The Southern herald., 1913-01-17

my Wig; but before l could utter
word, the vicomte placed himself 4
front of the door,
Get away from there!" commapd
ed. II am M. Goron. Don't attemn
any nonsense, or l call up my men
and have you and your croupier taken
to the depot!"
He could not suppose that I bas
come unaccompanied, and silently tool
chair.
Perhaps you will tell me what All
this means2" he asked.
Certainly. But first ring the bsn
and send away your servants"
Ny orders were obeyed.
"And now" l continued, follow ma
into the card room"
led the way, and from the manteL
piece took the fifth pack, left thers
when the Vicomte had dealt the cards
The croupier, who had remained be.
hind, moved toward the door.
Come here!" shouted to him
"Take off your coat and waistcoat, and
hand them to me-"
He did so, trembling with fear ana
out of several long pockets, lined
with velvet to deaden the sound,
took handful of counters.
"You scoundrel!" said, 'I watched
you do this. And now, clear out;
want to talk to your master-and az.
complice"
l handed the vicomte the pack Of
cards l had taken up, and said
Let me call them over to you with
my back turned. Seven, nought, five.
nine, nought-I forget the rest; but
l think this ought to be enough.
have seen the Lightning Flash done
before. Do you want any more rea.
sons why came here tonight?"
He seemed stunned, and shook his
head
Cannot this scandal be avoided?
he asked.
Expect nothing from me, until you
have told me the whole truth about
the Allen B. affair at Madame
J-'s What was the object Of that
conspiracy, and who is at the bottom
of it?"
He looked at me with a cunning ex
preston.
II think I see your game, Monster
Goron. Allow me to compliment you
on your skill. In other words, You
want me to make certain disclosures.
In that case, 1t is but right l should"
l gave him no time to finish his
sentence, but, selling him roughly by
the arm, shouted:
i arrest you, you scamp!"
What | expected happened. The
coward in him came to the fore. He
cringed and crawled, and then told
me he had instructed Bernard T
to slip the cards in poor Allen B-'s
pockets.
Whose orders did you carry out?"
"An Englishman's."
Harold W, or, in reality, Ed.
ward K-?"
He gave me a surprised glance.
"Yes."
For what reason?"
II don't know. You can believe me.
1t Is secret between him and Allen
B., and l would never have done
this thing had not been in Edward
ks hands. He compelled me to
do it."
He put his statement down in writ
ing, and then took me to his apart.
ment, where, at my request, he hand
ed me two letters from Edward X.
/ was on the point of leaving when
| remembered Mademoiselle Marthe.
"Sit down again, and write a note to
the police commissary In your district,
that you wish to withdraw your charge
against Marthe D."
The vicomte, who had given up feel
ing surprised at anything wrote the
note, and handed it to me.
1t was six o'clock and broad day
light when reached home. at once
sent Tor Allen B.
"Who is Edward K-?" asked be.
fore he had even time to sit down.
"a distant connection. Why?"
what object had he in disgracing
you?"
HE? Imposslble-he belongs to a
first-class county family"
BLOW your county families! Read
thls!" and 1 handed him the vlcomte's
statement.
I never thought it possible that de-
light and horror could be expressed
at the same time on anybody's face.
Allen B performed that extraordI.
nary feat. Then he shook me by both
hands until my arms ached, and ex-
claimed:
what a scoundrel! Who could
have dreamed this? Monsieur Goron, It
all dawns upon me now. Three years
ago that man proposed to a lady to
whom afterward became engaged.
She rejected him, and he"
"That will do. These are family Sc
crets. l don't want to know more
than l can help. Leave at once for
England. This document and those
two letters will clear you, and II any
hodv Tvapta Toora Inform ation rafaV