The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-04-27
NEXT wEEk-"sUNsHlNu JANE" ...............

III means remarked Dumas
slowly. that this IN tho real letter
that your father wrote TO you on
his death bed. II means that the
man who left here n short time ago
In not Charles Vernon an he calls
himself, but Hartmann. the muir.
derer OF George Vernon and OF
Reinhardt. the doctor. And fear
Il also means" he concluded sor.
rowfully, that whatever was I'm
that letter II lost 10 us forever"
Can you read II at all7" Mile.
MERCER asked. as she gazod long
lngly at the charred and crumbling
letter. Il would be so happy 10
know what my fathers dying mes
sage was"
Dumas took a BIT OF paper from
the desk and, kneeling down be-
fore the fireplace. proceeded 10
make a copy OF such parts and
words OF tho letter as were still
legibie.
After n time he rose and placed
the result OF his labors on the
table. This is all that I can make
out" he said. Il fear II will be
scarcely ineligible"
She bent over tho copy which he
had made. The fragment transiat.
ed. was ms follows:
MT BELOVED pAuuHTERi
I am sending
piece II ia my legacy
When you set ~. taks
~ into the eye
vii then be thrown on
tho aoln. Pull
stand why I have
great fortune dis
~ the coin. Wills cisa
csathbsd. n 10 IN.
Napoleon rs. your for
child. and 40
poor ! embraces
you nay love and a thou
kisses
Your iovinr Fashsr.
ALrnossE NERO
ut seems very clear, made
moiselle." Dumas said presently.
that this letter refers 10 a grea,
fortune which the onefranc piece
was to enable you TO obtain. wha,
this fortune 10. and how to secure
II. 10 undoubtedly known 20 Hart.
mann and his companion"
But | do not understand" said
Mile. MERCER. how. since these
men once had the coin In their
possession. they ever lost II again.
The girl looked at him. You
monsieur" she said. ARE by no
means n teacher OF music"
NO" laughed Dumas. Il am
not To be frank with you. am
a detective working entirely In
your interests. NJ. Germaine. the
managing director OF the Trans
atlantic Line. has placed the case
In my hands"
oh" Sh. seemed 10 be re.
lieved And what IL your theory
4 can only explain Il all. made
moiseile. upon the theory that by
som. carelessness. they actually
put the real coin. instead OF the
substitute ono. I'm vernon's poke,
along with the forged letter.
All. I SOC. But that wns the one
Mr.. Morris gave ma"
Yes"
And I brought II here tonight
and this man said II was not the
one"
Dumas smiled. NO. When you
showed me the franc IN my room
at the hotel this afternoon. I sub
stituted II for ono I already had"
Mile. Mercier smiled 1oyfully
Then you still have NJ" she CT.
claimed. "oh--i am 40 glad"
Dumas face fell. He looked a,
tho girl with an expression OF the
deepest regret.
Il have been very foolish" he
said. Instead OF placing your
property In safe keeping before
coming hero tonight | placed II In
my waistcoat pocket"
But" exclaimed the girl. they
did not find It when they searched
you,"
Dumas explained how he man.
aged 10 secrcte the coin IN the box
OF cigars. and how. by some curious
twist OF fate. Hartmann had at the
last moment taken tho cigars along
with him.
Suddenly n new idea occurred 10
NJ. Dumas. lie brought his hand
down heavily on the table. then be.
gan 20 look for his hat
This gas has made me thick.