The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-02-03


minutes ELAPSED and WAS WONDERING
What had hec1nie Di The individual a
lieafs then suddenly eniereel from 4
heap % stcHes opposite ME lss NE
liglitnlig sllse nn eafetl mo tlless lltlis 9.
1 had tscosniEe loheGt bpt nnfos
sltiat he had been too quick ior
y me.
Having whIstlet softly. Fabre Grept
1tp from his hIdtpg:place, and NE con
ferTed as to the best course 10 take.
we remained on guard all nigh, and
this morning at lSybreak knocked at
the door. After a quarter Of an hour
Il, was opened by the Woman. she
looked pale, and tretnbled from head
to foot. ~ ~
WHO are your she asked.
We tod her We wanted TO
see Robert, che tereamel:
| f"'1e is not here! ] haven't seen
him for ever SO long. Go away. the
lot OF you. 4 have been taken III dur.
Ing the night. You'd better send for
asdoctor.'
! "AuG she crept up to her room.
eve then acarched the houEe from
toi, to bottom. but the fellow had dis
appeared. We are certain he is hid
| den somewhere. But where? Fibre
! thinks there must be a subterranean
passage leading into the fields be-
yond, and am inclined to think so
100. That funnyIookng well ought
to be examined. left the other men
there. We want your help. sir"
Il jumped into a cab with my secre-
tCry, and drove straight 10 Sally's
house. Inspector Berard was outside.
and informed me that the woman was
really III. and that some one had gone
to fetch medical help. @
made a thorough investigation Of
tho place, my men following my move
ment with curiosity. l went down the
dried.up well, and saw that the old
stones, firmly cemented together, had
not been moved for century. I
tapped all the floors and walls, but
found no trace OF am secret passage.
"Any clue, sir?" ssked Berard.
Yes. Robert has been caught in
his own trap, and cannot get away.
And now shall pay visit to Sally"
The room entered was in terribly
untidy state. The floor, chairs, and
tables were Uttered with articles Of
the most heterogeneous description,
and strong smell Of spirits pervaded
the place. Sally was sitting up in bed,
her head propped up. with pillows.
When she saw me, she shook her fist
at me and said In an angry tone:
what do you want? Don't bother
me about Robert, He is gone away,
thank heavenI and, what's more, !
don't want him back. And now leave
me alone. I'm ILL.,"
~ am sorry to disturb you" said,
but bring you news from your broth
cd. He is here. Quite close to u.s."
Sally bent forward, clenching an old
handkerchief with which she had wiD-
ing her forehead.
"where do you say he ISL" she
gaspcd.
"He is lying in this bed, looking me
straight in the face"
"You are mad. Do you think l am
Robert?"
"oh, no. I always know a lady
when see her. ! should be sorry to
doubt your sex. But, although you
are Mile. Hotense Perrichon, you
also are your own brother, or, rather.
you have impersonated him. Is that
clear?"
A knock fell on the door. It was
the, doctor, and l withdrew to the gar.
den, after having asked him to stgrel
to me the moment he had done With
the woman.
My secretary was pacing the gar
den up and down
"You allowed yourself to be nicely
blufred," | said to him. yes" | con.
tlnued, this woman blufted you, and
others as we'll In the annals OF
crime it certainly is q record case.
Her brother did not return to this
country, and, l dare say, died years
ago. Sally performed a stroke OF /,
genius, coming to my Office claiming
my protection against him. With her
short hair and wonderful likeness to
him, she put on mans clothes, and
then waited until l was away from
Paris before calling at the Office and
introducing herself to you as Robert.
You never thought that the gentleman
who came to see you was Sally!
"Once Roberts existence was es'
tablished, Sally knew she could with
perfect safety carry out nefarlous
schemes, and change her sex the mo-
ment things became threatening. It
was she who blackmatled that un'
fortunate NJ. F.
when Berard came to me this
morning and related that wonderful
story Of Roberts ghostiy appearance,
began to have an inklIng Of the
truth. do not believe in secret pas
sages nor in miracles"
The doctor here called me and said
that the woman was seriously III, and
ordered her immediate removal to
the Infirmary Of the Depot x. (the
Central Police Station.
sPaRora going away she heckoned to |