River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-01-20


You won't tell us?" the girl pro-
tested, with a little moue Of disap-
pointment as the Frenchman paused
provokingly.
Perhaps l should not. And yet
why not? As say, it was elementary
reasoning-a mere matt@r 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.
mo? l must continue? Very well;
l confess to some little pride. 1t was
a feat. He is cunning, that one!"
De Morbihan paused and shifted
sidewise IN his chair, grinhing like
mischievous child.
BY this maneuver, thanks to the ar
rangement Of mirrors lining the walls,
he commanded an indirect view of
Lanyard, fact of which the latter
was not unaware, though his express
sion remained unchanged as he sat
with cerner Of his eye reserved for
Roddy-speculating whether De Nor
bihan were telling the truth or only
Boosting for his own glorifcation.
''Do go on-please!" the girl begged
prettily.
Il can deny you nothing, mademoi-
selle. Well, then! From what little
was known Of this mysterious crea-
ture, one readily inferred he must be
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 unconsciously,
with wife, mistress, a child, or
with some trusted friend. And 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-
cally friendless. 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
Understanding 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
net of suspicion, carefully scrutinized,
and one by one let go-all except one,
the veritable man. Him they sedulous-
ly watched, shadowing him across 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
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 1t 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 cigar, dipped it into his demi
tasse, and lighted it with not so much
as a suspicion of tremor. His brain,
effort to determine whether De Nor
bihan meant this for a warning or was
simply narrating an amusing yarn
founded on advance information and
amplified by an ingenious imagina-
ton. For by now the news Of the
Omber affair must have thrilled many
continental telegraph wire.
Nine. Omber-of counsel" the
American agreed thoughtfully. CIV
eryone has heard of her wonderful
diamonds. The real marvel is that the
Lone Wolf neglected so shining mark
as long as he did
but truly so, monsieur"
"And they caught him at it, eh?"
mot precisely; but he left a cue
and London as well-with such haste
as would seem to indicate he knew HIS
cunning hand had for once slipped"
Then they'll nab him soon?"
"Ah, monsieur, one must say no
more!" De Morbihan protested. REST
assured that the chief of the surete
has laid his plans-his web is spun,
and so artfully that l think our un-
sociable outlaw will soon be making
friends in the prison Of the Sante. But
now we must adjourn. One is sorry.
1t has been so very pleasant"
A waiter conjured the bill from
some recess Of his waistcoat and
served it on clean plate to the Amer
ican An0tbor ran having for tho