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

| rdNCeu IN dSSSIl..1es nut Only tOaC hOU
dy was interested in De Mcrbihan, bu
that the Frenchnan was we'll awar
of that interest. And he resented sin
cerely his inability to feel as conflden
that the count, with his gossip abou
the Lone Wolf, had been merely seek
ing to divert Roddy's interest to pu
tatively larger game. 1t was just pos
sible that De Mcrbihan's identification
of Lanyard with that mysterious per
sonage, at least by innuendo, had beer
unintertioral. But somehow Lanyard
didn't believe it had.
However, one would surely lear1
something Illuminating before very
long. The business of sleuth is t.
sleuth. and sooner or later Roddy
must surely make some move to indi
cate the quarter wherein his real in
terest lay.
Just at present, reasoning from
noises audible through the bolted door
t-!:t communicated with the adjoining
bedchamber, the business of sleuth
seemed to comprise going to bed.
Lanyard, shaving and dressing, could
distinctly hear tuneless voice con-
tentedly humming Sally in Our AL
ley" rendition punctuated by one
heavy thunp, and then another, and
then by heartfelt sigh of relief-as
Roddy kicked off his boots-and fol-
lowed by the tapping of pipe against
grate-bars, the complaint of window
being lowered for ventilation, the click
Of an electric-light switch, and the
creakiEg Of bed springs
Finally, and before Lanyard had fin
ished dressing, the man from Scotland
Yard began placidly to snore.
OF course, he might we'll be bluffing,
fer Lanyard had taken pains to let
Roddy know that they were room
neighbors by announcing his selection
in loud tones close to the communicate
ing door.
But this was question which the
adventurer meant to have answered
before he went out
It was hard upon twelve o'clock
when the mirror on the dressing table
assured him that he was at length in
the habit and apparel CT a gentleman
Of elegant nocturnal leisure. But if
he approved the figure he cut, it was
mainly because clothes Interested him
and he reckcned his own impeccacle.
OF their tenant he was feeling just
then hit less sure than he had half
an hour since; his regard was lower
ing and mistrustful.
He was, in short, suffering reaction
from the high spirits engendered by
his crcss-channel exploits, his success
full getaway, and the unusual circum-
stances attendant upon his return to
this memory-haunted mausoleuE of an
unhappy childhood. He even shivered
a trifle, as if under premonition of mis-
fortune.
With one last look round to make
certain there was nothing in his |
rooms calculated disorder to incriri-
nate him were it to be searched in his !
absence, Lanyard enveloped himself |
in long, full-skirted coat, clapped on
an opera hat, and went out, noisily !
locking the door. He might as we'll
have left it wide but it would do no .
harm to pretend he didn't know the
oedchamSer keys at Troyon's we're in
angeable-identically the same
keys, in fact. that had been in service
in the time of Marcel the wretched.
A single half-power electric bulb
low modified the gloom Of the hall
way; it's fellow made a light blot on
he darkness of the courtyard. Even
he windows Of the conciergerie were
black.
None the less Lanyard tapped them
'martly.
"Ccrdon!" he demanded in stri-
lent vcice-"Cordon, sill vous plait!"
"Eh?' A startled grunt from within
he lodge was barely audible. Then
he latch clicked loudly at the end of
he passageway.
Cropping his way in the direction of
his last sound, Lanyard found the
mall side door ajar. He opened it
s though questioning the weather;
his deft fingers wedged
he latch back with thin slip Of steel.
1t had, in fact, not been raining
vithin an hour, but still the sky was
ense with a low, sullen wrack of
loud, and still the sidewalks were
1ky-wet.
The street was lonely and indiffer-
rtly lighted, but a swift, searching
ecornoissance discovered no spy
kulking in the shelter Of any Of the
carer shadows.
Stepping out. he slammed the door
nd strobe briskly round the corner.
S if making for the cab rank that .
mes up along the Luxembourg gar
ems Of the Rue &c Medicis; his boot
cells made cheerful racket in that
uiet hour; he was quite aulibly go
lg away from Trcyon's.
But instead of holding on to the cab ,
ark, he turned the next corner. and I
len the next, rounding the block; I
nd presently, teapproaching the en-
'ance to Troyon's, paused in the re- ,
ess of dark doorway and, lifting 8
ne foot after another, slipped rub 9
er pads ever his heels. Thereafter :
is progress was practically noiseless. ,
The smaller door yielded to his ;
ouch without a murEur. Inside, he !;
osed it gently and stood a moment
stening with all his senses-not with
is ears alone, but with every nerve
- -, H. .xx:LH