The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-10-06

case might be made up against me.
and it would seem plausible. But,
fortunately, was out of it in time.
Were we merely characters in a
standardized detective story, 1 suppose
I'd be arrested and deluged with sus-
pense and clues and so forth"
"Your escape was too narrow to
joke over, Henry" she reproved him,
gravely.
I'm not joking, my dear Lucie. I
learned nothing about the tragedy UNI
till late last night. From what can
find in the papers, 1t seems agreed that
Bob was not the real Masquer, but
had assumed that guise for joke. A
tragic jokel Since he was undoubt-
eddy drunk at the time, his story can't
be relied upon as very convincing.
And yet, it's frightfully hard to believe
that, even by accident, son should
have shot down his own father"
'Don'tl" Lucie WINGED little. s'In
spite Of all the evidence against him,
In spite Of the way he was found with
that aviation uniform, It's still awful
to believe. I can't realize that 1t has
actually happened"
According to the papers, poor Mrs.
Maillard has gone to pieces. No Won
der"
"Yes. I was there with her all day
yesterday, and shall go again today.
They say Bob is terribly broken up.
He sent for his mother, and she re-
fused to see him. don't know how 1t
is all going to endl Do you think his
story might be true-that somebody
else might have acted as the Masquer
that night?"
Gramont shook his head.
Its possible" he said, reluctantly,
"yet it hardly seems very. probable.
And now, Lucie, I'm very sorry indeed
to say it-but you must prepare your
self against another shock in the near
future"
"What do you mean? About the
oil"
"No. IT'S too long a story to tell
you now; here we are at the Maison
Blanche. Just remember my words,
please. It's something that can't go
into now" O
Every well, Henry! Do you think
that it's possible your. chauffeur, Ham
mond, could have learned about the
drinking party. and could have"
Gramont started. Hammond? No.
I'll answer for him beyond any ques-
ton, Lucie. BY the way, does Fell
know anything about Hammond hav-
ing been the first Masquer?"
"Not from me-" said the girl, watch
ing him.
Every well. Hammond got into bit
of trouble at Houma, and had to
leave him there. 1t was none of his
fault, and he'll get out Of it all right.
Well, come along up to our oil meet
ing Forget your troubles, and don't
let my croakings about new shock
cause you any worry just yet"
He was thinking of joachim Fell, and
the girls closeness to Fell. Had he
not known that Fell was responsible
for Hammond's being in jail, he might
have felt differently. AS it was, he
was now forewarned and fOrearmed,
although he could not see what ami
mus Fell could possibly have against
Hammond.
It was lucky, he reflected grimly,
that he had never breathed to soul
except Lucie the fact that Hammond
had been the first Masquerl Had Fell
known this fact, his desire to lay Ham
mond by the heels might have been
easily fulfilled-and Hammond would
probably have found himself charged
with Maillard's murder.
They found joachim Fell debating to
a stenographer. He greeted them
warmly, ushering them at once into
his private Office.
Gram0nt found 1t difficult to con-
vince himself that his experiences of
the previous afternoon had been real.
1t was almost impossible to believe
that this shy, apologize little man in
gray was in reality the imam higher
up| Yet he knew 1t to be the case
knew it beyond any escape.
"By the way" and Fell turned to
Gramont. "if you'll dictate a brief
statement concerning that Oil seepage,
I'd be obliged! Merely give the facts.
may have need Of such statement
from you"
Gramont nodded and Joined the
stenographer in the outer office, where
he dictated brief statement. 1t did
not occur to him that there might be
danger In this; at the moment, he was
rather off his guard. He was thinking
so much about his future assault on
Fell that he quite ignored the posi-
bility of being placed on the de-
fensive.
Within five minutes he had returned
to Lucie and joachim Fell, who were
discussing the condition of Mrs. Mail
lard. Gramont signed the statement
and handed it to Fell, who laid it with
other papers at his elbow.