The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-02
L'HOMME SANS FIGURE By 4zsEsz s2szzsz
~nM re- By R~s
(THE MAN WITHOUT 4 FACE 'e""'"~
Copyright 1910. by The Frank A Munsey Company.

I without showing too much emotion. I
knew that some medical men were
given to eXaggerating. How regret
ted after that I had not attached the
tended 10 convey!
During the two months that I had
/ lived IN the cottage Tape-a-IOeil, the
! old retired army officer and scandal
/ monger of the village, he'd ofte-
dropped In to see me.
Look here, Monsieur PAmericain,"
! he SAID, frankly, one day to me, This
story of Barrabas is an Internal warn.
yer Marcadian says, he is a deCeitful
I creature knew the sculptor as well
as know you He was born a happy
gO-lucky sort. There has been a plot
For my part 1 never believed in Poly
dore's suicide any more than I did in
the fathers. That was all humbug
AND one OF these days you viii see
them come back"
What you say is foolish, Tape-a-
IOen. It is proved that Barrabas did It,
but that II was an accident"
Accident Why. you are not stupid
enough to think that, Monster TAmeri-
cain2 In the village we know all about
Il. Barrabas, the sculptor, was fishing
down the Marine at the time OF the
accident Don't make me believe IL was
an accident That young POlydOre was
very worthy young man-the very best
OF sons; 1 tell you. the affair was mys-
Most certainly I agree with you"
"A mystery Of which only that old
rogue Marcadian has the key
Why Marcadian?" l exclaimed
Because Marcadian-"
And the old officer looked around eau
tiOusly TO see If there was anyone near
10 Overhear. Then he whispered in my
ear:
Because Marcadian, IN my belief,
was. the one who committed the muir
This idea Of poor old Marcadian being
murderer was too absurd. I looked In
amaZement at my ridiculous companion.
He looked back at me, rolling his great,
stupid eyes under his bushy eyebrows.
( Then he added mySteriously, as he plac-
ed his finger TO his mouth:
Yes, and have known 1t right from
/ the first
/ Sometimes the old officer would play
jokes. Despite his aggressive moustache
and loud voice, his heart was as simple
and naive as child's. One morning
I when l was in my studio he came into
{ the house and pushed open my door
without knocking Te called out in his
harsh voice:
Bon jour, Monsi~ FAnlericain."
I turned around, annoyed at the inter-
rupuon, and saw the absurd old thing
/ all fixed up in painted mask. adorned
with thick, long beard like the young
sters used for the carnival.
! I was so surprised at this absurdity
/ that 1 found nothing to say to him.
En- blen, ne said, taking of his
mask and laughing with his mouth wide
open You don't seem to know thai
today is Mardi Gras. All All! Ali You
don't know how to laugh in America"
He laid the mask on the table and
turned to shake hands with me-
/ You are like a boy, Monsieur Tape-a-
iPOen- You win never grow old. /" I
said
And we lit our pipes and chatted to-
| gether until IL O'Clock. That day I was
I al a - -
/ little ones TO luncheon.
| Tape-a-rOen had been with me a full
/ hour telling me some funny yarns of his
| soldier life / was glad when my guests
arrived. for / was able to get rid Of
him. The old fellow excused himself
! litely and shufhed OF. After he had
gone I noticed that he had forgotten 20
take his carnival mask with him.