Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-12

The baron shook his head. Il never
saw the girl. The thing just happened.
and-I took my chance"
you bought the auger for Martinez
and told him where to bore the holes?''
eyes,"
.And the key to the alleyway door7''
II got duplicate key-through Dur
bois. Anything elsef
'Ahr said Coquenil. 'By the way.
how long have you known that was
working here In your stable?"
The baron smiled. "Since the first
day."
"And about the safe?"
1It was all arranged"
''Then-then you wanted me to read
the dlary"
YES" answered the other. with
strange expression. IT knew that II
you read my diary should be pro-
tected."
II don't understand"
"Of course not, butt Suddenly his
voice grew harsher, and NJ. Paul
thought Of the meeting on~the Champs
Elysees. do you realize. sir" the
baron went on. and his voice was al.
most menacing, ''that not once, but
half dozen times since this affair
started. have been on the point of
crushing you. Of sweeping you out Of
my path?"
II can believe that
"Why haven't l done 1t? Why have
held back the order that was trem-
bling on my lips? Because ] admire
you, I'm interested In the workings Of
your mind. I-yes. by God. in spite of
your stubbornness and eyerything-I
like you. Coquenil, and don't want
to harm you.
"You may not believe it." be went
on. "but when you sent word to the
Brazilian embassy the other day that
you would accept the Rio Janeiro Of
fer after all was honestly happy for
you, not for myself. Then suddenly
you went mad again and-and did this
| So l said to myself, All right; he
| wants it; HEN get it, and-1 let you
read the diary"
why?
"why?" cried the baron hoarsely.
''Don't you see why? You know
everything now. everything. It isn't
guesswork; it isn't deduction; it's alb
solute certainty. And because it's
true. and because we both know It to
| be true, neither one of us can draw
back We cannot draw back If we
would. Suppose said to you. Co
| quenil, like you; I'm going to let You
| go free You would say: Baron de
Heidelmann- Bruck, I shall not only
take this fortune from you and make
| you very poor instead Of very rich.
but shall denounce you as q MUIR
derer and shall do my best to have you
| marched out from cell In the Ro-
quette prison some fine morning. about
dawn. between jailer and a priest to
the guillotine"
| "Yes." nodded the other.
"Ahv' smiled the baron. II must
destroy you or be destroyed"
II see." murmued Nj. Paul.
| For some moments the .wo were 81
! lent; then III. Paul asked gravely,
"How soon will the girl be here?"
"She's undoubtedly here now. She
IS waiting outside" He pointed to q
heavily barred iron door.
| oUC-Su0 OOCSu huOW
| about you or against you" added NJ.
Paul. and he seemed to be almost
pleading.
"She has caused me lot Of trouble,
and-she might know
You mean-her memory2"
Eyes; it might come back"
! "Of course" agreed the other with
| judicial fairness II asked Duprat
about it, and he said it might"
'Goodby, Coquenil" He held out his
hand. "1'm sorry"
"Goodby." answered the detective
with quiet dignity. If it's all the
same to you. IL won't shake hands"
"No? He moved toward the heavy
door.
"waitr' said NJ. Paul. ~You have
left your diary" He pointed to the
table.
The baron smiled mockingly. .I
intended to leave it. The book has
served its purpose. Don't be alarmed.
| It win not be found" He glanced
with grim confidence at the stacked
| wood ''You'n have fifteen or twenty
minutes after she comes in. Goodby."
| The door swung open. and Coquenil
saw dim. white clad figure among
| the shadows. and Alice. with baauti-
full, frightened eyes. staggered toward
him.