The Washington times., 1919-02-11
Man With X-Ray Eyes
THE STRANCEST STORY YOU EVER READ.
DelOrme Calls Upon the COmte, But
Is Unable to Carry Through
His Plans.

to the safe and carefully turning
the knobs several times, he put Il
in the lock.
The heavy door turned on is
hinges.
Lucien DeIorme took a step for
ward and, looking into the deep
chest, exclaimed triumphantly:
There's nothing in IT,"
''No," said the comte. in a loud
voice, "but don't be troubled, SIR,
IL will not always be empty"
Then the young man realized the
full extent Of his imprudence.
Suspecting the individual whom
he had seen in Baron PIucke's
drawing room to be the man he
sought, he had come to his home to
make sure OF the fact without
thinking OF the danger he was run
ming; he had gone with bowed head
into a snare he had set for him
self.
Now he was at this mans mercy.
He rapidly tried to grasp the re-
volver in his pocket, determined to
sell his life dearly.
There was no time to do 50. The
Hindoo had leaped from his hiding
place and seized his arms in a, wise,
completely paralyzing him.
BE kind enough to sit down"
sneered the cOmte, $50 that we can
have a little conversation"
Then. after lighting a Cigarette.
he continued:
Don't you think, sir. that, after
all, life is a queer thing? One day
we do not know each other, the nexS
we meet, ready 20 rush at ss.c7
others threats. How mach more
quietly we should live, however. IL
we did not have the Irresistible
mania for troubling ourselves
about what does not concern us?-
do not yet understand your mo-
tive for meddling with our aRairsi
Are you a policeman?-No, you
are too clumsy for that. Are you
the baron's adviser?-NOt that
either,-your are not even his sec
retary though you told me 50 just
now You see, sir, that I am well
informed. Then by what right do
you come to prevent me from car
rying to a successful end the specu-
lation 1 had undertaken?-I don't
know that you represent public
honesty? So you are acting from
a purely personal standpOint!-And
why?'
Then, as Lucien DeIorme did not
answer, he went on:
In some way, Of which I am ig-
norant, you were informed o. GER
tain peculiarities concerning the
murderers Of Mrs. TankeFy. You
knew details of the crime 50 per-
fectIy accurate that il might have
been supposed you had witnessed
the whole scene, hidden somewhere
in the room itself. What did you
do? Instead OF prudentIy keeping
silent, you had nothing more press
ing than to tell the whole story to
to police-irst mistake! You were
arrested and, let me tell you, that
you were in luck to have been re-
leased so easily. Innocent men
have been condemned for less than
thati Second mistake-You lent
your assistance, without any nee
eSsity, to Baron Plucke, who could
not console himself for having,
thanks to US, inherited a large for
tune, in order to permit him to
take up an old affair that every
body had forgotten Third mis-
take-fnally, you came here, to my
residence, to brave me and deliver
yourself to my vengeance with
boldness that, undoubtedly, pro-
ceeds wholly from ignorance! Have
you never LnOuBnls 6lTs LudL LuGEG
are secrets whose weight is heavy
to carry, and whose revelation may
cost those who betray them very
dearly?'
II know" replied Lucien De-
iorme vehemently, that you are
murderers and, besides, I need, for
that discovery. only the steel wire
in your hands" -....
You have nothing to fear from
it." said the comte IN a Jeering
tone. 'It is used only for the
unfortunates whom IL is hu-
name to make suffer as little a.
possibIei A different punishment
awaits the indiscreet-Ahi You see
that safes do not contain jewels?
Well, sir, you will look more
closely still and reflect upon the
danger of meddlipg with what
does not concern yOu-your secret
will remain shut up there through
all eternity
Lucien Delorme could no longer
doubt, the kind OF horrible death
which awaited him.
"Help!"
But his cries were stiled IN his
throat. The Hindoo's fingers were
pressed upon his mouth like a tight
gag.
CTO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW