Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-02-27
CHAPTER II.
THE BUTTERFLY NAN.

THE BUTTERFLY NAN.
"HE great minister gazed acros
| the river, his hands under tn
tails of his frock, and th
perturbation Of bis mind e1
pressed by the frequent Tapping o
those somber wooden wings. To tn
little man who watched him, there wa
a faint resemblance to a 6ddiini
sricket.
Sometimes am minded to trust th'
whole thing to luck. and bother NJ
more about him."
Monsieur, I have obeyed orders fol
seven years. since we first recognized
the unfortunate affair. Nothing ht
has done In this period Is missing from
my notebook; and up to the present
time he has done-nothing But just
little more patience. This verJ
moment, when you are inclined to droT
1t, may be the one. One way or an
other. 1t Is a matter Of no real concern
to me. There will always be plenty ol
work for me to do, In France, or else
where. But am like an old soldier
whose wound, twinglng with rheu-
matism, announces the approach OF
damp weather. have, then, monsieur,
a kind of psychological rheumaa asm;
prescience, bookmen call 1t. Presently
we shall have damp weather"
"You speak with singular conviction"
I'm my time I have made very few
mistakes. You will recollect that.
Twenty years have served France
/ was wrong to say that this affair
does not concern me. I'm interested
70 see the end"
"But will there be an end" impa-
tiently. "If / were certain Of that!
But seven years. and still no sign"
Monsieur. he is to be feared; this
inactivity, to my mind, proves 1t. He
Is waiting; the moment ls not ripe.
There are many sentimental fools In
his world. One has only to step into
the street and shout, Down WITH or
Long live! to bring these fools clatter-
ing about"
"That is true enough" tapping the
tails Of his coat again.
This fellow was born across the
Rhine. He has served In the navy; he
is a German, therefore we cannot
touch him unless he commits some
overt act. He waits; there Is where the
danger, the real danger, lies. He waits;
und 1t Is his German blood which gives
him this patience. A Frenchman would
have exploded long since"
"You have searched his luggage and
his rooms times without number"
"And found nothing; nothing that l
might use effectively. But there Is
this saving grace; he on his side knows
nothing"
~ would | were sure Of that also
Eh. well; leave the affair In your
hands. and they are capable ones.
When the time comes act, act upon
your own initiative. In this matter we
shall give no accounting to Germany"
mo, because what do must be done
secretly. 1t will not matter that Ger
many also knows and waits. But this
Ia true; If we do not circumvent him
she will make use Of whatever he
does"
ut has its whimsical side. Here Is
a man who may some day blow up
France. and yet we can put no hand
on him till he throws the bomb"
"Bui there is always time to stop
the flight Of the bomb. That shall be
my cOucern-that is. If monsieur is not
becoming discouraged and desires me
to occupy myself with other things. I
repeat: have rheumatism. appre-
bend the damp. He will 20 to Ameri-
ca"
"Ah' 1t would be very good plan
II he remained there"
The little man did not reply.
But you say in your reports that
you have seen him going about with
some of the Orleanists. What is your
inference there"
"I have not yet formed one. 1t is
bit of a riddle there, for the crow and
the eagle do not fly together"
well, follow him to America"
"Thanks. The pay is good and the
work is congenial." The tone Of the
little man was softly given to irony.
Gray haired. rosy checked, face
smooth as a boys, twinkliug eyes be-
hind spectacles. he was one OF the
most astute, learned, and patient OF
the French secret police. And he did
not care the Zip Of his strong brown
fingers for the methods Of vidocq or
Lecoq. His only disguise was that not
one Of the criminal police Of the world
knew him or had ever heard Of him;
and save his chief and three ministers
of WARRIOR French cabinetS are given
to change-bis own immediate friends
knew him as a butterfly hunter,
searcher for beetles and scarabs, who,
indeed, was one of the first authorities
In France on the subjects: Anatole
Ferraud. who went about. hither and
thither, with a little red button In his
buttonhole and a tongue facile IN q
dozen languages.
Every we'll, monsieur. trust that IN
the near future I may bring you good
news"
He will become nothing or the most
desperate man in Europe"
aAdmitfodu
HE Is q scholar too"
"All the more interesting"
\"As q student In Munich he has
fought his three duels. He has been
war correspondent under fire. He
is a great fencer, q fine shot, a dar.
Ing rider"
"And penniless. What country
they have over there beyond the
Rhine! He would never have troubled
his head about 1t had they not harried
him. To str up France, to wound her
II possible! he will be man Of great
courage and resource" said the secret
agent, drawing the palms Of bis hands
together.
I'm the end, then, Germany VIII
offer him. money"
'aThat Is the possible outlook"
"But, suppose he went to WORK on
his own responsibility
"In that case one would be 5usuned
in locking him up as a madman. Do
you know anything about Alpine but
terfliesr
Every little." confessed the minister.