The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1919-07-15

the examination at court, Prosper re-
membered that he had been indis-
Greet the previous night in saying
to Gypsy. when perhaps he might
have been overheard by the Count
and Raoul. that he had reason forl
constantly thinking of her at his
work, when she accused him of not
thinking of her any longer. The word
Gypsy opened the safe. For lack
OF sufficient evidence Prosper was re-
leased and the case filed in No. 113.
On Prosper's return to his apart
ment, Gypsy had gone. but a note
addressed in small printed letters was
delivered to him containing money
The clever Lecoq. now living with
Prosper. under the disguise of an old
friend of his fathers. revealed that
the printed letters had been cut from
a prayer-book. Surely there was al
woman in the case. Later a tornI
prayer-book was discovered hidden inI
Madeleine's room. Did she lovel
Prosper and think him innocent andI
In need OF money? Yet soon afterJ
that. to the surprise of everyone, herj
engagement was announced to the old
Count de Clameran. The reason for
this was that Madeleine, by chance.
overheard a conversation between the
Count and her aunt The old Count
threatened to tell of the family skele-
ton IL she did not consent to the
marriage. Madeleine appeared and
said she would marry him to keep
the secret and the honor of the fam
lily name. On learning of Madeleine's
engagement. Prosper. who really had
always loved her. became very angry.
and thinking there must be a sinister
mn
II. wrote an anonymous lette~ 70 NJ
Fauvel, telling him to W; his
wife.
Lecoa noticed that the good.
looking Raoul still continued his
frequent visits to the house. Did
II mean that he was perhaps not
the nephew, but the lover of Mime.
Fauvel? Disguised. the great de-
tective attended a masquerade ball
and made insinuating remarks to
Nine. Fauvel. concerning Raoul
which caused her to faint, and
when he spoke of money matters,
Count Louis turned pale. Return
ing home that night. the detective
was followed by two men and
stabbed. but. fortunately. not
killed. Lecoq. thinking he recog-
nized the Count and Raoul. decided
that they realized that the police
suspected them of robbing the
hank. and also that there must be
an even greater mystery to I'M
ravel that had caused them to be-
come would-be-assassins. Records
were looked up and an amazing
story came to light.
Lecoq discovered that years ago
I'm
Nerberte. had been engaged to the
Counts brother. CASTOR. In de-
Tending her name at a country inn.
CASTOR had killed a man and fed
to America, although he was
while escaping. A son was born
to Valentine and given away by
her mother. Later she had married
Fauvel, who was told nothing.
The story was never unearthed
until Count Louis had squandered
the family money and by mere
chance had heard of the chiId's ex-
istence from an old nurse. Hei
this. the Count introduced a young
man to Nine. Fauvel as her son.
to serve his own ends and to ex-
man was called her nephew ana
proved to be Raoul Layers.
The situation became even more
complicated. CASTOR returned from
America immensely rich. not know
ing of the existence of his son. but
determined to see his old love VAL
entine once more. Louis. however.
realized that for his own ends CASTOR
and Nine. Fauvel must never meet.
FIe Joined CASTOR in tho south of
France and got into his good graces.
CASTOR made a will, leaving every
thing to Louis then poor CASTOR be-
came mysteriously i'll and died. Louis
returned to Paris rich.
Madeleine seemed to wish to delay
her marriage. The Count feared she
still loved Prosper. so he promised
Raoul a large sum if he would In
some way ruin the cashiers reputa-
ton. thinking thus to hasten his own
marriage. as he really was in love
with Madeleine. The moment came
when Raoul overheard Prosper tell
ing Gypsy he constantly thought of
her at the bank. He then went to
his mother and said he would shoot
himself IL he did not have a large
sum OF money that very night to pay
d kdHlDlluB ueDt. one got Tor MIN
the key to the safe. The poor lady
had already given him all her money
and Jewels. and had nothing left to
bestow. At the last moment she tried
to stop him. hence the scratch that
was discovered later. When she in
quired how he knew the word that
made up the combination. Raoul said
that Prosper had given II to him and
they were to divide the money be-
tween themselves.
Owing to the anonymous letter. M.
Fauvel intercepted his wife's mail.
and one day found a letter from
Raoul asking her to go to his villa.
NJ. Fauvel followed. and on entering
and seeing his wife in the arms of the
young man, pulled out his pistol to
shoot, but fortunately it did not go
off. as Gypsy. who had become Made
leine's maid. under Lecoq's instruc-
tons In order to watch the house,
had taken out the bullets.
At this point the great detective
appeared and told the banker the
whole story. He then demanded the
100000 francs which had been stolen
and Raoul returned the money, and
what was more remarkable still.
Oh L