The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-03-28
Continued from our last lssue)
CHAPTER III.
A Remarkable Disappearance

CHAPTER III.
A Remarkable plssppearsnee
mr. oNSIEuR ETIENNE lie
M FEvRE. project Of police.
AVA WAS sitting at his desk when
he received the telephone mes.
sage calling him TO the house OF
Count D'Este.
lie pressed a button on his desk.
and requested the clerk who an
swered his summons 10 send 10
him Mr.. Richard Duvall.
Richard Duvall was an Ameri'
can. and his presence In the office
OF the project OF police OF Paris ro-
quirea a word OF explanation. a
collage graduate. who had begun
his career In tho practice OF the
law, he had soon found that hiA
inclinatlons we're toward that pro
fcsaion commonly designated by
the word detective" lie did not.
however. approach tho subject OF
tho detection of criminals along
tho old.fashioned lines no usual In
his pro fcsaion. on tho contrary,
he had taken up the matter with
all the care and Intelligence OF a
weii.trsined mind. and before long
had established nm enviablo repu.
tation for himself a. n master OF
tho science OF criminology.
Some six months earlier he had
como 10 Paris upon an important
case. and had presented letters OF
introduction 10 NJ. Lofevre. with
the request that tn. latter. In or.
der TO facilitate hts operations.
should give him a position upon
his staff. He explained that tho
criminals upon whose trail no then
was. were known to have left New
York for Paris. some months be-
fore.
lilo also explained TO the project
that tho men OF whom he was In
pursuit were known 10 have swim
died n prominent American bust
ness man out of lArr. sums OF
money by clever blackmaiiing
scheme. and II was for this reason
that the project summoned him
upon the receipt OF the Count
D'Este's message.
In few moments. Duvsli enter.
cd the office. lilo was man OF
rather more than medium height.
and OF athletic build. His light
brown hair and eyes gave To his
smooth-shavcn face . somewhat
boyish expression.
Monsieur Duvail.- tho project
began. Il have Just been advised OF
another mysterious blackrnaiiing
I case. Sine. you have shown such
an interest In the previous cases
OF this nature. | am going TO AJAX
you TO take charge Of this one
I Dnyaall nodded. smiling. Thanks.
chief" he said Who IL tho vic.
I tim this timcT~
An acquaintance OF mine. the
Count DEsto. In tho Avenue Victor
Hugo. don't know the details yet
he called mo up over tho telephone
iuss . few minutes ago. l agreed
20 NEST him 1T his house In half an
hour" Hs looked at his watch.
then glanced at the papers bsfore
him. There are . number OF mat
tcrs her. which require my a,ien-
ton Suppose you meet mo there
at l o'clock"
/ Duvail rose. VERY good" he
said. and in a few moments was
whlriinE down tho street in taxi
cab
Half an hour later tho project en-
tered his automobile and proceed
ed 10 the house In tho Avenue Vic
tor Hugo.
Upon his arrival he was at once
usher-d into the library. Tho count
greeted him with unusual ELUSIVE
ness.
Il presume that nothing has hap
pened aimee you teiephoned me-!
inquired tho project.
Yes. GIrard has been here"
"Girardr~
Yes. Tho fellow who has been
demanding this money. He was
here less than half an hour ago"
"sacre. What . pity ] did not
come earlier"
1T would have been useless. We
have no evidence against him"
But tho letters7"
typewriter" said tho count.
dryiy.
"Ah," The project was becoming
interested. Il might have known.
OF course. Nevertheless. We should
have held him on suspicion"
Wen get him--laten"
"IaterY" inquired the project In
surprise. How sog"
HE assured me positively that
no would return TO get tho money
he demands" added the count. with
n laugh.
Tho project laughed also. "It he
does. he'll be a fool"
/ The party were so interested In
their conversation that they failed
TO observe the tall figure which
for several moments past had occu.
pied position just outside OF the
French windows. Just before the
count finished speaking. the man
loutaide the window drew 1t gently
open and stepped into the library.
D'Este was the first to hear the
footsteps. "Girardl" he shouted.
pointing.
Emile and the project rose in
alarm.
AT your service. Monsieur the
Count" said Girard. easily. as he
drew a revolver from one OF the
pockets OF his overcoat.
What do you want here7" the