davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Meade County news., 1916-06-01
THE LONE WOLF
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
rE
BY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
(oOpyright BY Louis Joseph vance.l

Lanyard favored him with a look Of
surprise.
II am about to destroy these films
and prints"
"You must never do that!"
why not? They are mine, to do
with as like. II l cannot dispose of
them at my price, l shall destroy
them!"
"But-my God!-what you demand
Is impossible! Stay, monsieur! Think
what your action means to France!"
II have already thought of that. Now
I must think of myself"
"But-one moment"
Ducroy sat up in bed and dangled
fat legs over the side.
But one moment only, monsieur.
Don't make me waste your matches!"
Monsieur, 1t shall be as you desire,
If 1t lies In my power to accomplish
It,"
With this the minister of war stood
up and made for the telephone, in his
agitation needless Of dressing-gown
and slippers.
"You must accomplish it, M. Du-
croy." Lanyard advised him gravely,
putting out the flame; "for IL you fail,
you make yourself the instrument of
my death. Here are the plans"
"You trust them to me?" Ducroy
asked in astonishment.
"But naturally-that makes 1t an af-
fair of your honor" Lanyard explained
suavely.
With gesture of graceful capitula.
tion the Frenchman accepted the little
roll of films.
Permit me-" he said, "to acknowl
edge the honor of monsieur's conf
dence!"
Lanyard bowed low and gravely
"One knows with whom one. deals
monsieur! And now! II you will be
good enough to excuse me-"
He turned to the door.
"But-eh-where are you going"
"Mademoiselle," Lanyard said, paus
ing on the threshold-"that is, the
young lady who will accompany us-i!
waiting anxiously in the garden ou
yonder. go to find and reassure hel
and-with monsieur's permission-tt
bring her into the library, where W,
will await monsieur when he has fin
ished telephoning and-ah-repairet
the deficiencies in his attire, whicl
one trusts he will forgive ones men
t1oning!"
He bowed again, impudently, gayl
and-when the minister of war locke,
up again sheepishly from contempla
Meade County news., 1916-06-01

brought him momentarily out Of his
distraction.
He looked up wildly, to discover Du-
croy standing over him, his stout per-
son chastely swathed in quilted
dressing-gown with trousers, his ex-
preston one Of stupefaction.
We'll, monsieur-well?" the minis
ter of war demanded irritably. What
Il repeat-are you doing there?"
Lanyard essayed response, choked
up. and gulped. He rose and stood
swaying, showing stricken face, but
for the moment couldn't speak.
"Eh?" Ducroy insisted. with an &C
cent of evaporation. why do you
stand glaring at me like that-eh
Come, monsieur; what ails you?
have arranged everything, ! say.
Where is mademoiselle?
Lanyard made broken gesture.
"She is gone," he muttered forlornly'
Instantly the countenance Of the
stout Frenchman was lighted with q
CLEAN of eager interest-romance
lover that he was-and he stepped
nearer, peering closely into the face
of the adventrxer.
Gone" he echoed. "Mademoiselle
Your sweetheart, eh?"
Lanyard assented with disconso
late nod and sigh. Impatiently Ducroy
caught him by the sleeve.
"Come!" he insisted. tugging-
"come at once into the house. Now
monsieur-now at length you enlist al
ones sympathies! Come, / say! 10 II
your desire that catch my death o.
cold?"
Indifferently Lanyard suffered him
self to be led away. He was, indeed
barely conscious Of what was happen
ing. All his being was possessed b!
the thought that she had forsakel
him.
Meade County news., 1916-06-01
"What Do You Want, MonsleurY"

stances are such that 1t has become
necessary for me to leave France i'm
mediately-without an hours delay
also secretly; else / might as well re-
main here to Le butchered. Now you
command the only means know Of to
accomplish my purpose And that is
the price, the only price, you will have
to pay me for these plans"
II don't understand you"
1T is en- schedule, is 1t not, that Cap
tain Vauquelin of the aviation corps is
to attempt nonstop flight from Paris
to London this morning, with two pas
sengers, in a new Parrot biplane?"
THAT rs so. Well?"
II must be one of those passengers;
and have a companion, young lady,
who will take the place Of the other"
ut isn't possible, monsieur. Those
arrangements are already fixed"
"You will countermand them"
"But there is no time"
"You can get into telephone COM
munication with Port Aviation in two
minutes"
"But the passengers have already
been promised"
"You will disappoint them"
1.-THE start is to be made N the first
flush of daylight. How could you reach
Port Aviation in timer
"In your motor car, monsieur"
1T cannot be DONE"
1T must! II the start must be de-
layed until we arrive, you will give
orders that It shall be so delayed"
For a minute the minister Of war
hesitated; then he shook his head def
nitely.
"The difficulties are insuperable-"
There is no such thing, monsieur"
'T am sorry; 1t can't be DONE"
"That ia your answer"
1T is regrettable, monsieur"
very well!" Lanyard bent forward
again, took q match from the stand
on the bedside table, and struck It.
Very calmly he advanced the fame to-
ward the cigarette containing the roll
of infiammable films.
"Monsieuri" Ducroy cried In hor-
ror. What are you doingf"
Meade County news., 1916-06-01

fed?" Lanyard inquired, when his pa
tience would endure no longer.
eyes," the other agreed breathlessly.
"You have the negatives from which
these prints were nader"
Here" Lanyard said, indicating
second cigarette.
And then. with a movement so leis-
urely and careless that his purpose
was accomplished before the other in
his preoccupation was aware Of 1t, the
adventurer leaned forward and swept
up the prints from the counterpane in
front of M. Ducroy.
"Here!" the Frenchman exclaimed.
''Why do you do that?"
"Monsieur no longer questions their
authenticity"
II grant you that"
"Then l return to myself these
prints, pending negotiations for their
transfer to France"
"How did you come by them?" de-
manded M. Ducroy, after moments
thought.
Need monsieur ask? Is France so
ill-served by her spies that you do not
already know of the misfortune re-
Gently suffered in London by one Cap
tain Ekstrom?"
"You are-the Lone Wolf-then?"
II am, monsieur-simply as concerns
you, the person in possession of these
plans, and who offers them through
you, to France, for price,"
'"But why introduce yourself to me
in this extraordinary fashion to con
summate transaction for which the
ordinary channels with which you
must be familiar are entirely ade
Quate?"
"Simply because Ekstrom has fol
lowed me to Paris" Lanyard explained
indulgently. "Did l venture to ap
proach you through the customary
channels, my chances of rounding Out
a useful life thereafter would be prac
tically nil. Furthermore, my circum
Meade County news., 1916-06-01

sight Of his rather strfking figure, ar
rayed for the evening in apparel from
Bond street, Lanyard slackened speed.
Turning as he alighted, the English
man offered his hand to young wom-i
an. She jumped down to the sidewalk
in radiant attire and temper. laughing
like delighted child.
Involuntarily Lanyard stopped his
car, and chauffeur driving immediate,I
ly to the rear. swerving out to escanA
collision, shot past, cursing him lib
orally. while sergent de vile scowled
dark1y and uttered an imperative
word.
Lanyard pulled himself together
somehow and drove on.
The girl was Just then passing into
the restaurant through the revolving
door, Wertheimer attending her, while
De Morbihan had alighted from the
car and was lending solicitous arm
to Bannon.
But to these last Lanyard paid littlet
attention. Quite automatically he
passed Wells, rounded the Madeleine,
and turned up the Boulevard Males
herbes. Paris and all It's brisk midnight
traffic swung by without claiming g.
1.-THE of his attention-he was mainly
conscious of lights that reeled dizzily
round him, like multitude of staring,
malicious, mocking eyes.
At the junction with the Boulevard
Haussmann a second sergent de vile
reused him with warning about care
less driving. He went more sanely
thereafter, but with heart Of utter
wretchedness-his eyes still wore a
dazed expression, and now and again
he shook his head impatiently. as
though to rid It of a swarm Of tor
menting thoughts.
So 1t seemed he had all along been
her dupe; that all the while he had
been ostentatiously shielding her from
harm and difildently showing her
every evidence of his devotion she
had been laughing in her sleeve and
planning to return with her report Of
a fool self-hoodwinked to the service
she had pretended to despise.
A great anger welled In his bosom.
Turning round, he made back to the
Boulevard de la Madeleine, and On one
pretext and another contrived to haunt
the neighborhood OF Wells unn Ohe
party came out, something after one
o'clock.
It was evident they had supped mer-
rily; the girl showed every sign OF the
gayest humor; Wertheimer seemed q
bit exhilarated, De Morbihan was
plainly much amused. and even Ban
non-bearing heavily on the French
mans arm-was chuckling apprecia-
lively. The party piled back into De
Morblhan's limousine and were driven
up the Avenues des Champs-Elyse
pausing at the Elysee Palace hotel to
drop Bannon and the girI--his daugh-
ter?-whoever she wasl
Whittier 1t went thereafter Lanyard
didn't trouble to ascertain. He drove
morosely home and went to bed,
though not to sleep for many hours
bitterness of disillusion ate like an
acid into his heart. +.
Meade County news., 1916-06-01
CHAPTER XXI.
EIation and Despair.

Established behind his splendid ma
hogany desk in his Office at the minis
try of war, or moving majestically
abroad attired in frock coat and shin
ing topper, or lending the dignity of
bis presence to some formal function
state in that beautiful uniform
'hich appertained unto his office, M.
Iector Ducroy cut an imposing figure.
Abed-it was sadly otherwise.
Lanyard switched on the bedside
light, turning it so that 1t struck full
upon the face Of the sleeper, and as he
sat down he smiled.
The minister of war lay upon his
back. his distinguished corpulence Sc
verely dislocating the chaste simplicity
of the bedclothing. Athwart his shelly
ing chest fat hands were peacefully
folded In a gesture affectingly naive.
His face was red, a noble high-light
shone upon the promontory Of his bald
pate, his mouth was open. \.
To the best Of his unconscious abil.
tty he was giving protracted imita
tion of dog fight; and he was really
exhibiting sublime virtuosity-one
readily distinguished individual howls
Igrowls, yelps against an undertone
made up Of the blended voices of ex
cited noncombatants.
AS suddenly as though someone
wearying Of the entertainment. had
lifted the needle from that record, II
was discontinued. The minister oi
WAR stirred uneasily in his sleep, NUT
tered a naughty word, opened one eye
Ocowlad. upeped the other.
Meade County news., 1916-06-01
CHAPTER XIII.
No Solution.

NO Solution.
Because his money was fast ebbing
and motives of prudence alone-if
none more worthy-forbade an attempt
to replenish his pocketbook by revisit
Ing the little place In the Rue Roget
and realizing on the treasures there,
he had determined to have {. taximeter
fitted to his car and ply for hire until
time or chance should settle the ques-
tion OF his future.
Already, indeed, he had complied
with the police regulations, received
permission . convert his machine in
to taxicab, and arranged to have the
clock installed.
Leaving his car before noon at the
designated depot, he received the prom
ise that 1t would be ready for him at
four o'clock. Returning at that hour,
he learned that 1t couldn't be ready be-
fore six. Facing wearily two hours
with nothing to do, and too bored and
restless to vile them away in cafe,
he idled listlessly hither and yon along
streets and Observation-Disclosures In
the black melancholy depressing HIM,
whether or not he were recognized.
In the course of his wanderings he
found himself turning from the Rue,
st. Honore through the Place Ven-
dome to the Rue de Ia Paix.
Before one corner window Lanyard
paused involuntarily.
In that window there was q mirror.
set at an angle to one side, and sud
denly Lanyard caught It's presentment
of himself-a gaunt and hungry appari-
ton, with q wolfish air he had never
worn when rejoicing in the sobriquet
OF wolf, his eyes staring with preda-,
cious luster.
And lest some passer-by be struck
by this betrayal, he turned and moved
on hastily.
Halfway across the Boulevard desl
Capucines, to the east of the Opera, he
leaped for his life from a murderous-
minded taxicab, found himself tempo-I
rarily marooned upon one OF those
isles Of safety which the Parisiani
calls "thank-G Gods" and stood waitingi
until an opening should offer in the
congestion Of traffic and permit him
to gain the farther sidewalk.
Presently the policeman In the mid,
die Of the boulevard signaled with hist
little white wand, and the stream OF
east-bound vehicles checked and be-
gan to close up to the right of thel
crossing. upon which they en-
croached jealously. A taxicab on thel
outside, next the island, overshot the
mark, and, obedient to q curt word |
from the sergent, pulled up sharply
and began to back into place. BeforeI
Lanyard could move round II, its
window had drawn opposite him and
he was staring in, transfixod by cas-
ual glance.
CTo BE CoNTINUED.)
IA
Meade County news., 1916-06-01
what Repeat-Are You Doing
THERE"


There"
tion of his naked shanks-had van
ished.
In high feather Lanyard was making
his way down to door at the rear of
the house which gave upon the gar
denim his new social status Of gov
ernmental protege disdaining any such
commonplace avenue as the conser-
vatory window whose fastening he had
forced on entering. And, boldly un-
bolting the door. he ran out into the
night to rejoin his beloved, like a new
man walking to new life.
But she was no more there-the
bench was vacant, the garden desert
ed, the gateway yawning to the street.
With the low, curt cry Of one stag
gered by brutal blow from trusted
hand, Lanyard turned from the bench
and stumbled out of the garden and to
the junction with the cross street. But
nowhere in the compass Of their per-
spectives could he see anything that
moved.
After some time he returned to the
garden and quartered 1t with the thor
oughness Of pointer beating covert.
But he did this hopelessly, bitterly
aware that the outcome would be pre-
cisely what It eventually was-that
is to say. nothing.
He was Lneeling beside the bench
scrutinizin0 the turf round about with
microscopic attention by aid Of his
hash-lamp, seeking some sign Of strug.
gle to prove she had not left him will
ingly; and hAdiRg none-when voice
Meade County news., 1916-06-01
CHAPTER XXI.
Enluma.

Lanyard had FOUND no reason 10 De-
lleve that Lucy had left him otherwise
than voluntarily, or that their adven-
lures at the homes Of Nine. Omber
and M. Ducroy had been noted by spies
of the Pack. The testimony of his own
wits assured him that they hadn't
been followed at any time subsequent
to leaving the Rue des Acacias; their
way had been too long and purposely
too involved, and his vigilance too
lively for that. Left to herself there
in the garden for quarter-hour, she
had been free to think independently
for almost the first time since she had
descended from the studio.
Then, horror overmastering her, she
had fed the garden-wildly, blindly,
he didn't doubt-and probably had
sought refuge in some obscure hotel
till morning. What then? She had
neither money nor any friends in
Paris, but had mentioned some per-
sonal jewelry she planned to pawn.
That would be her first move, then,
to a pawnbroker's, where he must
seek her-not to force himself again
upon her, but to follow at distance
and watch over her, to ward off any at
tempt on Bannon's part to interfere.
The government pawnshop had its
attraction for Lanyard as well; he was
there before the doors were open for
the day-was the first to enter; and
fortified by loans negotiated on his
watch, cigarette case, and O ring or
two, retired to a nearby cafe which
commanded view Of the entrance to
the establishment on the Rue des
Blancs-Manteaux and settled himself
against day-long vigil.
1t wasn't easy; drowslness buzzed In
his brain and weighted his eyelids;
now and again. involuntarily, he nod
ned over his glass Of black coffee. And
when evening came and the doors Of
the pawnshop were closed for the
night he rose and stumbled of, telling
himself that possibly he had mapped
a little without his knowledge and thus
had missed her visit.
Engaging obscure lodgings close by
the Rue des Acacias, he slept till near
ly noon Of the following day, then rose
to put into execution a design which
had sprung full-winged from his brain
at the moment of awakening.
He had his car and q chauffeur's H.
cense of long standing in the name OF
Pierre Lamier-was free, in short, to
cruise at will the streets Of Paris
without lawful let or hindrance. And
with the aid Of few judicious selec.
tions from the stock of q secondhand
clothing shop and Of few other pur-
chases at chemists. he felt tolerably
sure that It would need keen eyes
whether the Packs or the prefecture'e
to identify Pierre Lamier with either
Michael Lanyard or the Lone Wolf.
BY the close of the third day he re-
luctantly conceded that she must have
managed to escape from Paris without
his aid.
Then he began to suspect that Ban
non had fed Paris as well, for the
most diligent investigation he was
able to pursue unchallenged failed to
unearth the least clue to the move
ments Of the American subsequent to
the fire at Troyon's.
Now, toward midnight Of that same
third day, Lanyard was driving slowly
westward on ths Boulevard de la Made
leine when q limousine Of familiar
aspect rounded corner half q block
ahead and. drawing up in front Of
viel's, discharged four passengers.
The nrst was Wertheimer.. and at
Meade County news., 1916-06-01
CHAPTER xx-contInued.

They had to walk as far as the
Place de Trocadero before Lanyard
found q cab, which he later dismissed
at the corner of the Faubourg st. Ger
main.
Another brief walk brought them to
. gate in the garden wall Of q resi-
dence situated at the junction Of two
quiet streets.
"This, l think, ends our Partisan
wanderings," Lanyard announced. IF
you'll be good enough to keep an eye
for busybodies-and yourself as in
conspicuous as possible in the recess
of this doorway"
And he walked back to the curb,
measuring the wall with his eye.
What are you going to do?"
He responded by doing 1t SO swiftly
that she gasped with surprise; pausing
momentarily within yard Of the walk,
he gathered himself together, shot up
dithely into the air, caught the top
curbing with both hands, and She
heard the soft thud of his feet on the
earth of the enclosure, and the latch
grated behind her as the door opened.
For the last time," Lanyard
laughed quietly from the aperture,
''permit me to invite you to break the
law by committing an act of trespass!"
Securing the door, he led her to a
garden bench secluded amid conven-
tional shrubbery.
"If you'll wait here" he suggested
ErWell, 1t will be best. I'll be back as
soon as possible, though may be de-
tanned some time. Still, inasmuch az
I'm about to break into this house, my
motives, which are most commendable,
may be misinterpreted, and I'd rather
you waited here, with the street at
hand. If you hear noise like trouble
you've only to unlatch the gate. But
let's trust that my purely benevolent
Intentions toward the French republic
won't be mlsconstrued!
"Pll watt" she assured him bravely;
"but won't you tell me-"
With a hand he indicated the man
sion towering above them.
I'm going to break in there to pay
an early morning call and impart some
interesting information to person oi
considerable consequence - nobody
less, in fact, than M. Ducroy."
"And who Is he?"
"The present minister Of war. We
haven't as yet the pleasure Of each
others acquaintance; still think he
won't be sorry to see me. In brief,
mean to make him a present Of the
Huysman plans and bargain for safe
conduct for us both from France"
Impulsively she offered her hand
and, when he somewhat diffidently
took 1t, she gave his fingers a firm
compelling pressure with her own.
BE CAREFUL" she whispered broken
Iy, her pale, sweet face upturned u
his. ooh, do be careful! am afraid
for you"
And for a moment the temptation
to take her in his arms seemed strong
or than any he had ever known.
But reminding himself that he had
voluntarily stipulated for years pro
bation, he released her hand with an
tncoherent humble, turned, and hastily
disappeared in the direction of the
house.
Meade County news., 1916-06-01

The present population Of the earth
IL about 1Abo pillioaA
Meade County news., 1916-06-01

CTo BE coNTrNUED.)
The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-09-09
ARE FACING THE INEVITABLE
Churches Can't Fight Autos, But They
Can Make Them of
Service.

To fight fire with fire is an admir-.
able method where fire is concerned
and other extinguishers fail. Why
shouldn't the application of the sys-
TEN be serviceable in other fields?
Like cures like, and there are poisons
that neutralize n apother, the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer observes.
Now for the special applications.
The churches, many of them, realize
that the automobile is not an ncour
ager of church going. The allure
ments of a ride through the town, or
about the countryside, are hard to re-
sist. The automobile is responsible
for many empty seats. What can be
done about it?
In certain churches all they do is
to lament the affection. They can't
legislate against it; they can't bar 1t
from the streets. 1t has come to stay,
no doubt, but they said the same
thing of the bicycle. Anyway, the
automobile is here, and 1t is very COM
Portable, and very exhilarating, and
very alluring. How can these charms
be met?
A Philadelphia congregation thinks
it can answer the question in a prac-
teal way. IRstead of standing back
and abusing the cars, it comes to the
front each Sunday and marshais its
automobiles and sends them out right
and left with orders to gather up the
parishioners and give them a free ride
to church. It's a delicate attention
and not to be lightly turned down.
The congregation realizes it can't fight
the automobile, and so 1t f~raternizes
with them.
The plan Is said to work well. The
plan Of giving motion picture shows
under church auspices is said to work
well, too. And the lesson would seem
to be that it is well to meet the in
evitable and make the best OF 1t.
The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-09-09

Of them show a closer adjustment to
the figure, above the waistline, than
for several seasons. Collars are high,
usually of the turnover variety. Skirts
and coats remain full, and for trim
ming there is the choice of fur or fur
fabrics, braid, buttons, and machine
stitching. Skirts have been made
longer also and appear in both ankle
and inStep lengths. But it remains to
be proved that women will make a
fashion of this feature of the new
models. The skirt cut to reach a lit
tie below the shoe top has so much to
recommend it. For the street suit it
is easy to walk in, clean, and smart
looking. Some designers have pinned
their faith 70 the tailored skirt of a
sensible length, and in this one in
stance, anyway, sensible goes hand in