Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-02-17
CHAPTER TX.
War Declared.

With a nod acknowledging the cour-
tesy, Lanyard consented to precede
him and entered a room of intimate
proportions, furnished chiefly with a
g~reen-covered card table and five easy
chairs, of which three were occupied
two by men in evening dress, the
third by one in a well-tailored lounge
suit of dark gray.
All three men wore vizors of black
velvet.
Lanyard looked from one to the
other and chuckled quietly.
De Morbihan cleared his throat an.
grily and with an aggrieved air
launched into introductions.
"Messieurs, / have the honor to pre-
sent to your our confrere, M. Lanyard,
best known as the Lone Wolf M
Lanyard-the council of our associa.
ton, known to you as the Pack"
The three rose and bowed ceremoni-
ously. Lanyard returned a cool, good
natured nod. Then he laughed again
and more openly:
"a pack of knaves!"
Monsieur doubtless feels at ease?''
one retorted acidly.
Tn your company, Popinot? But
hardly" Lanyard returned in light
contempt.
The fellow thus indicated, a burly
rogue of a Frenchman in rusty and
baggy evening clothes, started and
flushed holly beneath his mask; but
the man next him dropped a restrain.
ing hand upon his arm, and Popinot
turned, shrugged, and sank back into
his chair.
Upon my world" Lanyard declared
gracelessly-"it's as good as a play!
Are you sure, M. lie Comte, there's nc
mistake-that these gay masqueraders
haven't lost their way to the stage
of the Grand Guignol?"
"Damn!" muttered the count. "Take
care, my friend! You go too far!"
you really think so? But you
amaze me! You, in reason, can't ex
pect me to take you seriously, gentle.
men!"
IF you don't it will prove serious
business for you, my friend!" growled
the one he had named Popinot.
"You mean that? But you are mag
n~iicent, all of you! We lack only
tba colitorv IIrpiuofiop re n ooodIo
end-a grinning skull-a cup of BLOOD
upon the table-to make the farce com
pletei But as it is, messieurs, vol
must be rarely uncomfortable, ant
feeling as foolish as you look int
the bargain! Moreover, I'm not {
child. Popinot, why not disburder
your amiable features? And you, Mr.
Wertheimer, I'm sure, will feel NOR
at ease with an open countenance-
as the saying runs" he said, noddins
to the man beside Popinot. "As fol-
this gentleman" he concluded, eyin.
the third, 81 haven't the pleasure o
his acquaintance"
With a short laugh Wertheimer un
masked, exposing a face of decided,
English type, fair and well modelled
betraying only the faintest traces o
Semitic cast to account for his sur
name. And with this example Popino
snatched off his own black vizor ant
glared at Lanyard-in his shabby dresi
the incarnate essence of bourgeoi
outraged. But the third, he of tn,
gray lounge suit, remained motion
less; his eyes clashed with the adven
turer's.
He seemed a man little if at all Ian
yards senior, and built upon much tn
same lines. A close-clipped black mus
tache ornamented his upper lip. Hi
chin was square and strong with char
acter. The cut of his clothing wa
conspicuously neither English nor cor
t~inental.
Il don't know you, sir" Lanyarv
continued slowly, puzzled to accoun
for a feeling Of familiarity with thi
person, whom he could have swori
he had never met before. "But 20
won't let your friends Guido you i
civility, ! trust?"
If you mean you want me to VI
mask, won't" the other returne
brusquely in fair French. If with
decided transatlantic information.
American, eh?"
Native born, If 1t interests you"
Have l met you before?"
you have not"
my dear count" Lanyard said, turn