Tombstone epitaph., 1916-01-30

. magical effect upon Felix. First of all he sought out Helen Bertel "I shall have to use you after all" he excused himself; what I want you to do only a woman can" He laid the whole ugly story before her and gave her an address.
 That is where Mrs. Hubert valette. Idabelle's mother. lives; she was the yelled woman. Unquestionably you will find her greatly distressed. and it will require a woman's sympathy, in- sight and tact to get her to yield up her story. l can guess 1t pretty ac- curately, but l want it from her own lips.
 While you are gone I mean to pay my respects to one of New York's honored citizens; l want to let him know just how he stands in the opin- ion of all decent men"
 And women," added Helen. But he won't see you"
 | Hazard smiled grimly. He will, though he averred with quiet assur. ance
 His uptown journey ended at the imposing and busy office of Maxwell Howe, and after he had sent in his card. as Helen had foretold, the fa- nous engineer refused to see him.
 Give me a sheet of paper and an envelope" the detective demanded of the stenographer in a tone that |
 If you don't grant me an immedi- ate audience. every afternoon paper in New York shall ring with the story of Idabelle Valette''
 This he sealed in the envelope and sent in to Howe. By way of reply he was shown into the latter's private oGcc.
 The detective wasted no time in getting down to the object of his call. His manner was stern and compelling, and the large. impressive-looking man who watched him with filmed eyes re- mained silent and impassive.
 Mir. Howe have not come here to preach you a sermon" Hazard began but to make my meaning clear and unmistakable. there are few things l mean to tell you.
 God has given you a great gift, and that you have seen fit to debase 1t and drag it through the muck and mire does not in the least concern me where you alone are affected. But you are beast unclaimed and so con stitute a deadly peril to all within the sphere of your influence. Contact with you is poisonous, fatal. I wan, to impress upon your mind that you are now chained so that you will moi bring utter ruin upon the heads of your innocent family. In the office of the Sutherland detective agency is complete detailed statement of wha, l suppose you are pleased to call your amusements and recreations, covering period of the last three years; with that statement are the names of scores of witnesses whose testimony can not be refuted. Try only once again tc bring ruin to an innocent girl, to wrech the life of an earnest, hard-workins young man. and that statement will be given to the world. Not even your power and influence can save you from disgrace, humiliation and prison walls"
 Hazard took a step forward and shook a finger in the others face.
 "Harken, Maxwell Howe" he sol emnly concluded, even now you car hear the clank Of chains and the echo of the warden's tread. May they ring constantly in your ears as a remind CT of what I have told you today"
 Still tLe man sat as if petrified Fe lix Hazard moved over to the door where he paused for parting shot
 Just a final word of counsel, MT Howe" he said meaningly. Don make any more attempts to kidnaI me; the result will only spell disaster to yourself. Call your dogs of"
 Not many minutes later Hazard ant Helen Bartel were comparing notes Mrs. Valette she had found utterl! broken and prostrated; but excepting that she confirmed all the facts now 1T Hazards possession, Helen's mission had not been altogether successful.
 T could not persuade her to tall about what happened in Bardeene! private office" said Helen. "She sol emnly declared that that episode il between her ana God, and wild horses couldn't drag 1t from her.
 As for the rest, she talked freel! enough. Idabelle is dead; she died il an. Elizabethtown sanitarium nv weeks ago. David Bardeene. if he wer' - alive, would be liable on a serious crim ! inai charge. He knew it, and whel : Mrs. valette wrote him threatening !. letters he was simply terriied-he los - his head.
 7 "In one of her letters Mrs. Vaiette en closed a blank calling card. She tolt i, him: Unless you make reparation I your life shall become as this card-i g blank,' He knew the significance o g the card that George Destin brough him on the fatal day.
 Hazard thoughtfully nodded hi Q head. T know all that I need know g Mrs. valette did not slay Bardeene a if she had she would have told you. The talk that Hazard had witt a George Destin was a long one, and dur '- ing its course the young mans heay '- and soul lay naked under the scalpe l. oS ua,ord'a eeorchiu1 analvais nf th