The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-05-03

great friend OF his e~xcellency's. II,
had dined with his excellency some
thing over a week since, just prior Il
the latter's departure.
And take it We have seen nothin.
OF the gentleman SINGER"
"On the contrary, monsieur: the vi
comte called here but two days ago
1t appeared that he had desired some
trltlng Information, with which the
secretary had obliged him.
"Ye didn't happen to leave hin
alone in this ROOM"
The secretary, plainly much per,
picked by this odd catechism, ad,
mitted that such had been the case
the pursuit Of the desired data had
necessttated his absence from the Gov.
ernor's room for a matter of some ten
minutes.
But We say ye can put your hand
on this package?"
But certainly, monsieur"
Would We mind making sure It's
safe. Twould save me a deal OF
waiting, perhaps"
With alacrity and a smile that de-.
precated his visitors anxiety over so
trltiing a matter, the secretary rose
went to the safe and confidently
enough thrust a hand into one oil the
pigeon-holes. The hand came forth
empty. A frown of ~bewilderment
clouded the secretary's face. ut must
be here" he announced with convic.
ton. ut was in plain sight and la
beiled with the name Of Monsieur
Chambret =" He turned. IF
Monsieur lie Colonel will but return in
half an hour, | undertake then to
him the packet itself. | shall by
then have found it-but assuredly!"
,Ye are very courteous, monsieur.
| will return"
This, he dld-in two hours. The
packet had not been found; the sec
rotary, in a flutter of nerves, confessed
that through some culpable negligence
1t must have been misplaced. An ex-
tended search was even then in
progress. 1t would surely come to
light before evening.
Thank ye; l shan't be back" re-
turned O'Rourke grimly; and went
away, downcast for the first time
since the inception of the adventure.
Faith! and to think | would not be-
heve the truth when they slapped me
face with 1t! And all the time, belize,
twas in the yicomte's own pocket E.
{. =" But he had no vocabulary AIDE,
quate to the task Of expressing his
self-contempt.
DisconsOlate, ~conceiving that he had
proven himself a blind, egregious fool,
he plodded with heavy steps and a
hanging head back to his hotel; where
the browning stroke of the day was
presented to him In the shape of a
note, by the hand Of a black Biskri
porter.
Monsieur le Colonel Terence
O'Rourke. Be hand" he conned the
address. Faith, and what's this?"
IF Monsieur le Colonel O'Rourke
will do Monsieur des Trebes the hon
IT of dining with him, at seven or
ieven-thirty this evening, at the Villa
POrleans, st. Eugene, an arrangement
satisfactory to both himself and Mon
ieur lie Vicomte may be consummat-
ID.
"R. S. V. P.-The bearer waits"
A trap? A subterfuge? A trick to
brow him off the scent whilst the two
il~ackguards escaped with their booty?
he adventurer frowned darby over
/, dubious. Then, in a flush Of reck-
essness, he seized a sheet of paper
rom a nearby desk. scrawled a
primal acceptance Of the strange invi-
alton, and handed 1t TO the Biskri boy.
All to gain, naught to lose" he sum.
led up the state of mind which had
his response; and at six
hirty, with brow and eye serene, he
Eft the hotel In a carriage bound for
ne suburb Of st. Eugene-and heaven
new where besides!