The evening world., 1911-01-30

XL- 'hl btTpn liAltrec, VINO
had been French Ambassa-
'gS dor In Berlin under the Sec
ond Empire. was sleeping
comfortably In an easy-chair In the
house which his brother had left him
SIX months before, at No. ia Avenue
Hcnri-Nartln. His lady companion
continued to read aloud 10 him, while
soeur Auguste warmed tho bed and
prepared the night Night.
As an exceptional ease the sister was
returning to her convent that evening
to spend the night with the Mother Sc
perior. and AZ II O'Clock she said:
I'm finished now. Nile. Antoinetts.
and I'm going"
Very well. sister"
And don't forget that the cook ~
sleeping out Tonight and that you are
alone In the house with the man-ser-
want"
you need have no fear for monsieur
IL baron: ! shan sleep In the next room.
a. arranged, and leave the door open
The nun vent away. A minute later.
Charles. the man-servant. came In for
his orders. The baron had woke up. He
reDaied himself!
Just the same as usual. Charles. Try
tho electric bell. To see II It rings In
YOUR bedroom properly, and. II you hear
Il during the night, run down at once
md go straight to the doctor"
Are YOU stili anxious. generalf"
81 don't feel well. . ] don't feel
at all well. Come. Mile. Antoinette.
where were We In your book?'
Aren't you going TO bed. monsieur lie
baron?"
. mo, no. ] don't care to 10 to bed till
very late; besides. ! can do without
help
Fn..u-s, l.. .s~ h. A1l ~nAa
dozcd off again and Antoinette moved
away On tiptoe.
At that moment Charles was carefully
closing the shutters on the ground floor.
as usual. In the kitchen he pushed the
bolt Of the door that led to the garden
and In the front hall he not only
locked the dou5le door but put up the
chain fastening the two leaves. Then
he went up 20 his attic on the third
floor and fell asleep.
Perhaps an hou had elapsed when.
suddenly. he jumped out nj bed: the bell
was ringing. IL went ON for quite a long
time, seven or eight seconds. perhaps,
and In a steady. uninterrupted way.
That's all right" said Charles. recov-
er!ng hts wits. Some fresh wlAm OF the
baron's. I suppose"
lie huddled on his clothes. ran down
he stairs. stopped before the door and.
from habit, knocked. No answer He
entered the room:
'Hullo!' ne muttered. mo light. .
What on earth have tney put the light
yut tori" And he called. In a whisper.
Mademoiselle! :"
No reply.
ARE you there. mademoiselie! What's
the matter? IL monsieur 10 baron NJ"
The same silence continued aronn1
him. n heavy silence that ended by In
pressing him. lie took two steps for
ward: his foot knocked against a chair
and. on touching 1t, he perceived that
Il was overturned. And ~thereupon his
hand came upon other objects on the
floor. a small table. a fire screen. Great
IS alarmed. he went back to the wall
and felt for the electric switch. He
found u and turnc On the light.
In the middle or the room, between
no table and the looking glass ward
'ube. Jay the body OF his master. the
Baron d'Hautrec.
"N'hatl' he stammered. "1s II pos.
slble?'
Hc Cui not know what 10 do and,
without moving. with lis eyes starting
'-7.n his head. he staod gazing at the
general disorder Of ,he room-the chairs
upset. a great CRYSTAL candiestick
smashed into a thousand pieces, the
clock lying on the marble hearthstone,
all signs OF a fierce and hideous strug-
gle. The handle OF a little steel dagger
cleaned near the body. The blade was
dripping with blood. a handkerchief
stained with red marks hung down from
the mattress.
Charles gave a yell OF horror; the body
had suddenly stretched Itself In one last
effort and then shrun& up again. -. :.
Two or three eonVulsions: and that
was all
lie stopped FORWARD Blood was trtcN,
ing from a tlhy wound IN une neck ahu
sporting the CARPET WIN uark STATUS.
IHe .ace sun "0'e a" oNp'''o' '"
MAJ terror 49,.