The Washington times., 1919-02-13
Man With X-Ray Eyes
THE STRANcEST STORY you EVER READ.
FOiled In Their Efforts to Obtain the
Jewels, the PlOtters Plan to
RecOup the Purses
By GUY DE TERAMoND.

Lueien Delorme. 20 bueoIic that even
the cabby who drove him 20 Nine.
Armelin's family boarding house In
Paris points out the places of note to
him. presents letters Of introduction TO
that cautious landlAdy and registers
At dinner. he makes the acquatntanco
Of his fellow bQarderS These are
Mrs. Tankerys a rich American widow,
whose room adioins that Of DelOrrn5.
and q Guatenaian general Domingo ,
Lopez, a man Of mystery,
Mrs Tankery, about sixty. carries
about with her a fortune In Jewels
Delorme attracts attention by reason
Of large dark-lensed glasses he wears
The opinion prevails that his eyes are
weak and that he has come to Paris
TO consult an eminent eye specialist
Mrs. Tankery. a fortnight after De-
lorme's arrival. Is found dead In her
room-murdered- Afssr an investiBA-
tion BY the Colnmissaire Of Police.
Delorme's is suspected OF the crime.
Later DclOrme Is released BY polee.
He announces his determination %
leaving the Family House"
Early In the morning, he formulated
very circumstantiai theory Of the
crime. and the concentration OF events
as marshaled ia mis- brain, seemed 70
point to .he young provincial as the
peTpetratOr.
The baron meets Delorms and re-
veals details OF transaction he INTENDS
Meanwhile. the fame OF the rare
JeWelf OF the COmte D'Abazoli-Viscosa
excites considerable comment through
OF thieves, the a. Band, plots to get
them. They lease an adjoining apart
nent
Delorme comes to see the jewels,
which have been offered as security
for the loan, and to the surprise Of the
comte and his associates announces to
them that the safe supposed to con-
tain them Is empty. How does ne
know-he has never been shown the
inside OF the safe ? The a. band decide
to force an entrance to the safe Ac-
complishing their purpose, they find
the vault empty Of jewels.
Delorme is seized while at the
comte's apartment and left TO die in
the jewel safe. To avert suspicion his
clothing is piled on the ouai Javel-
Doesn't 1t appear to you full Of
menace?"
''why?"'
The Hindoo went to pick up the
end OF the cigarette which was
smoking in a corner Of the terrace
and threw it over the balustrade.
Then, coming back to the cOmte,
he replied:
Because do not see very well
what we have 10 fear. Reason upon
it a little. Is 1t our fault II the
Maharajah needed money and COM
missioned US to obtain It? As for
this young man, haven't we afford
ed him the best proofs Of our 10y
atty in showing him the Jewels
when he came to see US from Baron
Plucke, just as we are ready to
do it for the latter. II, seized with
remorse for haviA & deceived himself
so greatly respecting us, seeing his
position as secretary endangered by
so vexatious an error, he sought
refuge in suicide, are we to blame?
No, no. calm yourself, nothing is
lostg'
Except the million
"Ah 90
The comte lighted another Gig
arctic, and. blowing furiously at
the match, muttered between his
teeth:
"oh. yes, you take 1t very easily
a million, more or less, pshaw! what
DO you carer"
With the same careful manner the
valet picked up the match, which he
also tossed over the terrace. then
suddenly assuming a familiar tone
In strange contrast with the defer
entail respect he had hitherto
shown to the speaker, he added:
''No, my good fellow, don't turn
up my nose at a million-a million
Is a million to me as much as to
you Only experience has
taught me philosophy-and re
member the precepts Of our divine
Buddha! So when an affair in
which one has risked ones life
comes to nothing. the money lost is
OF small Importance I don't
your way OF reasoning,
but for myself I don't hesitate. A
million can be gained once more,
but when your head is cut on, it's
done forever"
Certainly murmured the comte.
with such reasoning one can go a
long way! But that doesn't pre-
vent the spelling OF our plansi"
And why? Well see about that
on our return. Who tells you that
Baron Plucke knows the small item
OF the truth? Why do you make
these pessimistic conjectures? Has
not a ballad writer told US that
everything in life was arranged?''
An evil light glittered in his eyes
and a sinister smile contorted his
dark face.
'Do you know what am think
ing about at this moment?-The Bit
ter reflections our poor young man
in your safe must be having. He's
probably wearing himself out cry
ing for help he pounds, no
use I" he yelIs! the
sides stifle his cries and his sobs
die away in the darkness heard
that at the Ambigu-people have
literary tastes, my good fellowi"
He began to laugh ferociousiy:
That's where indiscretion leads
rs! Let us hope he will profit by
the lesson. In a week we will go
and see. Come" he added, as his
remained mOtionlsss,
rouse yourself a little, hang II!
We've lost the fortune, but we must
think OF material things. The
funds are beginning to Ean low;
We must get in some receipts. The
noble COmte d'AbazoIi-Viscosa
ant become insolvent. and il would
nave a deplOrable effect II the
were not paid
THAT is true" replied the other,
himself from his thoughts, ..
we are here to earn our daily bread
All. who can say that the
harper's business IS a lazy one.
(Ow we must show some OF our
ellow-countrymen that the casinos
re infested with cheats. and that
he only honest games OF baccarat
re the ones PLAYED in our villa.
lave you prepared the cards. Nam?"
The Hindoo drew from the pocket
# his white apron a dozen packs on
which the government guaranty