Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-12-14


| 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. 1
| learned nothing about the tragedy un-
til late last night. From what I can
find in the papers, it seems agreed that
Bob was not the real Masquer, but
had assumed that guise for joke. A
tragic joke! Since he was undouDt-
edly 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, a son should
have shot down his own father"
''Don'tp' Lucie WINGED a little. I'm
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 it has
actually happened
According to the papers, poor Mrs,
Maillard has gone to pieces. No won-i
der"
eyes. 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. I don't know how it;
is all going to end! 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"
mo. 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 I can't go
into now"
VERY well, Henryl 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-
tion, Lucie By the way, does Fell
know anything about Hammond hav-
ing been the first Masquer2
"Not from me-" said the girl, watch
ing him.
VERY well. Hammond got into bit
T 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 croalzings about a new shock
cause you any worry just yet"
He was thinking of Jdchin 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 f0rearmed,
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 a soul
except Lucie the fact that Hammond
had been the first Masquer! 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
stenographer. He greeted them
warmly, ushering them at once into
his private Office.
Gramont found it 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 "man higher
up!" Yet he knew it to be the case
knew 1t 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.
J. may have need Of such statement
from you"
Gramont nodded and joined the
stenographer in the outer office, where
he dictated a 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
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.
81 suppose we may proceed to busi-
ness? began Fell. II have drawn up
articles of partnership; we can apply
for Incorporation later if we so desire.
Lucie. both Henry Gramont and | are
putting twenty-five thousand dollars
into this company, while you are put
ting in your land, which I am vaIuing
at an equal amount. The stock, there
fore. will be divided equally among
us. That is understood"
eyes. It's very good of you, Uncle
Jachin,' said the girl, quietly. "Ill
leave everything to your Judgment
The little gray man smiled.
Judgment is a poor horse to ride.
Here's everything In black and white.
[ suggest that you both glance over
the articles, sign up, and we will then