The Washington times., 1920-07-25
CHAPTER X.
The Secret Of The Daytisnys.


THE same motives which had
been responsible for Vivian
= Renton's residence in the
cafe in the Latin Quarter now
seemed to cause Baptiste Dartin
to fix upon a secluded boarding
house in Camden Town as his Lon
don abode.
It was to a room on the first
floor that he carried the ancestral
chest OF the Dartignys.
With his penknife he whitfield
away at the wood beside one OF the
hinges, and inserting the point OF
the poker he used IL as a lever.
The oak was stout and the work
manship good, but perseverance
won the battle, and with a creak OF
protest the wood splintered and
yielded up its secret.
A little cloud Of dust rose as
Vivian wrenched off the lid, and
when this had settled a curious
sight met his eyes. A few pieces
cf gold and silver plate, richly
chased and OF exquisite workman
hip, cleaned through wrappings
OF decayed and threadbare cloth.
There were cases Of worm-eaten
leather, too, containing quaint old
brooches and necklaces, rings and
racelets-valuable enough, but
dulled with age, as though the
T stones had despaired Of ever seeing
daylight again. The man who now
regarded them felt a distinct dis
appointment creeping over him, as
one by one he lifted out the
treasures.
He sat down in an old horsehair
armchair and lit a pipe. 1t was
peculiar sight-the dull CLEAN Of
the vessels on the old tablecloth
with the background of tawdry
wallpaper and cheap oleographs.
, One of these, portrait of the late
Queen Victoria, seemed to be re-
garding the scene with marked dis
approval. Dartin wondered what
Mrs. Bates, his landlady, would
think If she we're to come up.
He broke off in his thoughts as
his eye fell upon a small square
. of parchment partly hidden be-
meath one of the leather cases. He
had not noticed it before and he
took it up with interest. 1t was
tied by a faded thin red ribbon to
a large, heavy key Of intricate
workmanship. Vivian translated
the words on it in wonderment:
key to the hidden closet in
Chateau Chauville, fitting the key
hole behind the apple in the right,
hand panel on the south side wall
of the dining-hall."
Vivian sat for some minutes deep
in thought. The words on the
scrap of parchment were amazing
ly vague, and he asked himself
whether he had not already spent
too much time and money on the
affairs of the de Dartignys. Better
to see old Moseburg at once, clear
the matter up and turn to other
and more profitable game.
But there was Eddie-the one
man who knew. Vivian's past as
sociates were barred to him by the
happenings at No. 9 Mortimer Ter
race. II would never do to tread
upon the trail Of that sleeping
crime. BY taking on this affair he
had burnt his boats and He
Jumped up with and oath and
brought his fist down on the table,
iingling the costly litter spread
upon it.
mo; I'll see 1t through-to the
very end. I'll realize on some OF
these Jewels and put the others in
a safe deposit. Luckily, know the
old chateau; can at least test the
truth OF this matter OF the key
hole"
He had been shown over the
place once, and no doubt the old
caretaker would be willing to show
him over again.
p He packed the valuable objects
away in one OF his portmanteaus,
keepine back only a chain and
: locket and a small string Of pearls.
This latter he pledged with Atten.
borough the same afternoon, the
price lent upon II being such as to
cause the spirit OF Vivian Renton
10 rise considerably
That evening as Monsieur Bap-
tiste Dartin, In company with Rob-