The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-09-22
The vampire and the Jewels
CHAPTER XIV

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LANYARD left Athenais at her
Apartment and Immediately fol-
lowed her directions to the house
Of Lame.
~ stood four-square and mas
stye on . corner between the ave-
dqes re F.riedland Z: des Champs
Eiyseess q SOLID stone pile Of q
townshouse In the most modern
mode.
Heavy gates otSwrought bronz.
guarded the front doors. The
single side or service-door was
similarly protected II more simply.
And stout grilles Of bronze barred
every window on the level Of the
street
Tomorrow night would be too
Iate. Tonight, II there were any
warrant for his suspicious, the
Jewels Of Eve de Montalais lay in
the dwelling Of Lame Delorme;. or
x they were not there, the secret
Of their hiding was.
But tomorrow Lame would be-
ON the wing; or Lanyard had been
soreIy mistaken In seeing in her
as badly frightened a woman as
he had ever known, when she had
learned OF the assassination of de
Lorgnes.
he must adventure the conse-
tqnences ........-
Poised to leave his shelter with
his#point Of attack selected, he
\ checked and fell back into the
shadow. Something was happen
ing in the house across the way.
Anfan had opened the service
door and paused behind the
bronze gate.
Following a little wait, 1t
swung slowly out, perhaps eight.
cen inches, the man advancing
with It and again hating to peer
up and down the street. Then
quickly as II alarmed, he with
drew.
Listening lntently, Lanyard
heard no click of latch, such as
should haFe@been audible in that
dead hour Of hush. Evidently the
fellow had neglected to make fast
the gate. What was he up to?
Why this ifurtiye appearance, why
the retreat 80 abruptly executed?
Bysway of answer came the soft
drone OF a high-powered motor.
Before the corner house 1t stop
ped. A lackey alighted with an
umbrella but Lame Delorme
would not wait for him. The ca:
had not stopped when she threw
the door open: on the instant
when Its wheels ceased to turn she
jumped down and ran into the
house.
Now II only 1t were true that
the man at the service-door had
failed to close It securely!
Il proved so. The gate gave read.
ilys to Lanyard's pull. The knob OF
Inc small door turned silently. He
stepped across the treshold, and
shut himself into an unlighted hall.
To one side a broad flight Of
stairs assembled: Lanyard went up
with the activity OF cat. making
no more. noise.
The second floor proved to be de
voted mainly to n drawing room, a
lounge, and library, all furnish.
ed in weird, inchoate sort OF
magnificence, with money rather
than with taste, IL one might Judge
fairly by the fittul and guarded
beam Of the torch,
Lights were burning on the floor
above, and a rumor of feminine
voices drifted down, interrupted by
an occasional sibilant rustic Of
SILK, or d brief patter Of high.heel-
ed feet; noises which bore out the
conjecture that madame's maid
was undressing and putting her to
bed.
A change IN the tenor of the talk
between mistress and maid was
conveyed by a sudden lift of half
an octave in the latter's Voice,
sounding sharp note OF protest,
to be answered by Lame In accent
ofSoyerbearing anger.
One simply could not rest with.
cut knowing what that meant;
Lanyard mounted the second
flight of stairs as swiftly, surely
and soundl ez& as he had the
first Just bs.OM a lapding he