Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-02-22

1T is the first time 1 have had the
pleasure Of meeting you. M. de Bran
cas- he said, smiling. II trust we shaN
be good friends"
THE beginning OF u acquaintance
does not seem to be a happy one" l
answered. But may l ask your name,
monsieur?"
Il am called Herault, lieutenant of
police" and he bowed.
"Herault ?" l exclaimed.
AT your SERVICE and he bowed
again.
"And why have 1 been arrested?"
monsieur?" l asked.
"Ah, do not use so harsh a word
he cried. 81 assure you, monsieur. you
are not arrested, but merely detained.
There is no charge against o and on
my word you shall be free again day
after tomorrow
but in the meantime?"
''In the meantime, monsieur, you
will be my guest. and 1 shall strive to
make your stay a pleasant one"
L searched his face with my eyes,
but it told me nothing. With a start
I remembered the rendezvous and my
hand sought my pocket. The note Mile.
de Nalois had given me was gone. In
an instant 1 understood. The regent
was setting another trap for Richie
lieu.
6eraulC reaQ my lace as he WOulQ
have e 4 an open book.
81 see you are beginning to under
stand, NJ. de Brancas," he said, still
smiling. ut would be inconvenient to
have you present at certain scenes
which are to occur say "a hours from
now. Consequently. you will be my
guest for S6 hours"
this trap, and my mind was stumbling
blindly along its i~ntricacieS,
"How did you learn of the existence
OF this note, MONSIEUR" I asked at
length. finding here a problem which I
could not solve.
"Ah. NJ: de Brancas." cried Herault.
lit was there hat o displayed al
indiscretion which surprised me Did
you for q moment suppose that a
masked lady, whose identity, however,
was we'll known, could give you a note
In a crowded house where there were
20 of my agents without this being per-
ceived? Did you believe that you could
talk Of a rendezvous in a theater box
and not be overheard. provided the po-
lice wished to overhear you? You will
answer. OF course, that you talked in
a low voice, but permit me to tell you
something, monsieur. which may be Of
value to you in the future. In a the
alter, a hall, or any place where there
is a great crowd Of people and con
SCiOCilSiy IIIuCIl YlCIScs Il SllSle human
voice seems to its possessor the most
feeble instrument In The world. And
vet. no matter how great the con-
fusion. trained ears such as my agents
POSSESS can pick out that voice and
follow it though 1t were speaking alone
in the stiffness of the grave"
I understood but too clearly. and
cursed my own folly and that Of Mile.
de Valois.
A said before" continued Herault.
you are my guest. you are at my
house In the Rue de Perpignan. But
no not think Of escape. monsieur.
Twenty men guard every door and ave-
station six IN your apartment. Thev
will be fully armed. and as you have
not ever your sword."-and / placed
my hand at my side and found that
my sword was indeed rone-"vou cen
easily realize how foolharhy IT. would
tions to kill you rather than permit
YOU to escape. and 7 should be truly
sorry to. have the incident end so un-
happilv."
He naused for a moment as though
70 allow his words to take effect. and
h mctioned me to follow him. We
mounted two steep and narrow flights
ce stairs. passing several sentries on
the wav. and STONED before a door
on the third floor. This rrerau1t opened
and we entered. Six roldiers. all armed
with ~words and mus,,ets. were pacing
IN n dow inside. An c,en dcor dis
closed another and smaller room, in
which there was a bed.
~ trust you viii hA corn
Portable hero. monsieur" said He-
rault. "Aftcr all. ~ will hn MY
for n short time. is there anything you
desire?"
"Notrin~. moreierr.' I answered.
Good nieht. then and casting arr
other glance round the anart,ert TO
ass',re himself that ON was rieht. he
withdrew. heard him givin~ some
orders outside the door a holt was
thrown. and all was still. The six
~narsa in mv anartmert continued
marching up md down without sayin~
= word. 7 realized hat nothing could
he done that nisht. 9nd an~rreciatine
the value ~ sleen IN clearing Tho brain
and s~teadvire the nerves ] rndres~ad
and went TO he'd. As I entered the
cavalier room two Of the erards took
their station at it's omen door. whore
thev could c',sArve nv eve~v movement.
and Y SMILED to mvsalf AZ tho +hourht
thc+ Eo~anlt must indeed consider me
formidable.
CHAPTER XIV.