The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-02-14
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TEETH OF THE TIGER
MAURICE LEBLANC
TRANSLATED BY
ALEXANDER TEIXEIRA DE MATTOS

monsieur lie Prefet, is that your in
spector's presentiments are well
grounded, that he is being closely
watched, that the discoveries
about the Mornington inheritance
which he has succeeded in making
are interfering with criminal de-
signs, and that he Is in terrible
danger"
Come, comet"
HE must be rescued, Monsieur
lie Prefet. Ever since tho COM
mencement Of this meeting I have
felt persuaded that we are up
against at attempt which has al
ready begun. I hope that it ID
not too late and that your inspec-
tor has not been tho first vic
tim"
my dear SIR" exclaimed the
project Of police, "you declare all
this with a conviction which
rouses my admiration, but which
is not enough to establish the fact
that your fears are justified. In
spector Verot's return will be tho
best proof"
Inspector Verot will not 70
turn"
"But why mott
Because he has returned a.
ready. The messenger saw him
return"
"The messenger was dreaming.
If you have no proof but that
mans evident"
Il have another proof, Mon
sieur lie Prefet, which Inspector
Verot himself has left Of his pres
ence here these few, almost i1legi-
BILE letters which he scrubbed on
this memorandum pad, which your
secretary did not see him write
and which have just caught my
eye. Look at them. Are they not
a proof, a definite proof that he
came back7"
The project did not conceal his
perturbation. The others all
seemed impressed. The secre-
tary's return but increased their
apprehensions nobody had seen
Inspector Verot.
Monsieur lie Prefet,' said Don
Luis. II earnestly beg you to have
the office messenger in"
And, as soon as the messenger
was there, he asked him, without
even waiting for M. Desmalions to
speak:
"Are you sure that Inspector
Verot entered this room a second
time"
Absolutely sure"
And that he did not 60 out
again7"
Absolutely sure"
"And your attention was not
distracted for a moment7"
"Not for q moment"
"There, monsieur, you seel''
cried the project. eff Inspector
Verot were here, we should know
it."
"He is here, Monsieur 10 Pre-
fet."
What"
Excuse my obstinacy, Mon
sieur lie Prefet, but I say that,
when some one enters q room and
does not 60 out again, he is still
in that room"
"Hiding7" said M. Destinations,
who was growing more and more
irritated.
ono, but fainting, ill-dead,
perhaps"
but where, hang it ALI"
Behind that screen"
"There's nothing behind that
screen, nothing but a door,"
"And that door,"
Leads to a dressing room"
well, Monsieur le Prefet, In
spector Verot, tottering, losing his
head, imagining himself to be GO
ing from our office to your Sec
retary's room, fell into your dress
ing room"
M. Desmalions ran to the door,
but, at the moment of opening it,
shrank back. Was it apprehension,
the wish to withdraw himself from
the influence Of that astonishing
man, who gave his orders with
such authority and who seemed to
command events themselves
Don Luis stood waiting imper,
turbably, in a d%eferential attitude,
II cannot believe" said M,
Desmalions.
Monsieur lie Prefet, l would re,
mind you that Inspector Verot' s
revelations may save the lives OF
two persons who are doomed to
die tonight. Every minute lost is
irreparable."
NJ. Desmalions shrugged his
shoulders. But that man mastered
him with the power Of his convic