The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-07-06
BY Arnold Fredericks
Copyright by the
Frank A. Munsey Co.
Continued from our last issue.)
CHAPTER TX.

left the prefecture IN hiSh-po"
cred car. Alphonse Valentin was
at the wheel. She held a pocket
electric searchlight across the
front of which had been affixed a
circular bit of blue glass.
Arrived at Versailles, she Or
dered Valentin to turn and drive
back to Paris at moderate speed,
while she kept watch for the car
containing Mr.. Stapleton.
Her half of the plan had work.
ed. She only hoped the other
part had been carried out with
equal success.
The other part of the plan had
been this: Monsieur Lefevre, who
in general appearance was not UNI
like Mr.. Stapleton, was to follow
the latter's car in a machine OF
the same make. He was to be
driven by chauffeur made up
to resemble Francois. In the bot
tom of the car two armed men
lay concealed.
When the car containing Mr..
Stapleton turned back toward
Paris, after having delivered the
money to Grace, the project would
continue toward Versailles. He
would know that the car con-
tanning the kidnapers was still
ahead of him; since, had it not
been, 1t, instead of Grace's car,
would have signaled Mr.. Staple
ton.
The plan was we'll conceived;
but unfortunately II did not work.
None of the cars which passed the
project displayed the telltale blue
light. He returned to the project
ure in great disgust.
Grace was waiting for him.
Here is the money" she said,
placing the package on his desk.
Ibid you get the mem"
''No. There must have been
some way in which these fellows
knew the Stapleton car when they
approached it-some signal. Did
you observe anything peculiar
about the appearance of his car,
anything that might have served
to enable these fellows to recog-
nize it?"
Grace thought a moment, then
her face fell. There was one
thing. The electric headlight on
the side nearest me was working
badly. In fact, 1t seemed to be al
most ont. The other was burnin q
brilliantly"
The project spring to his feet.
"Sacre." he exclaimed. .-"Of
course. The thing is as plain as
the nose on your face! Francois!
The fellow is In this thing up to
his neck. Had there been any one
In that car with Mr.. Stapleton,
those lights would both have
been burning with equal bright
ness, as mine WERE"
There was knock at the
door. The project rose, and open
ed it; then turned to Grace with
a grim smile. Your husband is
waiting in the ante room," he
whispered. "Wait in here"
Monsieur Lefevre opened the
door to his private office. "You
can hear everything quite plain
ly."
Duvall came into the projects
office, somewhat Ill at ease.
"Sit down, my dear Duvall,"
said the project, shaking hands
with him warmly. What brings
you to Paris?"
THE mysterious kidnapping of
the child of M. Stapleton."
Monsieur Lefevre affected to
be greatly surprised. "Is is pos
sible, mon ami? That is bad news
indeed. This fellow Stapleton no
longer has confidence in my Of
flee. He retains you to do that
which he believes / shall fail to
do. Have you made any pro-
gress?"
Yes. Tonight I put in opera
ton plan whereby / might iden-
tify an automobile containing the
kidnapers, into which Stapleton
had been directed to throw a
package containing 800, 900"
And did you succeed in identi-
flying it?"
II did. I stopped the car at the
Porte de Versailles. The car was
driven by a man named Alphonse
Valentin, who, have every rea-
son to suspect, is concerned in
this affair. It's only other occu-
pant was woman-whom | met
last night in Valentin's rooms,
and who brought Mr.. Stapleton a
message from the kidnapers. This
woman is, believe, at the bottom
of the whole thing"
The project picked up the pack
age containing the money which
lay upon his desk. ~ do not agree
with you, my friend. Here is Mon
sieur Stapleton's money. arrang-
ed to get 1t, in order to prevent
Monsieur Stapleton from making
a fool of himself. / wish to cap
ture these men-not to let them
blackmail him out of a million
francs"
Had you not interefered, Mon
sieur Lefevre, they would have
been in my hands by now. I
would have had them safely the
moment they attempted to enter
Paris. / knew their car"
"How?"
by means of device with
which Mr.. Stapleton's car was
equipped, the body of the one in
1 - xxrhtAL H. \.