcel
o. asn of an elongated shape that suggested unusual
contents Some trick of memory came to ms ald- IN
hotel at Lyons he had watched valet packing Just SUCH
an object with the remainder OF MS eilpoyGi
and was told on inquiry, that 1t contained loS' DuC
whv foils at four o'clock in the morning. IN country
where men might still requite an outrage by appear u
the law of the jungle!
HASTILY drawing from his breast pocket the letter
intrIsted to him, he examined the SuperScrpIio;
1t was addressed simply TO the Marquis OF oc5tl' anu
must surely be a document OF immense SlgflCIC' ol
the Young ViscOunt would not have brought nm all te
vv from London to act messenger rather tah iuSI
= ~ the most Each instant Dales ideas became clearer
each instant his heart thrObbed with deeper ANXIETY.
At last when the wheeler disappeared from sgt
round an angle of the rain soaked boulevard nc
to impulse and into the hotel. French people are
early risers; but visitors TO Calais that morning "tL
actr at an hour when most of the hotel Stat were S
sound asleep. A night porter, however, was awaiting
him at the entrance, and Dale forthwith engaged IN
valiant struggle with the French language IN the effort
t ascertain first whether the possessed bicycle,
and secondly whether he would lend It, The Frencn,
man of course broke into volubc statement OUT OIL an
rrODOrtion to the demand; but the prOductlon Ci
British sovereign seemed to interpret matters satac
torilv because bicycle promptly produced from
shed in the of the building. -
machine and rode off rapidly in the direction taken oy
the cab He had difficulty IN turning the corner
round which It had vanished but little farther on ne
erred in thinking it had gone straight ahead, since
the driver had really turned to the right again IN orue
to keep clear of the Notifications. Dale Travelled al Sc
a pace that the first long stretch OF straight r9td
nm before his ewes convinced him of his bunder When no
cab was in sight. He raced back, d1smOunted t IIe
crossing examined the road for wheel marks, ana soon
was in the saddle again. He destined to be mus
bothered three times in ALL but, taught wisdom Dy MS
initial mistake he never passed crossroad without
searching for the recent tracks OF wheels;
The rain helped him wherever the roadway was mas
Calais abounds offered difficulties which caused many
minutes of delay At last he found himself IN the open
country scOrchng along sandy road whlch tTaverSeC
the low dunes living between the town OF CalaS ana
CAP Grz Nez 1t not easy to see tar ahead owing
to the rain and mist and he had covered mile or more
beyond the last Of the scattered villas and cottages It
form the eastern suburb of the port when he saw the
elusive cab drawn up by the roadside The horse was
scarning as though it had been driven at great pace
and the driver stood near, smoking cigarette ana pro-
tectng hinsefrom the persistent dOWnpour by an UNI
brea.
Dale soon reached the and said breathleSsly IN
his slow French, Where are the gentlemen;
The cabman who had evidently been pald 10 hold MS
tongue merely shrugged
Dale, breathing hard, laid heavy hand on ms shoui-
der whereupOn the other answered:
/ don't know"
This of course was lie and the fact that 1t was lie
alarmed Dale quite much any OF the sinister 1rcl-
dents that had already befalen. For thing there
was no house into which five men could have gone On
each side of the road were bleak sandhlls to the right
was the sea- gray and lowering beneath eaden hued
sky that seemed to weep above dead earth Here ur
doubtedy was the cab. since
Dale could swear to both horse