The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-11-09
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER I-nurrs tine heiaht Of The
New orleans carulEal s'usHu joachim Fol
wealthy though somewhat mysterious on
iaou. aud br. &ns.'}, pre- aIs.l .SI"H % 7.l'
of rotbtri,a by am individual Known as tn.
NlduIeht Maaquor. "I1, invariably atule1
as au aviator, has ,ouH oeN.i he poIle. d"-
sruh NafII.4. wealthy banker. is giving "a
bail tnat night, at which the MaHguor has
threatened TO appear and roo the tu,sls.
Eel aud Auslry, ou tncii way to the 'IA.i
meet a girl dressed as COIuEuD.uc, seemingly
known to Fell. but masked. who accompanies
GHApTER u-Luclc Ledauois. recently
the ward sor her uncle, Joseph MailIard, is
the Columhiuo.
CHAPTER WI-Iu his library Joseph
Maulard and a group OF friends are held up
and robbed by The Midnight Mtsquor.
CHAPTER IN-Lucic Lodauois. the last
Of an old family, les In siratteued ciIcuin-
stances. Joseph Maillard's handling Of her
funds has been unfortunate, Fell Is an old
friend Of her parents and deeply Interested
IN the girl Henry Gramont, really the
prince de Gramont, son Of a French father
and an American mother, but who spurns
the title Of prince. Is namore OF Lucle ana
believes himself n not untaVored suItor.
CHAPTER V.-Gramouts chauncr, Ham
moud. sergeant in the American army in
France, and there known 10 Gramout, IVtS
with him. lie was the original Midnight
pose, after discovering Hammonds activities,
assumes the role. Where hammond has
been a robber for financial gain, Gramoht, or
course, is not. lie arranEes TO return che
'loot" to those whom he has robbed me
jewels and money, In individual packages,
are got ready for delivery next DAY 10 thelr
original owners. That night they are stolen
from GTamonts auto.
CHAPTER When CaChcrre, an indivi-
dual of unsavory character, appears TO be
associated with joachim Fell. lie has "A Pc
culiar Interview with one memphis IVY
Gumbcrts. notorious influential crook IN
which there Is significant reference to a mSs-
FERROUS boss"
CHAPTER VIT.-Lucie summons era
mont to her home and shows him the pack
ages from his auto. He admits he Is the
Midnight Masquer, but couvinccs her that
he had no Thought of robbery. lie refuses.
however, to explain his purpose, The pack
ages are returned to Their owners.
CHAPTER VIIl-That evening Fell.
Gramont. and Or. Ansley. at the Krcwe OF
Comus ball. are accosted by an intoxicated
masked individual whom they recognize AS
Bob MaIllard. lie invites them to the car
nival party I'm a private room Ihey refuse
and Gramont leaves the building. Joseph
Maillard seeks his son, fearing public scan
day as a result of Bob's condition. with
Fell and Ansley they find the room where
the revcls are going on. Entering they dis
cover an Individual. attired a san aviator,
in the act of robbing the intoxicated youths,
and killed. The "Masquer'' escapes.
CHAPTER IX--Gramont, with Ham
mond, visits Terrebonne. "A wild section OF
the country, to inspect Lucie Ledanols' land,
which he believes contains oil. He finds In
dications OF apparently almost unbelievable
quantities Of the stun. While STOPPING over
a pool OF water which clearly shows traces
of oil on it's surface. Gramont hears his
name spoken.
CHAPTER X.-He cannot see the speak
ers. but the conversation ends singularly
abruptly. Gramont does not Investigates
mmo finds n dead man in some WOODS
and IL charged by Ben CaCherre and two
other men with murder. Gramont can dc
nothing. The men take ann to the
town of Houma. Later Gramont hnds d
bloodstained knife where he had heard the
voices. He then realizes that Cacherro was
one of the men talking, and is the murderer
CHAPTER XI.-Believing himself alone
Gramont investigates buildings on the ad'
joining farm, which he knows belongs &c
Memphis Icy Gumberts, He finds evidence
of automobile stealing on n studendous scale
and learns from a man who discovers hin
and whom he outwits, that the place Is also
the headquarters of the underground lottery
game and that joachim Fell is the mysterious
boss"
XII-Back in the city, Gra
mont learns of the killing OF Joseph Mail.
lard. He seeks further evidence against
Fell. Gramont, Fell. and Lucie Ledanois
form a company to bore for oil on the Lee
danois place. Fell tells Gramont he plant
ed the evidence OF oil there and unfolds n
scheme to make a fortune for the girl. Fell
threatens to prove him the murder of Mail
lard, which he seems able to do, and Ora
mont reluctantly agrees to join him.