The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-27

Dumas explained how he man
aged to secrete the coin in the box
of cigars. and how, by some cur
ious twist of fate, Hartmann had
at the last moment taken the
cigars along with him.
Suddenly a new idea occurred
to M. Dumas. He brought his hand
down heavily on the table, then
began to look for his hat.
This gas has made me thick
headed" he growled. 1--WE must
hurry back to the Hotel Rocham-
beau at once"
1t was close to half past one
when the taxicab containing M.
Dumas and Mile. Mercier reached
the hotel. Dumas quickly mounted
the steps and began to pull the
old-fashioned doorbell with great
violence.
Presently a tousled head
emerged from one of the upper
windows, and a voice demanded
to know the cause of the row.
"As you perceive, monsieur"
Dumas cried excitedly in French,
I cannot get in. Do you then call
this place a hotel?"
The man at the window began
to mutter curses on-the head of
the night porter, withdrew his
head and started down the stairs.
Dumas and his companion wait
ed eagerly In the vestibuls. In a
few minutes they heard a great
commotion within, above which
the voice of the proprietor could
be heard-bellowing with rage.
Then he threw open the door.
Dumas entered. Mile. Msrcier
followed. The proprietor confront
ed them in his nightgown. BE
hold, monsieur" he cried, and
waved his hands dramatically to-
ward the little office.
Hartmann and his companion
had not only burslarized the hotel
safe, but, what was far more i'm
portant, had already escaped. The
little office was in a condition of
extreme disorder. The safe door
stood open, and the floor in front
of 1t was Uttered with papers.
On a chair near the window sat
the unfortunate night porter,
blindfolded, gagged and bound
hand and foot. The proprietor
strobe over to him and snatched
the bandages from his egea and
mouth. Speak, you scoundrel! 4"
he roared. What has happened?"
The porter rose unsteadily,
Il was reading the paper" he
said. There came a ring at the
door bell. l opened the door. Then
some one seized me by the
throat. He rubbed his ieck rue
fully. 81 was chicken, AiSessjeurs.
l could not cry out could do
nothing. Then they tied me up,
as you have seen. After that
heard an explosion. very faint, and
that Is all I know"
They" exclaimed the proprie-
tor. Who are they?"
"A man and q woman, smon-
sieur. That is all I know. The
man had short black beard"
M. Dumas returned at once to
his hotel and ascended to the
apartments of M. Lefevre. From
that moment M. Dumas ceased to
exist.
Half an hour later the project
and Richard Duvall were seated
in the latter's room, anxiously
Awaiting some word from Grace.
At half past nine o'clock the
next morning the two sat opposite
each other, across the breakfast
table. There was still no news of
Grace. IF we do not hear with
In the next half hour" said Duvall
his face pale and careworn, 81
shall notify the police"
AS II in answer to his words, a
bellboy came through the dining
room, calling his name and that of
M. Lefevrs.
/ Duvall called to him. The boy
came up and handed him q tele-
graph company's envelope, upon
which was written in pencil, "Mr.
Richard Duvall or M. Etienne
Lefevre."
He tore the envelope open and
drew out a telegraph blank. Upon
1t was written:
Am aboard Richlieu. May sail.
No time for more now. Will re-
port by wireless. GRACE.
Sailing on the Richelieu!
Diable! What does that mean?"
exclaimed the project.
1T means, monsieur" exclaim-
ed Duvall, rising, that Grace is
ten times cleverer than both OF us
put, together. Come" He hastily
signed his check and they made
for the elevator.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Room With Three Doors.
In deciding to follow the man
she took to be Hartmann, and bis
woman companion, Grace acted
upon one of those impulses whith
are the. result of intuition, rather
than logic.