Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-02-03


/ You won't tell us?" the girl pro-
tested, with a little moue Of disap.
pointment as the Frenchman paused
provokingly.
Perhaps I should not. And yet
why not? AS l say, it was elementary
reasoning-a mere matter of logical
deduction and elimination. Ore 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, grinning like a
mischievous 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 a corner of his eye reserved for
Roddy-speculating whether De Nor
bihan we're telling the truth or only
boasting for his own glorification.
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
a bachelor, with no close friends. That
is clear, l 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 n is
doomed to share ones secrets, how
ever reluctantly, even unconsciously
| with a wife, a mistress, a child, OF
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
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 tc
seek such q 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, Swallowing him across Eu
rope and back again. He was in Der
lin at the time Of the famous Rhein
hart robbery, though he compasset
that coup without detection; he wa!
in Vienna when the British embassy
there was looted, but escaped by ;
clever ruse and managed to dispose
Of his plumber before the agents of thu
surete could lay hands on him; re
Gently he has been in London, ant
there he made love to and ran away
with the diamonds of a certain lad!
Of some eminence. You have heart
of Nine. Omber. eh?"
Now by Roddy's expression it wa
plain that, if Nine. Omber's nam,
wasn't strange in his hearing, at leas
he found this news about her mos
surprising. He was staring openly
with a sIackened jaw and stupefactiol
in his blank, blue eyes,.
Lanyard gently pinched the small
end of a cigar, dipped it into his dem
tasse, and lighted it with not so nue.
as a suspicion of tremor. His brair
however, was working rapidly in tn
effort to determine whether De MOI
bihan meant this for a warning or wa
simply narrating an amusing var
founded on advance information an
amplified by an ingenious imagine
ton. For by the news of tn
Omber affair must have thrilled man
a continental telegraph wire.
Mime. Omber-of counsel" tn
American agreed thoughtfully. "E,
eryone has heard Of her wonderft
diamonds. The real marvel is that tn
Lone Wolf neglected so shining a mar
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 well-with such hast
as would seem to indicate he knew h
cunning hand had for once slipped"
Then they'll nab him soon?"
"Ah, monsieur, one must say +
more!" De Morbihan protested. "Rei
assured that the chief of the suret
has laid his plans-his web is spu,
and so artfully that | think our u
sociable outlaw will soon be maxim
friends in the prison of the Sante. B,
now we must adjourn. One is sorr
1t has been SO very pleasant"
A waiter conjured the bill fro
some recess of his waistcoat al
l. served it on a clean plate to the Anne
Q lean. Another ran bawling for Il
5. cloakroom attendant. Roddy glue
O. his gaze afresh to the Daily Mail. I'll
o party rose.
I. Lanyard noticed that the Americs
signed the bill instead Of settling
ID with cash. indicating that he resid,
at Trcyon's as well as dined ther
!" And the adventurer found time to /
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