The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-08-04

" AA6O AIOlu luhN I'LL the blQ6
and assist Mademoiselle Melenon from
beneath it? MY dear child, please
come out It Is no further use to at
tempt TO conceal anything"
soft sobbing broke out under the
couch. After fumbling moment with
what had supposed was the solid tree
side, found it was hinged at the top
and swung out easily. The instant l
opened it there rolled out and sprang
to her feet very angry and beautiful
girl of a marked Greek type. There
was no mistaking here nose and brow.
She would have darted out the door.
way, but Rand, with a long spring,
intercepted her and gently forced her
to seat Her tears dried instantly
and her eyes blazed defiance. She be-
gan some hot speech in broken Eng
lish, but he interrupted her:
Wait, wait, just a moment, made
moiselle, you are not to talk. will
tell you the story of this matter"
With frightened lips, clenched hands,
and her splendid eyes changing in ex.
preston from fear to entreaty and
then to proud anger, the girl sat silent
and waiting while Rand turned over
the papers on the desk. A step sound.
ed on the stair. He covered the scraps
with folded newspaper just as Khan
Nadjian,l wonder written on his face,
stepped into the room.
you sent for me?" he asked of me,
not recognizing Rand in the plumber
at his desk.
Il telephoned half an hour ago for
you to come at once. l was talking
from this young lady's apartment"
said Rand.
From her apartment, half an hour
ago! How was that possible when he
had been in the house, as / knew pos.
itively, ever since he came in when ]
lay on the couch?
who is this young LADY," asked the
Khan, cycling her with very evident
admiration.
sit down and will tell you. You
can supply the final explanation. Her
name is lone Melenon. She is twenty
years of age; was born in Beirut, the
daughter of P Melenon."
"Peresene Melenon's child?"
Rand disregarded Khan Nadjian's
breathless exclamation.
For three months you have watched
! Khan Nadjian leave his house and
have then entered his rooms, always
remaining as long as you wished OF
dared, searching his books and pa
pers for the few old scraps of rough
notes and maps which you knew he
possessed and which contain the SO
scret of wealthy turquoise mines neaI
Nishapur, Persia"
The Khan leaned forward in his
chair as if about to leap on Rand.
1--WE would have worked more easily
If he had conided these facts to us,
l suspected he was holding something
back and last night allowed him to
point out the way to his own secret
by tracking his steps on the floor.
Then found the papers and here they
are"
you were hoping, Miss Melenon,
that some day he would leave them
out, but you were not careful about
putting everything you disturbed back
| in its exact place. When you were
trapped you hid until you could make
your escape, under that couch where
| Mr.. Duncan caught you. You were
also very careless about cigarettes and
ashes for, when on the next floor lis.
tening, you dropped many ashes in one
spot, and you left cigarette stubs at
least twice too often. l cannot quite
understand why you smoked so stead.
lily in these rooms. You smoked very
little in your own"
"Baycause when smooke is in they
room and frawn door opan, smooke
blows queeck."
"Ah, very clever. The upward
draught, as we'll as your ears, warned
you. That is good, isn't it, Duncan?
1t was the movement of the smoke
that attracted my attention to your
means of entrance. You see, Khan
Nadjian, she has been on your track,
has taken apartments on level with
your roof, in the fiathouse neighbor.
ing you, has a light steel extension
crane which she thrusts out from the
top of her window after she has seen
your departure from the house, and
then she daringly swings over to your
roof on a short rope. How did you
get this key which you left in the sky.
light LOCKE"
Il find out they locksmeeth of they
houz and pay heem."
You are a clever woman, Miss Me.
lenon<and a brave one to cross that
gap between this house and the next.
l have just used your method twice
in the last hour. Please forgive my
disturbing your little things in your
room to get the information needed.
Now, Khan Nadjian, the case is ended
so far as Mr.. Duncan and 1 are con.
cerned. You may call in the police if
you wish and we will give the needed
testimony. l would like to hear, how
ever, since you seem to know, who
Peresene Melenon is, or was, for by
the mourning frame on his picture in
mademoiselle's rooms take it he is
dead"
YES, he is dead, almost as many