Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-07-26

behind the bars at any rate. She very
nearly did for me. and Nile -Iercier
ns well, last night He told her Of
his experience in Vernon's apartment,
when as Dumas he had 30 nearly sue
cumbed to death by gas.
The girl shuddered. "You see,
Richard" she said, how dangerous
all this is. couldn't live IL anything
were to happen to you. You must
promise me that this is positively the
last case you will ever undertake"
She took his hand and pressed 1t to
her breast.
Duvall smoothed the hair tenderly
back from. her forehead. Before we
talk about the next case, little GIRL"
he said, suppose we finish this one.
So far as / can see we're just about
where we started. What l should like
to know is, where Is Hartmann"
A look Of disappointment swept
over Grace's face. II thought he
would surely come on board" she
said. II feel positive the police did
not get him last night"
"No-I fancy not, from what you
tell me. But why did you feel 30 GER
tain that he would join the woman on
board?"
my reason was perhaps a foolish
one, but, you see, she has his satchel,
and can't see why she should be car
rying that unless he intended to join
her."
His satchel." Duvalrs face
1;,,h tnI nd af 10,
"A large black kit bag, rather shabby
and worm"
Yes. The same one that Hart
mann had when he first came to the
Hotel Rochambeau."
"Then the cigars are in it," an
nounced Duvali.
The cigars? Richard, what Oh
earth are you talking about?"
Never mind for the moment" he
said. But whether we get this fel-
low Hartmann or not, we are going to
get Mile Mercier's one franc piece
back for her, unless ! am very much
mistaken. That's quite important as
to fird out who killed George Vernon
Grace suddenly thought of the
locket which she mad been given by
the undertaken the night before. She
This was found on Mr.. Vernon's
body" she explained. Il was asked
to deliver it to his brother"
Duvall glanced at the lccket, then
opened it and looked at the photo.
graph within. 1T doesn't tell us
much," he said. The dead mans
monogram, and a portrait, no doubt,
of his sweetheart. 1t should be re-
turned to her."
Yes" said Grace. 1.-THE poor
girl may not even know She re
| placed the iocket in her purse.
You will not, of course, know me
| outside of these rooms" said her hus
band. .
mo. or course not. And now
! what do you wish me to do?" ,ti
| keep out of sight for the present
|, If that woman who was with Hart
mann recognizes You she may de
something We don'tJw want. Just pre-
tend. to be seasick or something for {
while until ! see how the land lays.
He replaced his disg gaise, drew on {
soft hat, and stepped from his room
into the corridor.
He had no great difficulty in indenti
flying the woman Grace had described
to him, and through Captain Bonno
learned the number of her room. HI
further arranged that while she wa!
at luncheon he shoi I'D be admitted t.
her room by the purser. He was de
termined to lose no time in recoverini
the missing franc.
To his surprise d great disappoint
ment awaited him. He had no soone
opened the satchel into which he hat
seen Hartmann tc-3 the box of cigar
the night befare than he saw th,-t th'
box was not there. The woman hat
packed quantity of her own belong
ings into the satchel and had doubt
less removed the bulky cigar-box :
obtain additional room.
But what had she done with it
Had it been care les 7ly tosseu aside a
the house in Twenty-Seventh Street
where the woman had spent thu
nigh? o. had she taken the arr
frYn the box and wrapped them IL
smaller compass?
In the first case, the coin was prob
ably lost beyond all possibility of re
covery. In the second, the woman
doubtless had discovered it and nov
had it in her possession.
With feTerish haste Duvall ex
amined every object in the satchel
At last, near the bottom, he foand tn,
|, cissnS neatly tied lin a. bundle. b,
means of "a bit of string. The coli
was nowhere to be seen. He con
eluded that the woman must have i
concealed about her person. t'
| He began to feel almost supersti
tious about this franc that had a wa!
OF so mysteriously disappearing, slip
! ping like quicksilver through thu