Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-09-22

1een adjourned to Saturday morning
Cramont thought a moment, then went
TO his buhl escritoire and opened II
Cbacherre had already taken a seat
Gramont wrote:
my Dear Mr.. Fell:
'Tf you will arrange the compan!
meeting for tomorrow evening, say
nine o'clock, at your office, l think tha'
everything may then be arranged. as
7 NAV not see Miss Ledanois in the
meantime. will you be kind enough t.
assure her presence at the meetingF
He addressed an envelope to Felrs
office, and then stamped and peck
eted it.
"Well, Chacherre," he said, rising
and returning to the Creole, 'any fur
Their news from Houma? They haven't
found the real murderer yetT'
The other came to his feet with an
exclamation Of surprise. AS he did so,
Gramont's fist caught him %squarely on
the point of the jaw.
Chacherre crumpled back across his
chair, senseless for the moment.
I'm afraid to take any chances
with you, my fine bird" said Gramont,
rubbing his knuckles. you're too
clever by far, and too handy with your
weapons"
He obtained cloths, and firmly bound
the ankles and wrists of Chacherre.
Not content with this, he placed the
man in the chair and tied him to 1t
with merciless knots. As he was fin
ishing his task, Chacherre opened his
eyes and gazed dazedly around.
awake at last, are your" said Ora
mont, genially. He got his pipe, filled
and lighted it. The eyes of Chacherre
were now fastened upon him venom
ously. "To bad for you, C~hacherre,
that the coin fell heads up! That
spelled action"
Are you crazy?" muttered the other
in French. Gramont laughed, and
responded in the same tongue.
ut does look that way, doesn't it?
You're slippery, but now you're
caught"
Chacherre must have realized that
he stood in danger. He checked a
curse, and regarded Gramont with a
steady GOODNESS.
BE careful!" he said, his voice
deadly. what do you mean by this?'
Gramont looked at him and puffed
his pipe.
"The games up, Ben" he observed.
81 know all about the place down
there-about the cars, and about the
lottery. Your gang has had a pleas
ant time, Ell? But now you and the
others are going to do a little work
for the state on the road gangs"
bah! Ca va rive semaine quatte
zheudisr' spat Chacherre, contemptu-
ously. "That will happen in the week
of four Thursdays, you fool! So you
know about things, Ell? My master
will soon shut your mouth"
"SoY' Queried Gramont, his brows
lifted. ''You seem much in Mr.. Felrs
confidence, Ben. But l think I'll leave
you tied up a little while. Memphis
Izzy is going down to his summer cot
tage tomorrow, isn't he? I'll be there
but you won't. BY the way, l think
I'd better look through your pockets"
Ben Chacherre writhed suddenly,
hurting a storm of curses at Gramont.
The latter, ~unheeding the contor-
tons of his captive, searched the man
thoroughly. Except for a roll of
money, the pockets gave up little of
interest. The only paper Gramont Sc
cured was a fresh telegraph blank.
He would have passed this unheeded
had he not noted a snaky fitting of
Chacherre's eyes to it.
"Ah!" he said, pleasantly. you APP
pear to be interested in this, Ben.
Pray, what is the secret?"
Chacherre merely glared at him, and
a sudden exclamation broke from him.
He held the bit of yellow paper to
the light at varying angles.
"It's the most natural thing in the
world.' he said after a moment, "for
a man to walk into a telegraph office,
write out a telegram. and then find
that he's tori two blanks instead OF
&AA@t
one from the pad on the desk. En-
I've done it, often-and I've always
put the extra blank into my pocket
Ben. thinking it might com in handy
just as you did, Ell? Now, let's see
"You were excited when you wrote
this. weren't you? You'd just thought
of something very important, and you
took care of it hurriedly-that made
you jab down your pencil pretty hard
Who's Dick Hearne at Houma? Ar
agent of the bang there?'
Chacherre merely glared, sullenly
defiant. Word by word. Gramcnt
made out the message:
Burn bundle under rear seat my
car. Have done at once"
Gramont looked up and smiled
-hinly.
"Your ear? Why, you left it in the
arage at Gumherts' place, ehf Tina
little roadster of FelIs, with the extra
seat behind. If you'd been just a litri'