The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-02-18
CHAPTER ~.
A stratanem.

NF0tNT ! Tn w.
A stratagem.
When the maitre dhotel had shown
him all over the stablishment--inno
| Gently enough, en- route, furnishing
him with a complete list OF his other
guests and their rooms, memoranda
readily registered by a retentive mem.
ory-Lanyard chose the bedchamber
next that occupied by Roddy, in the
second story.
The consideration influencing this
selection was, of course, that so stu.
ated he would be in a position not only
to keep an eye on the man from Scot
land Yard. but also to determine
whether or not Roddy were disposed
to keep an eye on him.
In those days Lanyard's faith in
himself was a beautiful thing He
could not have enjoyed the immunity
ascribed to the Lone Wolf so long as
he had without gaining a power OF
sturdy selfconfidence in addition to
a certain degree of temperate con.
tempt for the spies of the law and all
their ways.
Reviewing the scene in the restau-
rant, Lanyard felt measurably war.
ranted in assuming not only that Rod.
dy was interested in De Morbihan, but
that the Frenchman was well aware
of that interest. And he resented sin
cerely his inability to feel as confident
that the count, with his gossip about
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 Morbihan's Identification
of Lanyard with that mysterious per-
sonage, at least by innuendo, had been
unintentional But somehow Lanyard
didn't believe it had.
However, one would surely learn
something Illuminating before very
long. The business of a sleuth is to
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
that communicated with the adjoining
bedchamber the business of a sleuth
seemed to comprise going to bed.
Lanyard, shaving and dressing, could
distinctly hear a tuneless voice con-
tentedly humming Sally in Our AL
ley" a rendition punctuated by one
heavy thump, and then another, and
then by a heartfelt sigh of relief-as
Roddy kicked off his boots-and fol
lowed by the tapping Of pipe against
the complaint of window
being lowered for ventilation, the click
of an electric-light switch, and the
creaking of bed springs.
Finally, and before Lanyard had fin
ished dressing, the man from Scotland
Yard began placidly to snore.
Of course, he might well be blufing,
for 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 a question which the |
adventurer meant to have answered |
before he went out.
1t 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 of a gentleman |
Of elegant nocturnal leisure. But If |
he approved the figure he cut, it was |
mainly because clothes interested him |
and he reckoned his own impeccable. |
Of their tenant he was feeling just |
hen a bit less sure than he had half |
IN hour since; his regard was lower
ng and mistrustful
He was, in short, suffering reaction
rom the high spirits engendered by
lis cross-channel exploits, his success
'ul getaway, and the unusual circum-
stances attendant upon his return TO
his memory-haunted mausoleum OF an
childhood He even shivered
/ trifle, as if under premonition Of mis-
ortune.
With one last look round to make
certain there was nothing in his
'oom's calculated disorder to incrimi-
late him were it to bn searched in his
absence, Lanyard enveloped himself
n long, full-skirted coat, clapped on
IN opera hat and vent out, noisily
ocking the door. He might as well
lave left it wide; bpt it would do no
larm to pretend he didn't know the
,edchamber keys at Troyon's were in
the same
,eys, in fact. that had been in service
n the time of Marcel the wretched
CTo BE CoNTINUEDO