St. Tammany farmer., 1922-08-26

| Az kAAAs
"D-n you'll" cried Maillard, shakin
a fist. you'd try blackmail, woul
you?"
The bandit regarded him momen,
then laughed
IF you knew what was In that en-
ve1ope, my dear financier, you Nigh
not speak so hastily. If l knew wha
was in it, I might answer you. Bat
don't know. I,only suspect-and hope
And now, my friends-au revoir!"
The Masquer sprang backward int,
the: hall. The door slammed, the ke.
clicked, He was gone!
| ,Maillard was the first to wake int
voice and action. 1.-THE other door 7
he cried. Unto the dining room"
/ He flung open a second door anc
dashed into the dining room, followed
by the other men, Here the windows
giving upon the garden, were open
Then Maillard came to a sudden halt
and after him the others; through
the night was pulsating, with great
distfnctness, the throbbing roar of an
airplane motor! From Maillard broke
a bitter cry:
"The detectives-I1l get the fools
here! You gentlemen search the
house. That fellow can't possibly
have escaped"
They hastily separated. Maillard
dashed away to summon the detec-
ttves, also to get other men to aid
| In the search.
The result was vain. No one had
been seen to enter Or leave tho house,
and certainly there had been no air.
plane about. The Masquer had not
| appeared except in the library, and
now he was most indubitably not In
the house. BY all testimony, he had
neither entered it nor left 1t!
"Well, I'm d-d!" said Maillard,
helplessly, to Judge Forestes when
the search was concluded. 'Not a
trace of the scoundrel! Here, Fell
can't you help us out? Haven't you
discovered thing?"
Nothing" responded Jnchin Fell,
calmly.
AT this instant Bob Maillard rushed
up. He had just learned Of the
N1asquer's visit. In response to his
excited questioning his father de-
scribed the scene in the library, and
added:
Il trust there was nothing impor-
tant among those papers Of yours
Robert?"
"No,' said the younger man. mo.
Nothing valuable at all."
Henry Gramont was passing. He
caught the words and paused, his gaze
resting for an instant upon the group.
A faint smile rested upon his rather
harshly drawn features.
Il just found this" he announced,
holding out paper. 1T was pinned
to the outside of the library door.
presume that your late visitor left It
as a memento?"
joachim Fell took the paper, the other
men crowding around him.
''Ah Maillard! The same hand
writing as that of your letter."
Upon the paper was penclled
single hasty line:
"My compliments to Robert Mall
ard--and my thanks"
Bob Maillard sprang forward, an
grily inspecting the paper. When he
relinquished it, Fell calmly claimed it.
"Confound the rogue!' muttered the
bankers son, turning away. His fea-
lures were pale, perhaps with anger.
There was nothing but stock certifl-
Gates In that envelope-and they can
be reissued."
The, festivities were not broken up.
News of the robbery gradually leaked
nut among the guests; the generally
accepted verdict was that the Masuuer
had appeared, only to be frightened
away before he could secure any loot.
It was nearly two in the morning
when Jachin Fell, who was leaving.
Henry Gramont at the
head of the wide stairway. He halted
and turned to the younger man.
"Ah-have you pencil, ii you
please?'
II think so, Mr.. Fell" .Gramont felt
beneath his Franciscan's robe. and ex-
tended pencil.
Jachin Fell examined 1t, brought a
paper from beneath his domino, and
wrote down word The paper was
that on which the farewell message
If the Midnight Masquer had been
written.
"A hard lead, very hard point in
1eed!" said Fell. He pocketed the
1lDer again and rQpardod Gro nocr% |
steadily as he returned the pencil.
Few men carry so hard a pencil.
,ir."s
you're quite right" and Gramont
smiled. Il borrowed this from Bob
daillard only a moment ago. Its hard
less surprised me-"
do you know, most curious
hing"
"Yes?' prompted Gramont, his eyes
intent upon the little gray man. |
"That paper you brought us-the
'aper which you found pinned to the
library door," said Fell, apologetically.
Do you know, Mr.. Gramont, that
ddly enough there were no Din holes
d that paperT'
Gramont smiled family, as though
e were inwardly amused over the re-
mark.
mot at all curious he said, his
oice level. 1T was pinned rather
toutly-I tore off the portion bearing
he message. I'll wager that youll
nd the end of the paper still on the