Charlevoix county herald., 1914-10-17
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was convinced that she had met the
Young southerner before. The few
remaining guests were taking re-
freshments at the buffet and talking
scandal, divorce and politics.
Nine. Calesse seemed to be well
informed.
She had the air of true Partisan.
Merseins looked at Velizay in a puZ-
zled manner, as much as to say that
he could hardly believe the story his
friend had just told him. This beau
tiful, distinguished woman dancing
before an intoxicated crowd in a
Calcutta dance-hall!
at is late" said Jacques, 1--WE will
wish you good night, madame"
But she kept them chatting still
for some minutes. Then Calesse
strolled down the garden with few
of his friends. The other men lin
gered on the veranda.
"Come, / want to show you a
beautiful piece Of stuff | brought
from India" she said suddenly, turn
ing to Jacques. "You have never
seen anything like it elsewhere, |
am sure.
She went with Jacques into a
smaller room leading out of the sa-
Ion, which served her as a boudoir
Everything in the room had been
brought from India. On an inlaid
table was a little tambourine, the
frame of which was of exquisitely
chased silver. A few minutes later
Nine. Calesse and jacques returned
to the drawing room. Jacques's
good-natured face wore a serious eX
preston, while Fadejah's nonchalant
manner had left her and her eyes
CLEANED strangely. The two friends
bade her good night. Jacques or
dered their cabman to drive slowly
up the avenue and they followed
on foot
"What did she want to show
you?" asked Merseins when they
were outside the grounds.
"The embroidered veil which she
had worn the first time that | met
her" replied Jacques.
Paul looked at his friend fixedly.
The situation was grave, but he
knew that Jacques was loyal and
honorable and the advice he was
going to give was left unsaid. In
stead he remarked casually:
zone can hardly believe that that
charming woman is the dancing girl
you once knew"
at is Fadejah," replied Jacques
pensively. "She is very intelligent,
and she has studied very hard since
I last saw her. That is why she has
accomplished so much.
He lapsed into silence and Mer-
seins refrained from questioning
him. Thew got into their cab and
were driven to their respective
apartments.
Some days passed. The police
seemed to be accommodating more
proofs against the two brothers.
On the third day, when Merseins
called upon his friend. he found him
sitting in his armchair gazing into
space.
"You have seen Fadejah again."
said Paul quietly.
"No, | haven't"
"Then you have written to her"
"No, she has written to me. You
can read the letter if you like" Mer-
seins read:
The Hindu maid has not forgotten
the man who twice rescued her from
slavery. II he has not forgotten the
one who loves him, will he not come
to her? The master is absent. The
servants have been sent away.
There will only be the stars and the
flowers to see us meet.
Fadejah.
Merseins read the note and handsd
it back to Jacques.
"You are not going, should
hope ?" he asked.
"No, indeed. Beautiful Fadejah
has no charm for me, now | have
met little red-haired Jeanne"
"Ah! I was sure of you, Jacques"
cried Merseins, giving his friends
hand a grip. "There is something
strange about these people. Pecheret
looks an out-and-out scoundrel, and
that sarcastic Calesse! | would not
like to get into his claws. | have
never really trusted the man-and
now this wife of his turns out to be
a dancer, and she has been posing
as the daughter of a prince. They
are a suspicious lot"
Nobody seems to know what sort
of business Calesse is engaged in,"
said Jacques.
"He is on the Bourse. he is a
sort of commission agent. have
met him several times"
"Bourse-commission, one or the
other, or perhaps neither one nor the
other" replied Jacques. "You don't
know, neither does any one else. He
must do tremendous business to live
in such style. Where is his place Of
business ?"
ain the Rue de Banque."
"Rue dc Banquet cried Jacques,
starting up from his seat. That was
all he said. For some minutes he
seemed to be following a train of
thoughts.
"Rue de Banque," he said at last
slowly; "that is where he does his
business, and he also has business
relations in Calcutta"
whatever do you mean"
81 scarcely know. Everything
seems cloudy, but am piecing
things together. Calesse has his
office in the very street that Jean
Farades wished to find on the day
that he went to his death, and Ca
lesse's wife comes from Calcutta,
where the victim lived for years.
Didn't you think it strange for
Calaesa and pechpret To sneak of the