The evening world., 1911-01-10

guards saved from the flames?
I have consulted the Country.nouse
Yearbook. There Is a Baron de Veitnes
living not far from Rsnnes Could, he
be a descendant OF the mafduIs7 A
any rate. I wrote 10 him yesterday. on
chance. 20 ask n he had not IN his Dos
session a little old book bearing onitts
titie-page the word aiguille and I sm
awaiting his reply.
II would give me the greatest plea
sure to talk OF all these matters With
you. II you can spare the time, come
and see me. I am, Sir, etc. etc.
T.. S.-of course. I shall not com
munlcatc these little discoveries to the
press. Now that you are near the goal.
discretion IL essential.
Beautrelet absolutely agreed. He
even went further: TO two journalists
who were worrying him that morning
he gave the most fanciful particulars a.
TO his plans and his state OF mind.
In the afternoon. he hurried ro,nri
to see Massiban. who lived at II. Quai
Noltaire. To his great surprise. he was
told that NJ. Masslban had gone out of
town Unexpectedly. leaving n note for
him In case he should call. Isidore
opened IL and read:
| have received a telegram which
gives me some hope. so I am leaving
town and shall sleep at Rennes. You
might take the evening train and. with
out stopping at Rennes. 80 on to the
little station OF veiine-. We would
meet at the castle. which Is two miles
and a half from the station.
Inc programme appealed to Beautre-
lot, and especially the idea that he
would reach the castle at almost the
same time as Masslban. for no feared
some blunder on the part OF that mex
pcrienced man. He went back to his
friend and spent the rest OF the day
With him. In the evening he took the
brittany express and got out at vclines
at 8 o'clock In the morning.
lie did the two and a half miles, be-
tween bushy woods. on foot. He could
see the castle, perchoi on a height,
from a distance; Il was a hybrid edince,
q mixture OF the Renaissance and Louis
Philippe style. but II bore a stateiy>
air. nevertheless. with It's four turfets
and Its ivy-nantled drawbridge. 81
sidore felt his heart beat as he ap-
preached. Was he really nearing ,fhe
end Of his race? Did the castle contain
the key to the mystery?
lie was not without fear. II ell
seemed too good to he true; and he
asked himself IL he was not once more
acting In obedience to some Internal
plan contrived by Lupin. ~ Maasabsn
was not for instance. n tool In ths
hands OF his enemy. He burst out
laughing:
Tut. tut. I'm becoming absurd! One
would really think that Lupin was an
infaNible person who foresees every
thing. a sort of divine ~omnipotence
against whom nothing can prevail! Dash
1t all. Jpin makes his mistakes: Lupin.
too. Is at tho mercy OF circumstances:
Lupin has an occasional slip. And n
Is Just because Of his slip In losing tho
document thai I am beginning to have
tho advantage OF him. Everything
starts from that. And his efforts. whom
all IL said. serve only to repair the
first biunder,'
And blithely. full OF confidence. Beau
trelet rang the hell.
YES. strT' said the servant VINO
opened the door.
Can I see tho Baron de vellnes ~
And ho rave the man his card.
Monsieur 10 Baron Is not I'D yet, hut.
n monsieur will wait'-
Has not some one else been Ash1nx
for him. a gentleman with n white beArl
and n slight stoop?' asked BeautrsAet,
who knew Massfban's appearance from
the photoer aphs In the newspapers.
Yes. the gentleman came about, 10
minutes ago; ! showed him into he
u'""ins rooiH' III WonsIcur Will cQne
TINS way
Inc interview between Massfbnn Ani
beautrelet was or the most cordial char
acter. lsidore thanked the old man for
the hrst-rate Information which he Dwell
TO him, and Massiban expressed his a.
miration Tor Beautrelet In the waruIeDt
terms Then they exchanged tmpees-
sions on the ocume on their prospects
OF discovering the book and Aassthan
repeated what he had heard at Rsmnes
regarding NJ. de Vellnes. The Baron
was q man OF sixty. who had bean left .
widower many years q and who LED q
very retired lie with his daughter.
Gabrielle de Viilenon. This lady had
Just suffered q cruel blow throughf the
loss OF her husband and her eldeSt con.
both or whom had died as the result o.
a motor car accident.
Monsieur lie Baron begs the gentle
men TO be good enough 10 come up
stairs"
The servant led the way 10 the nrst
floor. to a large, bare-walled room, very
simply furnished with desks. pigeon
holes and tables covered with papers and
account books.
The Baron received them very afHAbly