El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-01-03

! Gothic roof. was meant for the serv-
The rooms we're completely empty.
There was not stick OF furniture
But there Is no dust" Tenant
whispered. Not & speck OF IT. Did
you notice that. DoumayT
Yes" replied the subagent- Il ls
as Il somebody were anxious % leave
no teIl-taIs footprints"
"And vet" continued the American
after a few minutes. during which
Z ne examined the light fixtures. mo
BODY lives here. The gas Is shut or
So Is the electric light
From room TO room they went e1-
aiming every inch OF the walls and
I floors Inch for inch they tapped the
Z left wall which connected with the
Rohan- Chabot palace Il was as Dou-
may had said-solid masonry with
no trap door. no niche, no alcove-no
J make a getaway. They felt satisfied,
at the end OF three hours Eruellng,
: Understanding wc.k. that NordeE
was not on the premises
But I saw him 80 inI' exclaimed
l the e1asperated Doumay.
sure I don't doubt t. And the
I house Is swept clean Somebody uses
this house. but that's all We can do
for the night
I Arrived once more on the ground
. cate early with the metropolitan po-
FIND out 20 whom the place be-
I longs. how long IL has been empty.
I and II ANYBODY has a lease or suitcase
! on IT, They keep 2 complete record
! OF these things at headquarters
He was about 70 step into the outer
Z hail when. bending to tie his shoe
lace he saw something white among
! a heap OF ashes in the fireplace
He picked Il up and looked at f. II
Z was a scrap OF paper. There were
/ some printed words. The very first
riveted bis attention.
They were -Indo-China-
We'll" he smiled grimly. 81 reckon
we got something for our pains" and
cred quite a number OF torn. half
charred bits OF paper, which he put
In his pocket
The violet haze OF dying night was
melting the topmost twigs OF the
elm trees. and little n-plumaBed
bird. first messenger OF spring, was
gurgling its throaty Woruing song;
but stin James Tenant was bent over
his writing desk IN the library OF his
D apartment, a pot OF inky coffee at
his elbow, the stump OF a black Ha-
vana cigar. relit innunerable times,
z between his teeth and half cheWed
through. his forehead tortured into
deeo lines. his eyes smarting and
burning. his fingers nervous and
shalCy. but grimly determined 20 I'm
ish his work
q For three hours now he had been
at 70. trying 10 put into a compre-
hensive, Ineligible whole the puzzle
I picture OF the torn and charred paper
I fragments which he had found IN the
crate OF the deserted house Of the I'M
passe Oudinot. across from the GER
man embassy's temporary quarters
Every half hour or 50 his faithful
negro servant would come into the
room with not OF freshly-rnade coz
fee, aEain with plate OF sand Wicnea
] which he bullied his master into eat
ing. and croakinE hoary bits Of adj
Vice such as, HTo' CANT affo'd 10 burn
the candle at both ends. sun OF, "Ah
D reckon yo' better cult 70 a spell. sub:
vou'se gwine git nervous procrastina-
tion as sure's 20 bawni" Il was near
" s o'clock when Tenant looked NJ.
a glitter Of victory In his tired eyes
ring Up NJ. nucastel at his home,
George" he called TO his servant
Tell him 70 come straight over here
It's important. Make my APOLOGIES
for my not going over to his house
Tell him I've been working all night
and haven't had time to dress OF
shave"
Z While George was busy telenhonlnE
Tennant took a stout bit o. cardboard.
a pot Of glue and pasted the result
OF his work tgether carefully.
He read e over and over again
Very few words we're missing. after
all. and these few he was able 70 re-
construct without any trouble
The document spoke foF Itself
The church bell had not vet tolleo
the half hour when Ducastel rushed
into the room. excited. Eesticulating,
the light OF battle IN his shrewd old
eyes
what do you mean By calling me
from my home al this hour OF the
morning. was his greeting what
DO YOU mean by Il. impudent young
animal OF q good for-nothing Van
kee7 ] have not even had time %
curl my mustache. nor to eat my
3 brea kfast-ah. Bcrognieugnieul.
"Au right, monsieur" laughed Ten
uant eth have George fix you reg
ular breakfast. none Of your cafe au
lait. but n real. square American
breakfastT' And Ducastei. who before