St. Tammany farmer., 1922-09-09

| 6uAily VI LIOSe 2IIlluSS lI IHOFLlueO
me, It stunned until realized the
truth from the note. Even the fact
that you did not do 1t for criminal
ends does not relieve the sheer folly
OF the act. Why did you do it7 Come,
tell me the truth r.
| Gramont shrugged 1.-THE truth I
Well, my chauffeur, Hammond, was
the original Masquer caught him
In the act-you remember l told you
about hfm7 After taking him into my
/ employ, became the Masquer."
"Why did you do it2" persisted the
| girl.
Call 1t bravado, my dear Lucie.
Call 1t anything you like-I can't lie
| to you! had a motive, and refuse
to admit what It was; that's all"
Aren't you ashamed Of yourselfY'
mot particularly" He smiled II
had good end in view, and l accom-
plished 1t. Now that I'm all through,
now that I've finished playing my
httle game, you happened to dis
cover It,"
II think you've been very Silly she
said with disconcertfng calmness.
he regarded her for a moment, stead
lily. And you have displayed fear
ful lack of judgmentl''
"Sfllyl Well-perhaps. What are
you going to do with those boxes7"
"Ill put them In the mail. I'm 60
ing downtown for luncheon, and will
do 1t then. They'll be delivered this
afternoon"
He nodded. II had meant to have
them delivered tomorrow; 1t makes
no difference. You're the boss. It
will give the good people little more
reason for jubilation tonight, ehT'
A sudden laugh broke upon his lips.
TIM beginning to see the humor of 1t,
Lucie-and I know who put you next
to me. It was joachim Fell, the old
fox! l suspected that he was on nv
trail, and thought that he had man.
aged the theft Of those boxes In fact.
l was preparing to give him big sur
prise this afternoon. But tell me, Lu-
cie-are you angryr'
She looked at him steadily for a
space, then a swift smile leaped to her
lips and she extended a pardoning
hand. Her gesture and words were
tmpulsfve sincere.
"Angry?. No. / think you've some
good reason behind It all, which you
won't conflde to me. can read you
pretty clearly, Henry Gramont; I
think I can understand some things
in you. You're no weakling, no ro-
mantle, iihbustering crackbrain. And
like you because you won't lie to me.
You've a motive and you refuse to
tell it-very welll Til be just as
frank and say that I'm not bit angry.
So, that's settled!
"NoW what was the big surprise that
you just mentioned you were going to
give poor Mr.. Fell this afternoon7''
Gramont's eyes twinkled. "You re-
member that thought he suspected
me of being the Masquer? Well,
was going to him to propose that we
enter business together"
"Oh! AS bandits?'
mo, as OIL promoters, I'm out OF
Maillard's company, or shall be out Of
It soon. The minute I'm out. I'll be
free to go into business for myself. It
occurred to me that IL Jachin Fell had
brains enough to run down the Mid
night Masquer, he would be mighty
good business partner; because I'm
poor on business detail. Also, I think
Fell is to be trusted. He's very strong
politically, have &ound--although
few people know IT,
But he's not interested in oil, IL
hep
Il don't know; take for granted
that he's interested In making money.
Most men are. The only way to make
money In oil Is to have money-and
he has somel have little. | can
put In twenty-five thousand. With an |
equal amount from him, we can sink
a couple of wells, perhaps three. II
we go broke, all right. II we find oil,
we're rich r.
-But. my dear Henry, II he knew
you to be the Midnight Masquer, do
you think he'd want to go into bust.
ness with you7"
why not7" Gramont laughed. "If
he kneW that had brains enough to
pull off that stunt and keep all New
Orleans up In the air-wouldn't I
make a good partner? Besides, be-
ieve I have some notion where to go
after oil: I'm going to examine your
and first
My good prince, you surely have no
ack Of audacity r She broke into a
peal Of laughter. "Your argument
lbout inducing Mr.. Fell to 20 into
BUSINESS with you Is NAIVE
but, as an argument, isn't is quite
ound7"
Possibly. Since 1t is Lucie Leda-
lois and not Jach1n Fell who has
'rought you to confession Of your
rimes against society aren't you
olng to propose that she go into bust-
ess with you? Doesn't the argument
old good with herr"
mo. OIL Is no Woman's game, un-
ess she can well afford to lose. I
nagine that you cannot, Lucte.''
you're right, / can't put in any
honey. I'm land poor. Unless were
sell that Bayou Terrebonne land