Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-06-14

HE won't, when he hears my story.
am determined to get to the bottom
of this affair. I believe that Vernon
was murdered, and that Mile Mercier
has in some way been grossly de-
frauded; and II the Transatlantic
people will not push the case, will"
He shook hands with his two COM
panions and jumped into taxicab.
Duvall and the prefect did the same.
In a few minutes they had reached
their hotel.
Grace had not yet returned, and
Duvall began to feel anxious about
her. It was now dark. He and the
prefect sat discussing their plans for
the following doy.
"A few moments later Grace came in.
She seemed flushed and excited; her
clothes were covered with dust and
her face discolored by large bruise.
.yDuvall sprang forward and took her
hands. what has happened. dear?"
he asked.
G."Oh, nothing much. IL was
Knocked down."
"Diable!" exclaimed Lefevre ex-
citedly. "This is shameful"
Tell US about it," said Duvall, a
dangerous CLINT in his eyes.
"Well, as you went into the house
saw a man watching you through a
window on the third floor. 1t was the
room to which Gratz and Hartmann
had gone, but it was neither of them.
This man was dark, pale and clean
shaven, except for a dark mustache.
The window was open and saw him
clearly"
p 'yes, yes. 1t was Hartmann. He
had taken off his beard. Go on"
after a little while he came out,
carrying satchel. saw that it was
the same one that Hartmann had car
ried. Then l became suspicious. The
man walked to Broadway and took a
car south. l took the same car. He
watched me, for he seemed to be
afraid he might be followed, and he
knew l got on when he did.
"He got off at Ninth Street. So
did /. When he begun to walk toward
University Place, / followed. 1t is dark
there. lie stopped in the shadow of
a stoop. / thought he had entered,
and hurried up to see the number.
Then he stepped out suddenly and hit
me in the face with his satchel. 1t
knocked me down. When / got up he
had Disappeared, That's the whole
story, and you see Pm very, poor
detective. Anyhow, Richard, I'm glad
the man got away. l don't want you
TO be bothering with cases of this sort
any more, especially now that our
dear NJ. Lclevre!has come to make us
his long-promised visit" She turned
to the prefect. You'd think Richard
would be contented now that he has
the farm, he always wanted so much,
but | can see that he is aching TO get
back into harness. We won't let him,
will we-atl least not while you are
here?"
Duvall laughed. You'd better get
after NJ. Lefevre," he said. ITS him
they want, not me. They say I'm
only an amateur"
Grace shifted. Absurd" she re-
torted. "Of course, M. Lefevre, you
know that l think Richard the great,
est detective in the world. I'm his
wife, you see. But / don't ask him to
prove it. He's done so to my salts
faction often enough. And hope that
you are not going to get mixed up in
any detective work during your visit.
You must forget about that sort OF
thing and come down home with us
at once. I'm just dying to show you
the chickens, and the dogs, and our
garden, and everything"
Il have come three thousand miles
to see them," said the project, bow
ing, and yourselves. | assure you, my
children, | am looking forward to a
very happy month"
and you won't take up any silly
Old cases for the Transatlantic Line?'
N. Lofevre will decide that in the
norain%," said Duvall. Just now we
had he,,1r dress for dinner"