The Springfield herald., 1912-11-22

"Despres," I said, "I am going with
the gentleman in the next room to
the hotel where he is staying. After
a while / shall return, leaving him be-
hind. But you watch him night and
day, and report all his movements. II
he attempts to leave Paris. bring him
at once to me- Take all the assistance
you require"
II understand. SIR" said Despres.
I drove with Charbonnel to the Ho-
tel du Louvre, searched his luggage,
looked through his papers. but with
out finding anything suspicious.
mo. you need not accompany me-"
said: "all l ask you is not to leave
Paris, and to come to me when l send
for you. Goodby"
Before he had recovered .-om his
surprise l was gone.
Two hours later one OF my agents
brought me the news that Charbonnel
had gone to the postoffice In the Rue
dAmsterdam and inquired for letters
addressed to III. c." whereupon i'm
mediately communicated with the
postoffice. asking them to detain all
letters with these Initials. Charbon-
mel, l then learned, called OCCASIONALLY
on Lucie. but saw nobody else. On
the fourth day two letters from Smyr-
ma to II. c." arrived at the Rue d. Am
sterdam and were handed to me. Meth
er OF them bore a signature.
In the first letter the writer simply
announced his safe arrival In Symrna;
but the second told Its own tale. 81
was a fool" 1t said, "to have come to
this hole. / should have stayed In
Paris and CHANGED it. to watch that
scoundrel. Twice he got the better
Of me; but this time I have him. My
only regret is that you may possibly
be molested. II SO, It's your own
fault You ought to have left me
alone. Please send me all cuttings
relative to you know what"
/ at once sent for Charbonnel. He
looked haggard.
Il have good news for you." cried:
your friend writes from Smyrna that
he has safely arrived, and regrets ex-
ceedingly that you got yourself under
suspicion. He is very sorry that he
left Paris because he no longer can
watch a certain scoundrel. Your friend
has the kindness to give his address In
Smyrna; that simplities matters. 1
shall very likely start for Smyrna to-
night, but l first wanted to see you
as perhaps you may have something to
say to me-"
Charbonnel looked at me, dunn
founded.
IN. Goron. 1t Is useless fighting
against you. vowed to do the right
thing by my friend. but you have
beaten me. Yes, 1t is he, Georges
Ravel who committed the burglary. I
knew Georges fifteen years ago in Vera
Cruz. had fallen Ill, was penniless
and, but for him, would have died like
a dog. But he nursed me, advanced
me money, and afterward got me sit
uation as hotel clerk
Since that moment things have
gone well with me, and, thanks to a
small legacy, / am now independent.
But poor Georges later fell into bad
ways. He gambled, drank and for five
years heard nothing of him. When
/ met him again hardly recognized
him. / fancy he was in prison some
where in Venezuela, but he never
spoke to me about his own affairs. All
he told was that he had been cheated
by a fellow called Dominguez, and that
he meant to be even with him. He
soon again disappeared, and 1 had to
return to France to take possession OF
my legacy.
"A few months ago, to my conster.
nation, he came to my hotel with the
news that Dominguez was living In
Paris, in the Rue de Prony, and that I
would soon hear some surprising
things. On the night before the
soiree he came again, and, under the
influence of drink, departed from his
usual reticence. He said he intend
ed to steal into the house and extract
from the safe money. valuables, and
the documents he hoped to flnd there
"All attempts to hold him back
proving fruitless, resolved to go to
the soiree, and, If possible. prevent
mischief. He had grown long beard,
and 1t was not likely Dominguez would
recognize him If he saw him. Idon't
know what possessed me to play. but
just as rose from the plano l caught
sight Of Georges In the hall. saw
him go upstairs, and rushed after him.
l clutched his arm, but he knocked
me down, and bowl and some other
articles on the safe fell OF. In a
I twinklipg he had wrenched open the
lock, and, but for the terrific noise
downstairs, they must have heard It,
II followed him like one In a dream,
saw him put on his overcoat-for no
servant was by-And disappear In the
night. And now you know all. No.
you know more than l do, for 1 am
still trying to solve the mystery Of
how you tracked me to the dressing
room when no one saw US"
Never mind that" hurriedly re-
piled. II have other mysteries to
solve now. Can you tell me anything
more about Dominguez? Did the bur.
glary really take place, and were val.
uables carried away?"
II know nothing of Dominguez, ex.
cept that Georges said he was dan
gerous bandit AS to the burglary, l
am sorry to say l was the unwilling
witness of 1t. And now, M. Gorou,
you behave kindly to me. Allow me
to give you some advice Don't ap-
proach Dominguez until you have seen
clear into the whole business"