Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-07-13

ran was a man OF genius. Well,
think that we have found him!"
Crochard flushed with pleasure.
81 thank you, SIR" he said.
"And | thank you for coming to
me-" said Delcasse. "You are do
ing France a great service. / shall
not forget it. Until morning,
then"
Crochard bowed and left the
room with the two detectives.
Delcasse sat for a moment deep
in thought; then he summoned his
secretary, gave the necessary or
der about the photographs and
dictated a cipher telegram to the
chief of his secret service at Ber-
lin. That done, he babe his secre-
tary good night, dismissed him
and went to bed.
But not to sleep. Turning at
full length upon his back, his
arms above his head, he stared
steadily up into the darkness un.
til his brain, freed of all lesser
problems, all vagrant thoughts,
was concentrated upon the great
problem which now confronted it {:
How had the destruction of La
Liberte been accomplished
1t was, of course, the work of
Germany. Those two strangers,
who spoke German in a moment of
great excitement, who had arrived
five minutes before the disaster,
who had fastened away immedi-
ately afterwards, who had lied
about their destination, and for
whom a steam yacht had been
waiting-all this, as Orchard said
could have but one meaning.
And then Delcasse fairly bound
ed in the bed. Fool that he had
been not to think of it! There
was another proof! The telegram
from the emperor!
He lay a moment trembling.
then Gained himself by a mighty
effort. How was it the emperor
mad learned so. promptly Of the
disaster? There was only one
possible answer: an emissary had
hastened to flash the news to him
-an emissary dressed, prepared,
who needed to delay for mn in.
vestlgation, since the roar of the
explosion told him everything
one OF the men, perhaps, who had
waited on the quay. And Delcasse
biting his nails, his face wet with
persplration, pictured to himself
the emperor also waiting, pacing
r~estlessly back and forth, until the
word should come! He CRASHED
his teeth with rage, this good
Frenchman, and shook trembling
fists up into the darkness. All,
Germany should pay! Germany
should pay!
But again he ca1med himself.
wiped his forehead, and composed
himself for thought.
How had La Liberte been de-
stro.yedi There was the question
which must be answered, and at
once.
By q mine, set to explode at a
certain houri .Delcase shook his
head. 1t was absurd to suppose
that q mine could be planted in a
harbor as strictly guarded and 20
Iced as that Of Toulon. BY a tor
then, which could be launch
ed some distance awayi But that
wa. even more absurd. The
launching of a torpedo required
a complex mechanism ; as well sup
pose that an enemy would be able
to install q cannon on the docks
unoAserved. By a submarine9 But
La liberte had lain at anchor in
an enclosed ba sin; besides there
were the.outer basins, patrol boats.
'sentries, the constant coming and.
going Of sailors. and marines. Of
launches, Of boats of, all kinds.
How could an enemey. creep IN
observed past all thesei
True, the, accident had occurred
at dawn, when every one but the
sentries was asleep But even at.
thai hOurskh0 hnrhOr usaa o~&r;o+l,,