Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-02-23
with a little information from Mr..

lily from a waterbottle, then set him
self resolutely to repair the disarray
of his wits and consider what was
best to be done.
In abstraction he wandered to a
chair over whose back hung light
dressing gown of wine-colored silk,
which, because it would pack in small
compass, he was in the habit of carry
ing with him on his travels. Lanyard
had left this thrown across the bed,
and he was wondering subconsciously
what use the other man had thought
to make of it that he should have
taken the trouble to remove it to the
chair.
But even as he laid hold of it he
to find it damp and heavy in his grasp,
sodden with viscid moisture. And
when, in a swift flash of intuition, he
examined his fingers. he discovered
thereon a faint discoloration-a red
dish stain.
Had the dye run? And why had the
American come to dabble the thing IN
water?
Then the shape of an object on the
floor near his feet arrested Lanyard's
questioning vision. He stared, incred-
ulous, moved forward, bent over, and
picked it up, clipping it gingerly be-
tween his fingers.
1t was one of his razors-a heavy,
hollow-ground blade-and it was foul
with blood.
With low cry, suddenly smitten
with understanding, Lanyard wheeled
and stared fearfully at the door COM
municating with Roddy's room.
1t stood ajar, an inch or so, it's splin-
tered lock accounted for by small
but extremely efficient steel jimmy
which lay near the threshold.
Beyond the door-darkness- silence.
mastering all his courage, the ad-
venturer strobe determinedly into the
adjoining room.
The first flash of his hand-lamp dis
covered to him sickening justification
for his apprehensions.
After a moment he returned, shut
the door, and set his back against it,
as if to bar out that reeking shambles.
He was very pale, his face drawn
with horror, and he was shaken with
nausea.
Now he knew why his dressing
gown had been requisitioned-to pro-
tect butchers clothing.
The plot was damnably patent
Roddy, somehow menace to the
Pack. required elimination; not only
had his murder been decreed. but that
the blame for it should be laid at Lam
yards door. Hence the attempt to
drug him that he might not escape be-
fore the police could be sent to- find
him there.
Lanyard could no longer doubt that
De Morbihan had been left behind at
the Circle of Friends Of Harmony
solely to detain him, afford Smith time
to finish his hideous job. and set the
trap for the second victim.
And the plot had succeeded despite
it's partial failure, despite the swift
reverse chance and Lanyard's cunning
had melted out to the Packs agent.
In was his dressing gown that was
saturated with Roddy's blood, just as
those were his gloves, pilfered from
his luggage, which had measurably
protected the killers hands, and which
Lanyard had found in the next room.
stripped hastily off and thrown to the
floor, twin crumpled wads OF blood
stained channels skin.
oIo !, OF
either fee Paris and rely on his wits
to save him, or else seek De Morbihan
and trust to his protection, to his in
fluence in high quarters.
But to give himself into the hands,
to become an associate of one who
could be party to so cowardly crime
as this-Lanyard told himself he
would sooner pay the guillotine the
penalty.
Consulting his watch, he found the
hour to be no later than half past four.
so swiftly-truly treading upon one
anothers heels-events had moved
since the adventure of the somnambu
list
This left at his disposition fair
two hours more Of darkneSs-NOvem
Der nights are long and black in
Paris; it would hardly be even mod
erately light before seven o'clock. But
that was a respite none too long for
Lanyard's necessity-he must think
swiftly in contemplation of instant &C.
ton were he to extricate himself with
out the Packs knowledge and consent.
Granted, then, that he must fly this
stricken field Of Paris. But how? De
Morbihan had promised that Popinot's
creatures would guard every outlet:
and Lanyard didn't doubt him. An at
tempt to escape the city by any nor
NAL channel would be to invite one Of
two things-denunciatio to the police
on the charge of murder or one of
those fatally expeditions forms of as
sassination of which the Apaches are
past masters.
He must and would find another
way; but his decision was frightfully
hampered by lack of ready money, the
few odd francs in his pocket were no
store for the war chest demanded by
this emergency.
True, he had the Omber jewels; but
they were not negotiable-not, at
:,, or;c