The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-02-19


/ You won't tell us?" the girl pro-
| tested, with a little moue of disap-
pointment as the Frenchman paused
provokingly.
Perhaps 1 should not And yet
why not? AS say. it was elementary
reasoning-a mere matter Of logical
deduction and elimination. One made
up ones mind the Lone Wolf must be
a certain type of man; the rest was
simply Sitting France for the man to
fit the theory and then watching him
until he gave himself away"
You're not going to stop there?"
the American demanded in an ag
grieved tone.
No? l must continue? Very well;
1 confess to some little pride. 1t was
! a feat He is cunning, that one!"
De Morbihan paused and shifted
sidewise in his chair, grinning like
mischieyous child.
By this maneuver. thanks to the ar
rangement of mirrors lining the walls,
he commanded an indirect view of
| Lanyard, a fact of which the latter
was not unaware, though his express
sion remained unchanged as he sat
with corner of his eye reserved for
Roddy-speculating whether De Nor
bihan were telling the truth or only
boasting for his own glorifcation.
DO go on-pleaseI" the girl begged
prettily.
81 can deny you nothing, mademoi-
se1le. Well, then! From what little
was known of this mysterious crea-
ture, one readily inferred he must be
a bachelor, with no close friends. That
is clear, I trust?"
Too deep for me, my friend" the
| elderly man confessed.
"Impenetrable reticence," the count
expounded - and enjoying himself
hugely-"isn't possible in the human
relations. Sooner or later one is
doomed to share ones secrets, how
ever reluctantly, even unconsciousIy.
7 with a wife, mistress. a child, or
with some trusted friend. And a Sc
cret between two is-a prolific breeder
of platitudes! Granted this line OF
reasoning, the Lone Wolf is of neces-
sity not only unmarried, but practi
caIIy friendIess. Other attributes of
his will obviously comprise youth,
courage, imagination, a rather high or
der Of intelligence, and a social posi-
tion-let us say, rather. an ostensible
business enabling him to travel at
| will hither and yon without exciting
comment. So far, good!
my friend, the chief of the surete.
forthwith commissioned his agents to
seek such a one, and by this means
several fine fish were enmeshed in the
| 17e Cd
and one by one let go-all except one.
the veritable man. Him the sedulous-
ly watched, shadowing him cross Eu-
rope and back again He was in Ber-
lin at the time of the famous Rhein-
hart robbery, though he comprised
that coup without detection; he was
in Vienna when the British embassy
there was looted, but escaped by a
clever ruse and managed to dispose
of his plumber before the agents of the
surete could lay hands on him; re
Gently he has been in London, and
there he made love to and ran away
with the diamonds of a certain lady
of some eminence. You have heard
of Nine Omber, eh ?"
Now by Roddy's expression it was
plain that, if Nine Omber's name
wasn't strange in his hearing, at least
he found this news about her most
surprising. He was staring openly
with a slackened jaw and stUpefaction
in his blank, blue eyes.
Lanyard gently pinched the small
end of a cigar, dipped it into his demi
tasse, and lighted it with not so much
as a suspicion Of tremor. His brain
| hrTr IN = h.
effort to determine whether De Nor
bihan meant this for a warning or was
simply narrating an amuging yarr
founded on advance information and
amplifed by an ingenious imagina
ton. For by now the news of the
Omber affair must have thrilled many
| a continental telegraph wire.
| Mime. Omber-of course!" the
American agreed thoughtfully. CIV
eryone has heard of her wonderful
diamonds. The real marvel is that thu
| Lone Wolf neglected so shining mari
| as long as he did"
| But truly so, monsieur!"
! And they caught him at it, eh? '
Not precisely; but he left a clue
| and London as weIl-with such hast
as would seem to indicate he knew hi
cunning hand had for once slipped"
| Then they'll nab him soon?"
'Ah, monsieur, ore must say n
more!" De Morbihan protested. RES
assured that the chief of the suret
has laid his plans-his web is spur
and so artfulIy that l think our u1
sociable outlaw will soon be maxim
friends in the prison of the Sante Blu
now we must adjourn. One is sorry
It has been so very pleasant"
A waiter conjured the bill fro1
II some recess OF his waistcoat an
J. served it on clean plate to the Anne
.e lean. Another ran bawling for til
s. cloakroom attendant, Roddy glue
E. his gaze afresh to the Daily Mail. Tn
,e party rose.
f. Lanyard noticed that the America
IS signed the bill instead of settling
ID with cash, Indicating that he reside
N at Troyon's as well as dined Their
:" And the adventurer found time to r