The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-02-15

have you present at certain scenes
which are to occur, say "a hours from
now. Consequently, you VIII DO my
guest for 80 hours"
I was still dazed II the discovery Of
this trap, and my mind was stumbling
blindly along its i~ntricacies.
How did you learn OF the existence
Of this note, MONSIEUR" asked at
length. finding here O problem which !
could not solve.
"Ah, M. de B~rancas," cried Herault,
1T was there that you displayed an
indiscretion which surprised me. DID
you for a moment suppose that q
masked lady, whose identity, however,
was well 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
ater, a hall, or any place where there
is a great crowd Of people and con-
%seuuently much noise. a single 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 II though II were speaking alone
in the stiffness OF the grave"
I understood hut too clearly. and
cursed my w folly and that Of Mile.
de Valois.
"As J said before" continued Herault.
"you are my guest. You are at my
house in the Rue de ~Perpignan. But
10 not think OF escape. monsieur.
Twenty men guard every door and ave-
nue. Of escape. I shall be obliged to
station six In your apartment. They
will be fully armed. and az you have
| not ever your sword,"-end I placed
my hand 1T my side and found that
| my sword was indeed eone-"vou can
easily realize how foolhs ~dy n would
he to attach them. They have instruc-
| lions to kin you rather than permit
| YOU to escape. and I should he truly
sorry To have the incident end so un-
hsppily." =
He paused for q moment pc though
to allow his words to take effect. end
then motioned me to follow him. We
mounted two steep and narrow flights
~ stairs. raising several sentries on
the wav. ard storned before a door
| on the third floor. This uerauIt opened
and we entered. SIX soldiers. all armed
with swords ard muskets. were pacing
w and dow, inside. An open door. dis
closed another and smaller ROOM, IN
! which there vas a bed.
1T trust you will be COM
Portable here. monsieur" said He
rauIt. after all. " will he only
for a short time. Is there anything you
| desira"
NOTHING. monsieur" I answered.
"Good nieht. boz" and casting an
other glance around the apartment tc
assu-A himself that all was right. he
withdrew. 7 heard him gfvine some
ORDERS outside the door. q bolt was
thrown, and all was etill. The six
guards in nv anartment continued
marching 'p aod down without savfns
a word. Y real1ved that nothing could
he dove that night. and app~eciatinr
the value oF eleep In clearing the hrair
and ~steadvine the nerves. I undresset
and went to he'd. As I entered thu
SMALLER room two OF the guards tool
their station Mt It's omen door. where
they could observe nv every movement
and 7 smiled 70 myself ~ the though
that Herault must indeed consider. m,
formidable.