Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-02-23
Disaster,

having 1ulnlleO MS purpose OIL mah-
ing himself acquainted with the indi-
viduals composing the opposition,
Lanyard shut the door in their faces,
thrust his hands in his pockets, and
sauntered downstairs, chuckling, his
nose in the air, on the best Of terms
with himself.
True, the fat was in the fire and
well ablaze-he had to look to himself
now and go warily in the shadow Of
their enmity. But it was something
to have faced down those four, If he
wasn't seriously impressed by any one
OF them.
Popinot, perhaps, was the most
dangerous, vindictive animal, and
the creatures he controlled a murder
Gus lot-drug-ridden, drink bedeviled,
vicious little rats of Belleville, who'd
knife a man for the price of an alb
sinthe But Popinot wouldn't move
without leave from De Morbihan, and
unless Lanyard's calculations were Sc
riously miscast, De Morbihan would
restrain both himself and his associ-
ates until thoroughly convinced Lam
yard was impregnable against every
form of suasion.
Murder was something bit out OF
De Morbihan's line-something which.
at least, he could be counted on to
hold In reserve. And by the time he
was ready to employ it, Lanyard
would be we'll beyond his reach. Vert.
heimer, too, would deprecate violence
until all else had failed; his half-caste
type was cowardly. and towards kill
only impulsively, before they've had
time to weigh the consequences. There
remained "Smith"-enigma;a man ap-
parently gifted with both intelligence
and character But If so, what the
deuce was he doing in such company?
Lanyard's place at the table Of che
min de fer had been filed by another,
and, too impatient to await vacancy,
he wandered on to the salon dedicated
to roulette, tested his luck by stalking
q note of 500 francs on the black, won,
and incontinently subsidized into a
chair and oblivion for the space of
three-Quarters of an hour.
At the end of that period he found
himself minus his heavy winnings at
chemin de fer and the ten thousand
francs of his reserve fund as we'll.
By way of lining to his pockets
there remained precisely the sum
which he had brought into Paris that
same evening, less subsequent general
expenses.
The experience was no novelty in
his history. He rose, less resentful
than regretful that his i'll luck obliged
him to quit just when play was grow
ing most interesting, and resignedly
sought the cloakroom.
And there he found De Morbihan-
Notwithstanding all garmented for
the street, mouthing a huge cigar and
wearing a look of impatient discon-
tent.
AT last!" he cried in an aggrieved
tone as Lanyard appeared. "You do
take your time, my friend!"
Lanyard smothered with smile
whatever emotion was his.
Il don't suppose you really meant
to- wait for me-" he parted, with
double meaning, both to humor De
Morbiban and hoodwink the attendant
What do you think % retorted the
count with asperity-"that I'm willing
to stand by and let you moon around
Paris at this hour of the morning,
hunting for a taxicab that isn't there
and running God knows what risk Of
being stuck up by some misbegotten
Apache? But I should say not! I
mean to take you home in my car.
though it cost me a halfhour of beauty
sleep not lightly to be forfeited at
my age!"
The significance that underlay the
semihumorous petulance of the little
man was not wasted.
you're most amiable, M. lie Comte!"
Lanyard said thoughtfully, while the
attendant produced his hat and coat.
*'But now, if you're ready, won't de-
lay you longer" %.
In, another moment they were out
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