Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-07-19
know how nearly parallel the
channels Of their thoughts had
runl
CHAPTER v.

bed, next morning, when Lepine s
card was brought in to him. He
smiled as he read on the line
scrawled across it: "My report
awaits Monsieur"
"Show M. Lepine into the
breakfast room,' said the minis
ter, "and inform him that / shall
be down at once. Also inquire if
he has b~reakfasted. If not, see
that he is served
He FASTENED on with his toilet,
and, five minutes later, joined Lee
pine, whom he found at his favor
lite amusement OF standing at a
window and gazing into the street
an amusement which occupied
every idle moment, sometimes with
the most astonishing results.
Chance plays a larger part in life
than most people r willing to adj
init; Lepine believed in it; went
half way to meet it-and, more
than once, had seen drifting past
him along the pavement the face
for which his best men had been
searching vainly.
Lepine, it appeared, had already
breakfasted, and, while the minis
ter ate, told Of the interrogation
at the Hotel du Nord. He had sent
one OF his men to Nice, with the re
ceipts for the bags, and if, as
seemed probable, they were still
uncalled for, they would be ex-
amincd at once.
Though, even if they are still
there" Lepine added, "we shall
probably discover nothing Of mo-
ment. One does not place anything
of value in a bag and then aban-
don it. But | have another clue
of the first Importance" and he
produced the 1OO-franc note.
Here is the note given to Brisson
by one of the strangers. You per-
ceive that it is quite new. / sug-
gest that you send the number of
this note to the Bank of France,
ascertain when and to whom it
was issued, and if any other notes
Of the series were issued at the
same time"
II will do So" said M. Delcasse,
and made a note of the number. 81
agree with you that this is most
, important"
Gone thing more went on LIE
pine, replacing the note in his
pocketbook and extracting a slip
of paper; "a small thing, but of
significance. / have here the police
blanks which the two me filled out
upon arriving at the Hotel du
Nord. Their names, you see, are
given as George Arnold and Will
lam Smith, their home as New
York city, United States of Amer
ica. If you will notice the 50 of
the word Smith, you will see that
it is made in the German man
ner.'
aThat is true; but it may mean
nothing. There are many Germans
Iwho r citizens Of the United
States
Eyes; but the German name is
Schmidt, not Smith. I conclude
that this man is a German, but was
trying to conceal it."
"Y.ou may be right" Delcasse
assented, with a trace of impa-
thence in his manner; "no doubt
you are right. Is there anything
more?"
There is one thing" said LIE
pine, coloring a little, (Which /
have kept until the last, because it
seems to upset. M. Orchards
theor;;"
What is that"
Lepine drew two sheets of vel
low tissue paper from his pocket
book.
IAN hour after our men left the
Hotel du Nord," he said, "a tele-
gram arrived, addressed to this
William Smith. Here it is, " and
he spread out one Of the sheets
on the desk before the minister.
Delcasse bent forward eagerly
and read:
William Smith, Hotel du Nord, Tou-
Ion. France: Our mother requests that
you abandon trip. cancel all arrange
ments, n return at once.
Alfred.
"Welli' and Delcasse looked
up at his companion.
THAT would seem to show, sir,
said Lepine, that William Smith
was only an ordinary traveller,
!, after all. You will see thatsit was
filed at Brussels at noon of Sun
day, the oath. 1t was delayed in
transmission, and for some reason
!, was notreceived at Toulon until
lI9 clock in the evening. Messages
here are not delivered on Sunday
evening after s o'clock, and this