Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-11
CHAPTER XXVIII.-Continued

Leblun shrugged his shoulders. MIR.
Hannaway," he said. II am no longer a
vain man. I am no longer anxious TO OBJ
tain for myself all the glory of a subtle
whom Marcel himself is in search. and l
come to you for your help. In return
you shall have whatever credit there
may be in having tracked him down"
You want to find, Hannaway said.
thoughtfully, the man who escaped from
the Place Noire that night i'm the garb
of workman
Exactly" Leblun answered He is
in London somewhere. That i know. lie
should have stood beside Marcel i'm the
dock. He should now be serving his time
in a French prison. In the interests of
justice I should like to lay my hands
upon him."
mir. Leblun,'' Hannaway said, Il am
flattered by your visit and the offer YOU
have made me. but cannot help YOU.
The Frenchman leaned forward in his
chair. Suddenly the mans whole intelli-
gence seemed to shine out of his face.
His eyes were like gimlets. Hannaway
felt that his very thoughts were being
read
you know who this man is the de-
tective said. quickly. Your manner tells
me SO. There is no doubt whatever about
1T. You desire to shield him. and there
fore you will not help me. Why? Is he
your friend? Or your friends friend!
Why, l ask your
Hannaway was a little taken aback.
He was not prepared with an immediate
answer.
Consider what you are doing" Leblun
said, seriously. Crime is crime all the
world over. 1t Is no kindness to society
to shield q man who has not paid his
debt to the laws of his country. He may
now be in a position to command your
sympathy. He may be poor and unfor-
tunate. perhaps, and you may say to
yourself. He has suffered enough You
may shrug your shoulders and say. i
will have mercy, / will keep silence. Or
again. he may have become rich and
powerful. He may have found place
In the great world. He may be married
and have children, and you may say to
yourself, The man has reformed. Years
have gone by. l will not bring the
shadow of his past life to darken his
present. The days of his sin have passed
I will let him alone Which is it, Mr.
Hannaway? Will you tell me that?"
Il will tell you nothing" Hannaway an
swered
Leblun sighed gently. "Ah"' he said
ours is profession In which the senti-
mentalist Is bound to come to grief. That
is the worst Of you amateurs Up to q
certain point you are excellent. Then
you break down. Pardon me If I remind
you that 1t Is generally woman who Is
responsible for these breakdowns. What
I wonder, has become of the girl who
was with the dwarf and the workman
A~Ne
Noire and vanished into space? Can you
tell me that, Mr.. Hannaway?"
Il can tell you nothing" Hannaway
answered.
quickly. "Oh. l am sure of that! You
have too honest face. One cannot look
at you and make mistakes. So the girl
is in it, too! / am afraid we have lost
sight of her. Still, If you will not help
me. must work alone It is not diff
~vr1f 70 or Sn0nPT
or later Marcel or Drake or some mes
senger must go stealing on his way
toward this person, whoever he may be.
Marcel cannot starve. He cannot live
has nothing, nothing at all. l have seen
to that We must watt He took up
his hat and stick and held out his hand
to Hannaway. "Au revor." he said. Il
am sorry that you decline my offer OF
comradeship.''
"It is not that exactly, Mr.. Leblun."
Hannaway said. Il am fiattered to have
received visit from you. But as you
yourself said, I am only dabbler In
such affairs. l might follow them out II
1 were greatly interested, if felt that il
was in the interest of human justice. not
only legal justice, to do SO. But frankly,
l tell you that in this case my sym
pathies are against you"
You do not deny. then" Leblun said'
quickly, that you know the man..
II believe" Hannaway answered. that
could find him. If my suspicious are
just, although personally I have a griev-
ance against him, l should say let him
co..
Leblun smiled. 'Ah.'' he said. 1--WE
others, you know. we know only one kind
of Justice, and that is the justice which
brings to punishment, to legal punish
ment. 1 should say, the criminal l know
of no other sort. We may meet again,
Mr.. Hannaway."
He bowed himself out, leaving Hanna
way little dazed by the turn their con-
versation had taken. more than little
disturbed at it's possible import. He went
slowly into his dressing room, changed
his clothes and descended into the street.
Even then he seemed undecided as to his
destination. He called a hanson and di-
rected the man to drive to Cavendish
square. He had gone scarcely hundred
yards. however, when he redirected him.
No. A. Victoria flats" he said.