The Washington times., 1919-02-18
By GUY DE TERAMoND.
Synopsis Of Preceding Chapters.

oU@LSAaiAh BeAetaAS OoaAAebN
Ms. Tanksry, about sixty. carries
about with her a fortune IN jeweia
MS; Tankery is found dead 1919. IN hsr
ton Delorme's Is suspected. Later De-
lOrme's Is released.
The Baron Piucks meets Delorme
and reveals details OF transaction he
intends to carry out.
Meanwhile, tEe fame OF the rare
jewels Of the Comte D'Abazot-Niscost
e1eites considerable comment through
out Paris and clever organisation
CT thieves, the "A" Band, plots to get
them They lease an adjoining apart
{ tnsnt.
DeIorms comes 70 see the Jewels.
which have been offered as security
for loan, and to the surprise Of the
comte and his associates announces 10
them that the safe supposed 70 con
tain them is empty The "A" band de-
eide to force an entrance to the safe.
Accomplishing their purpose, they ind
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 DUAL Javel
Il VIII do whatever you tell me
to dor replied the young woman.
Its possibIe!" murmured Nam,
shaking his head rather doubtfully.
But, for all that, / prefer my own
way. would rather have an
enemy who no longer speaks than
one who risks talking too much.
When a transaction lasts n long
time one never knows what turn it
may take, and the fatal tile drops
on your head at the moment yOC
least expect IL, while. On the con-
tFary ."
At that momert the bell "a the
gate rang violently.
Both men instinctively graspzd
their revolvers, ready to dsfenj
themselves.
But the Hindoo quickly recover
cd his GOODNESS.
Don't let US lose our nerve I'M
necessarily! Juliette, go down ard
see who it is"
She returned an instant later
Some newspaper men who want
to interview n. lie COmIe."
"Oh!" cried the latter, IT would
as lief see policemen. Nam, tell
them what you choose"
Two minutes later, in the draw
ing-room, the Hindoo made the fol-
lowing statements:
THE representative Of His High
ness, the Maharajah, begs you to
excuse him for not being able to
receive you. He has gone to bed,
Ill from the emotions he has just
experienced. He does not doubt that
the keen-sightednesS and skill Of
the chief OF the detective bureau
will speedily discover the bold
criminals, and that the princes
treasure, which was in his charge,
will soon be restored to him. Mean
while. he would be much pleased il
you would thank, in his name, all
the persons who, under these sad
circumstances, have given him
tokens Of sympathy. which he deep
ly appreciates, and assure them
that he will do so himself as soon
as the state OF his health permits"
The reporters having gone, the
discussion continued. II was lengthy.
At last Nam yielded. Violent and
immediate proceedings were de-
ferred. II was decided that they
would first try, with the aid OF
Juliette. to pierce the mystery with
which Lucien Delorme seemed 70
desire to enyelop himself. At the
first alarm there would always be
time to act energetiCaliy.
The next morning the Comte's
limousine, driven by himself. COM
pletely disguised by the spectacles
and dust coat of a chauffeur.
stopped on the road leading from
Treport to Eu.
A man. after glancing around 10
be sure that no one saw him, got
out of it, and walked rapidly away,
while the auto went on. The man
was dressed in a black suit and
wore a white crayat. Small whisk-
ers extended along the sides OF his
somewhat blOtched face. and his
broad-brimmed Panama hat showed
beneath it a few strands OF gray
hair. He would have been taken
for some business man, more
especially one OF the private
detectives employed by the agencies
who conduct discreet Investigations
for private individuals.
Walking slowly, he reached the
first houses OF the little city visible
about a hundred yards beyond.
Eu is the principal place in the
district. quaint and attractive, in ore
Of the most verdant corners OF Nor
mandy. \ little French history is
associated with it. Louis Philippe
received the Queen Of England
there. The Comte de Paris lived
there a long time before going into
exile. al the dIClLdtOiOS Il - nave
visited it's church, which is several
centuries old.
In winter, like 4 marmOt, il sleeps
peacefully. But, when summer
comes, automobiles and carriages
dasIA through il in all directions.
Sumberless batherS from the neigh
boring watering places trample the
grass that has grown between the
paving stones. At this season Nam
was sure of passing almost unnO-
ticed
He soon reached the square in
front Of che chateau, and, wandering
haphazard. turned into n street
which rose in a slight ascent and
on which he saw shops.
One OF the first was a hat store.
whose front still bore the ancient
sign of the corporation, a huge red
hat.
He entered resolutely, on the pre-
text Of buying a travelling cap.
Fortune favored him. Th2 pro-
prietor was the most arrant chatter
box who could have been met for
twenty leagues around. At his Gus
TONER'S first question he told every
thing he knew.
"Am ! acquainted with LucieH
DcIcTT3e" Why, sir. he's one or my
customers. I had the honor Of sup
plying his fathers hats FOR twenty
years! NJ. DclOrrnc was fine NAV.
lie used 20 be mail collector in
BordeauE. and. after his retirement,
came to live here IN cEc native city
Of his wife, who still lives In EU,