Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JULY ,. 1910


bring the matter to conclusion. So you
were arrested. | shall notify the agency in
New York Immediately, and
mo charge against me in the United
States not even charge against me in
Paris, and still you pinched mel
NJ. Rem leaned forward suddenly and
mysteriously whispered into the pearl-like
ear of his chief, whereupon glad smile split
the perfumed whiskers, and the piercing
eyes grew cunning.
IF you are thinking you are to be freed
immediately Monsieur, you are mistaken
M. Baudet remarked suavey. There is a
charge against you in Paris, and even your
American Ambassador cannot aid you until
that charge is disposed Of That is that
you have violated our laws by living here
under an assumed name and in disguised"
THEN Mr. Smith smiled. He leaned back
in his chair, crossed his sturdy American
legs, and continued to smile. Away back of
that smile was the consciousness that
Clarkes perfdy had not been discovered in
the bank; that it had not been reported to
the police; that the supposed package of
United States bonds in the vault was still
unbroken; and that so long as those things
were true, he Mr.. John Smith, was not only
in no danger himself, but was at liberty to
and returning those bonds If their loss was
discovered, it meant the collapse of the bank,
inevitably.
well, Cap" and Mr.. Smith was purring
like a tickled kitten, "I'll Just bet you ten
dollars to the hole in pretzel that am not
in Paris under an assumed name, nor am L
disguised. Sad as it may seem, this is my
own face"
Not disguised" exclaimed NJ. Baudet.
mot under an assumed name! But you are
Nj. Clarke!"
who told you sO?"
"You did, Monsieur"
Wrong, Cap. l merely didn't say 1
wasn't Clarke. You must have a pretty &C
curate description of Clarke. He's man
about my size?"
lust your size, Monsieur"
with gray hair?"
"You have dyed it, Monsieur 1t has
that dingy look of dyed hair"
Thanks! If you know of anything that
will take the dye off, get busy. Your de-
scription probably said too that Mr.. Clarke
has full, square cut beard?'
"A razor, Monsieur" M. Baudet smiled.
But your description did say gray
beard?"
Yes, gray, almost white"
well, take it from me. I'm not Clarke.
All you We got to do to convince yourself is to
sit right still there for the next ten hours and
watch my whiskers grow. They'll come out
black"
There was silence. dead silence, silence
fraught with tragedy. After a long time
M. Baudet turned upon NJ. Remi with a
sinister glare in his eye.
IF that is true NJ. Rem," he said meas
uredly, at is evident that you have made
the mistake"
NJ Remi bowed his head in shame and
sorrow; then another idea came. He spoke
aside to his chief who in turn addressed Mr..
Smith.
Your name is John Smith, then,?"
"John Smith. of Passaic, New Jersey"
You have been looking for NJ. Clarke,
too. Who are you? Why have you been
searching?"
Because wanted to find him." replied
Mr.. Smith. Now you fly cops in Paris are
pretty nifty, Cap. Can't you imagine why
came all the way from the United States to
find Clarke, the same man you are after?
Doesn't it suggest anything to your"
Gradually light of understanding grew
in M. Baudet's eyes, and for a second time
the perfumed whiskers parted in a smile.
Perhaps" it came in thrilling whisper,
perhaps you too are detective!"
'Ah!" 1t was most noncommttal. Mr..