River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-04-13
CHAPTER xxx-c7ntinued.

For the present, however, Lanyard
wasn't taking any. He met that chal-
lenge with look of blank noncompre-
hension, folded his arms, lounged
against the desk, and watched Nine.
On1ber acknowledge, none too cordial
~, the sergent's query.
Il am Nine. Omber-yes. What can
DO for your"
The sergent gaped.
"Pardon!" he stammered, then
laughed as one who tardily appreci-
ates a joke. 1T is well we are here in
time, madame" he though it
would seem you have not had great
trouble with this miscreant. Where is
the woman?"
He moved a pace toward Lanyard
handouts jingled in his grasp.
"A moment, II you pleased" madame
interposed. Woman? What woman?"
Pausing, the sergent explained in a
tone Of surprise:
His accomplice, naturally! Such
were our instructions-to proceed at
once to madame's home, enter quietly
by way of the servants entrance
which would be open-and arrest
burglar with his female accomplish"
Again the stout sergent moved to-
ward Lanyard; again Nine. Omber
stopped him.
"One moment, If you pleased"
Her eyes, dense with mystifcatiOn
and suspicion, questioned Lanyard's,
who, with significant nod toward the
jewel case still in her hands, gave her
a look of dumb entreaty.
After brief hesitation, at is a mis-
take" madame declared; there is no
woman in this house that | know Of
who has no right to be here. But
you say you received a message?
sent nOne!"
The fat sergent shrugged. THAT is
not for me to dispute, madame. have
only my information to go by"
He glared sullenly at Lanyard, who
returned a placid smile which, despite
what little hope was to be derived
from madames irresolute manner,
masked a vast amount Of trepidatiOn.
He felt toIerably sure Nine. Omber
had not summoned the police on prior
knowledge of his presence in the Ii
brary. This meant, then, new form
of attack on the part Of the Pack. He
must certainly have been followed
or else the girl had been caught at
tempting to steal away and the infor-
nation extracted from her by force
majeure. Moreover, he could hear two
more pairs of feet tramping through
the salons.
Pending the introduction Of these
last, Nine. Omber said nothing more.
And, unceremoniously enough, the
newcomers shouIdered their way into
the library-two men in citizens cloth
lng-one pompOus body Of otherwise
undistinguished appearance, promptly
identified by the sergents de vile as
the cOmmissaire Of that quarter, the
other, a puffy mediocrity, known to
Lanyard at least (if no one else seemed
To recognize him) as POpinot.
At this confirmation OF his darkest
fears the adyenturer abandoned hope
Of any aid from Nine. Omber and be-
gan to take transformations stock of his
chances Of escaping by his own eff
forts.
But he was altogether unarmed,
thanks to his precipitate action in
drawing the teeth of madames re-
Volver, and the odds were heavy-four
against one, all four no doubt under
arms, and two at least-the sergents
de ville-men of sound military train
Ing.
Nine. Omber?" inquired the COM
mense dignity. Zone trusts that this
intrusion may be pardoned, the circum-
stances remembered In an affair Of
this nature, involving this repository
Dc so historic treasures"
THAT is quite well understood, mon
sieur lie cOmmissaire," madame replied
distantly. And this monsieur is, no
doubt, your aid?"
~Pardon!" Monsieur lie commissaire
fastened to make his companion
known. IN. Popinot, agent de la
surete, who lays these informations."
With profound obeisance to Nine.
Omber, Popinot strobe dramatically
over to face Lanyard and explore his
Iineaments with his small, keen, shifty
eyes of pig-a scrutiny which the adj
venturer suffered with superficial i'm
perturbability.
1T is he!" Popinot announced with
a gesture. 'Messieurs, call upon you
TO arrest this man, M. Michael Lam
lard, self-styled the Lone Wolf"
He stepped back a pace, expanding
lis chest in vain effort to eclipse his
abdomen, and glanced round triumph
Rntly at his respectful auditors.
Accused he added with intense
relish, "of the murder of Inspector
Roddy of Scotland Yard at Moyon's,
aud Of setting fire to that establish
ment-"
For this, Popinot," Lanyard inter
rupted in an undertone, 81 shall some