The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-04-29
CHAPTER xf.
M Dumas RrAnprsrn

/ CHAPTER xf.
NJ Dumas ReAppeara
when Grace Duvall recovered
her senses she found herself in a
small but rather comfortably fur.
pished room. which appeared 10 be
a sort OF living room or library.
She was not bound or confined
In any way. and. 30 far aa she
could see. she was quito alone.
But at that moment the door az the
rear of tho room opened and two
persons came in. They were tho
man who had represented himself
AH George Vernon. and the woman
who had been with her in the cab.
only one thing 10 do" the man
growled. The game n up. We've
got 20 get this woman out OF the
way. secure tho money as early ms
possible tomorrow, and leave
Paris at once. Take that scarf
from the shelf there and tic her
wrists"
what do you moan 70 do with
herr" asked tho woman. AZ she
bound the scarf about the girls
arms.
"FrI her 40 that shs oan never
bother us again. even after we
leave Paris"
Grace's heart almost stopped
beating as she heard the mans
words.
None OF the party had observed
a shadowy form which had been
! standing partly hidden by one OF
tho heavy curtains which hung be-
| fore tho windows. Now the figure
advanced. II was man. His
face was CHASTITY pale-so pale. In
decd. ms 10 soem unreal. II was
~ Dumas.
Suddenly Vernon. glancing up.
saw his face. with a scream OF
terror. he fell back against the
table.
The woman. turning nj his cry.
also saw the strange apparition.
and. with a groan. tainted and
| pitched hcadlong 20 the floor.
Grace. confined as abe was in
tho chair. did not at first realize
tho cause Of their terror. BY turn.
Ing her head abe. too. caught a
glimpse OF the stranger. and the
sight filled her with a wonderful
sense OF relief and Joy.
We'll. NJ Hartmann" said Du-
mas hgreeably, we meet again.
and again you are about 10 com
NIT a murder"
The mans teeth continued to
chatter. lie had supposed Dumas
dead and buried.
Il have come" Dumas went on,
ito get the franc piece you have
stolen from Mile. Mercier.S
His words apparently convinced
the other man that he was dealing
with . human being and not an ap-
partition.
His hand swept toward his hip
pocket. Before Il got there. how.
ever. Dumas had drawn his own
revolver and leyeled II At the
mans head.
Put the franc on the table. my
friend" he commanded peremptor.
lily. and make up your mind that
your little game 10 quite played
out"
He moved A. he spoke toward
the door and. still keeping Hart.
mann covered with the revolver.
turned tho key. Then he took
blew upon II . long. shrili blast
Almost Immediately tho door
was pushed open and vernct ap-
peared. followed by two gen.
darmcs. Search him" said Du.
mas quietly. He must have the
franc concealed somewhere about
his person"
The search. under vernet's
skilled hands. soon revealed that
this was the case.
Duyall took tho franc piece
and slipped II into his pocket
This time. my friend" he said
grimly. you will not get IL back. I"
He turned TO Vernet. Il viii
explain the whole affair TO you
tomorrow. vernet Such parts OF
Il as am not familiar with. the
prisoner VIII. no doubt, supply.
He might Just ms we'll confess, and
10 may result In some slight miti.
CATION OF his punishment.
Just now. ! think | had better
take Mrs. Duvall home. She has
been thru frightful ordeal. and
must be worn out. will see you
at the prefecture In the morning"
Half an hour later. in their room
at tho Ritz. Duvall was explaining
to Grace his movements since leav
ing her at Havre.
I'VE arrived in Paris nearly four
hours before you did" he told her,
and had no difficulty whatever in
tracing Vernon TO tho house to
which you were later taken by the
woman.
II was across the street, In n
bake-shop, when you arrived with
the woman. Il was then nearly
dark. but saw that something had
happened. for the woman waited
until the man came down 10 her,
and then they walked you between
them up the stairs, as tho you had
suddenly been taken sick
Il at once sent word TO Vernet
TO Join me, and went up the stairs.
The man and woman. as ascer.
tanned by looking thru tho key
hole. put you In a chair, and. while
waiting for you to recover con.
sciousness.--you had been chioro-
formed--went into the dining room
at the rear and ate their dinner.
Il opened the door with n skele.
ton key. entered the room. hid be.
hind n curtain in a dark corner,
and waited"