The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-26
Next Week.:
Sunshine Jajle',
by Anne Warner

pie reached the street lamp at the
corner she saw that the man car
ried a satchel, and then she made
discovery.
The man was undoubtedly Hart
mann. She decided to follow him
at once.
The faintness which overcame
NJ. Dumas when he was struck
down from behind in Mr.. Vernon's
apartment was but momentary.
In a few seconds his conscious
ness returned.
He perceived at once several
things. The first was that he lay
partly on his face on the floor.
The second was that Mile. Mercier
had ceased to scream, and Charles
Vernon had been Joined by a
woman, who was engaged In tying
the girls hands behind her back
while Vernon fastened a ,handker-
chief tightly across her mouth.
A third impression crossed NJ.
Dumas confused mind. He had
in his waistcoat pocket the one
franc piece which he had taken
from Mile. MERCER. In few mo-
ments he would be searched and
the franc discovered.
With nervous fingers he felt in
his waistcoat pocket for the coin.
His left arm, doubled under him,
brought his hand close to the
pocket. In an instant he had
drawn out the franc.
Against his head rested some
article of furniture. He turned
slightly and saw that it was a
small smoking table. On the low
er shelf was box. With the fin
gers of his left hand he managed
to reach 1t, and, with the coin
still in them, push up the lid.
| Thrusting his hand downward
he touched a number of small cyl
indrical objects which he realized
were cigars. He forced the one
franc piece deep down among the
contents of the box just as the
man and woman seized him and
dragged him toward the center OF
the room.
He rose at once and found him
self gazing into the blue muzzle
of a revolver.
Search him." he heard the
man with the curly black beard
say to the woman.
The later went through his
pockets, placing the various OBJ
jects she took from them on the
table. The man examined them
hastily. Its not here" he ex.
claimed in an exasperated voice,
Are you looking for anything
in particular, my friends asked
Dumas coolly.
You know what we aFeilooking
for very WE'LL" growled the man
Give me the coin or It will be
the worse for YOU" ~
Il don't understand you, mon
sieur. | am a teacher of music
The man stopped him with a
laugh. do you think l am 9
fool?" he said. mot ten minutes
ago you were going to arrest me
for being some one you called
Hartmann. l know you are de-
tective well enough. Tell me
where the franc is or I'll find
some means to make you"
Very we'll then. l will tel
you. | suspected some trick, sc
II substituted this coin he
pointed to the franc on the table
for the original one. ant
placed the latter where you will
be unable to get it."
where was that?" inquired
the man. Tell me, you fool" hi
said menacingly, as he pressed
the revolver to Dumas temple.
81 placed it," remarked M
dumas slowly, ''in the safe at thu
Hotel Rochambeau before l lef
there tonight"
His manner was frank and |
was evident that his captor be
} llieved him. The latter muttere'
something angrily, then spoke T.
the woman. Dumas did not hea
what he said, but in few min
utes she came up with a napkin
and some bits of rope, and almos