Arizona republican., 1911-02-14
THE ADVENTURES OF
MR.. PETER RUFF
BY {. Phillips oppenhsim-Mrs. Bog
nor's Star Boardsr.
BY {. Phillips oppenheim-The Per-
fidy of Miss Brown.
CONTINUED from Yesterday

We have very valuable aid" he
said. There is below US the
Double-Four the eight gentlemen
now present, an executive council
composed of five of the shrewdest
men in France. They take their or
ders from us. We plan, and they obey.
We have imagination, and, special
sources of knowledge. They have the
most perfect machinery for carrying
out our schemes that IL is possible to
imagine. | do not wish to boast, Mr..
Ruff, but IL l take directory of Paris
and place after any mans name, what
ever his standing or estate, a black
cross, that man dies before seven days
have passed. You buy your evening
paper-a man has committed suicide!
You read of letter found by his side:
an unfortunate love AFFAIR." tale OF
jealousy or reckless speculation. Mr..
Run, the majority of these explana-
lions are false. They are invented
and arranged for by us. This year
alone. five men in Paris, of position,
have been found dead, and accounted,
for excellent reasons, suicides. In each
one of these cases, Monsieur Ruff, al
though not soul has a suspicion OF
1t, the removal of these men was ar
ranged for by the Double-Four :"
Il trust" Peter Ruff said, that 1t
may never be my ill-fortune TO incur
the displeasure of so marvellous an as
ISOLATION"
"On the contrary, Monsieur Ruff"
the other answered, the attention OF
the association has been directed to-
wards certain incidents of your career
In most faunrohla r,aannar NEa haya
spoken of you often lately, Mr.. Ruff,
between ourselves. We arrive now at
the object for which We begged the
honor of your visit Ii is to offer you
the Presidency of our Executive Coun-
Gil"
Peter Ruff had thought of many
things, but he had not thought OF this!
He gasped, recovered himself, and
realized at once the dangers OF the po-
sition in which re stood
The Council % FIVE. =" he said,
thoughtfully.
Precisely" Monsieur de Founcelles
replied. The salary-forgive me for
giving such prominence to n matter
which you doubtless consider of Sec
ondary importance-is ten thousand
pounds a year, with a residence here
and in London-also servants"
1T Is princelyi" Peter Ruff de-
clared. / cannot imagine, Monsieur,
how you could have believed me ca
pable of filling such position"
There is not much about you, Mr..
Ruff, which we do not know" Mon
sieur de Founcelles answered. There
are points about your career which we
have marked with admiration. Your
work over here was rapid and compre-
hensive. We know all about you
eheckmating the Count Won Hern and
the Comtesse de Pilitz. We have APP
pealed to you for aid once only-your
response was prompt and brilliant.
You have all the qualifications we de-
sire. You are still young. physically
you are sound, you speak allan
guages, and you are unmarried"
Il am WHAT" Peter Ruff asked.
with start.
"A bachelor" Monsieur de Foun-
celles answered. I'VE who have made
crime and its detection a lifelong
study, have reduced many matters con-
corning il TO almost mathematical ex-
actitude. OF one thing we have be-
come absolutely convinced-it is that
the great majority Of cases in which
the police triumph are due to the
treachery of women. The criminal
who steers clear of the other sex
escapes a greater danger than the de-
teetives who dog his heels. II is for
that reason that We choose only I'M
married men for our executive coun-
cil."
Peter Ruff made gesture of de-
SPAR.
And I am to be married in a
month! he exclaimed.
There was a murmur Of dismay. IL
those other seven men had not once
interviewed, it was because the conduct
of the affair had been voted into the
hands of Monsieur de Founcelles, and
there was little which he had left IN
said. Nevertheless. they had formed
little circles around the two men.
Every word which had passed between
them had been listened to eagerly
Gestures and softly murmured ex-
carnations had been frequent enough.
There arose now chorus OF voices
which their leader had some difficulty
in silencing.
:" 1t must be arranged!
but it is impossible-this!
=" Monsieur Ruff amuses himself with
us!
Gentlemen" Peter Ruff said. q
can assure you that | do nothing OF
the sort. The AFFAIR was arranged
some months ago. and the young lady
is even now in Paris, purchasing her
trousseau."
Monsieur de Founcelles, with wave
of the hand, commanded silence. There
was probably way out. In any case,
one must be found.
Monsieur Ruff" he said, putting
aside, for one moment, your sense OF
honor, which, of course, forbids you
to even consider the possibility OF
breaking your word-supposing that
the young lady herself should with
draw"
You don't know Miss Brown!
Peter Ruff interrupted.
81 II is pleasure to which hope to
attain" Monsieur de Founcelles de-
clared, smoothly. Let us consider
once more my proposition. take it
for granted that. apart from this
threatened complication, you find 1t
agreeable?
al am deeply honored b? it," Peter
Run declared.
Well. that being So" Monsieur de
Founcelles said. more cheerfully, I'VE