River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-11-28

have come to take you back to Paris
on the charge of having broken open
safe in M. Dominguez's house, and
distracted therefrom vaiuables of vari-
Gus kinds"
To my surprise, his morose express
sion disappeared, and in an almost
cheerful tone he replied:
Il am glad to have you come l am
ready to go when you like The soon
er l can stand face to face with that
hound and unmask him, the better. l
know shall have to pay big pen
atty; but my revenge is cheap, even
at the cost of heavy sentence"
What hound?" l asked.
"Dominguez! Dominguez!" he shrek
ed. "Dominguez, the biggest villain un-
hung! He fioored me twice, the cum
ming cur; but 1 have him here, under
my thumb"
| then called up the official from
the Consulate, and in his presence
carefully overhauled Ravers belong
lngs. At his own request | even
searched his pockets, but discovered
no trace of anything relative to the
robbery. Fifty thousand francs in bank
notes and gold he carried in leather
belt In his hat box were a revolt
yer and tin of cartridges, of which I
took possession.
Give yourself no needless trouble
my dear Monsieur Goron," he laughed:
what you are looking for / left in
Paris. There were other things in
that safe besides trinkets and secur.
tiles, of which only Dominguez and I
know anything, and l did not care to
carry them about me- They are in
Paris he shrieked at the top of his
voice, and will be produced when |
am confronted with that hound. And
then, Monsieur Goron, you will wit
ness something which even you have
never scent"
ne gave an uncanny chuckle, lit
cigarette and lapsed into silence
A large cabin in the steamer leay.
ing the next day for Marseilles had
been reserved for us, and Ravel came
on board with a jaunty air like a man
oent on pleasure trip | had kept
everything secret, but through some
lndlscretlon the passengers knew who
we were, and curious glances followed
us when we set foot on deck.
We had still an hour to wait before
hitting anchor. l therefore left Ravel
IN the cabin in charge of the official
VINO was to accompany me to Mar
settles, and went to ask a few uues-
lions of the captain. At that mo-
ment telegraph boy came up shout
ing my name l opened the wire. It
was from the office. "Dominguez dis.
appeared"
tried to convince myself that the
laconic official telegram meant that
Domlnguez had only absented himself
Tor while, but something told me
that with his disappearance the princi.
pal link in that mystery had been sew.
cred
However, still had the opportunity
OF talking the matter over with my
prisoner, and once under way, | asked
him to give me some particulars about
his connection with Dominguez
wait till we get to Paris" he cried.
and you will hear all you want to
know-and more"
But suppose Dominguez should have
have left Paris?" | inquired.
He turned sharply around.
What do you mean?"
handed him the telegram and
watched him curiously, for | expected
him to fly into a violent rage. Instead
OF this he handed me the paper back,
and quietly said:
Have no fear, he will return!"
you really don't mean that, Ravel?'
i do mean it, l tell you"
Half an hour later 1 saw him in the
cabin writing.
Il am already preparing my de-
fense," he said with sad smile. \
l left him alone and went into the
saloon where lady was singing. It
was clear night, and the sea was as
calm as pool
Then we heard a rush of feet on
deck, the singer stopped, and in the
stiffness of the night rang the shout:
MAN overheard"
l felt as If cold hand had grasped
my throat. | ran to the cabin. 1t was
empty We looked everywhere for
Ravel. He was gone.
The steamer at once stopped: two
boats were lowered, but returned aft
er half an hours fruitless search. And
we started again, all the passengers
and men having been accounted for
but Ravel.
For couple of hours | paced the
deck up and down, and then returned
to my cabin, where not long ago I
had seen my prisoner writing. On the
table lay letter in pencil addressed
to me:
Dear M. Goron," 1t said: "fate IN
against me. Dominguez, the thief who
robs even his accomplices, is too clever
for me-and you. 1 committed the burg
larry at Dominguezs house, not so much
to take back what was rightly my share.
as to secure weapon wherewith I could
smash him once for all. He has cleared
out. He smelt a rat, M. Gor0n, and I
do not want to be brought back as a
common burglar, instead of an accuser
L have failed in this. like in everything
else. Good-by.
Ct RAvEL."
And thus, both the robber and the
robbed disappeared. Nothing was
heard Of the stolen property. The mys-
terry was never solved.
Shall / ever be able to efface the
point of Interrogation behind Domin-
gueZs name?
Slowly, very slowly, the veil is lift
ed from this mystery.
II