Owingsville outlook., 1922-11-09
CHAPTER iv-Continued.

"You saw him?" repeated the girl,
quickly what was he like? DO you
know who he is?"
Certainly | know" replied Fell,
still smiling at her.
'Oh! Then who is he?"
SOFTLY, softly. young lady! know
him, but even to you | dare not
breathe his name until l obtain some
direct evidence. Let us call him Mr..
n, after the approved methods of ro-
nance, and ! shall expound what |
know.
THE bandit did not enter the house
during the evening. nor did he leave,
nor was he found in the house after
ward.' he went on, tonelessly. $50.
Incredible as il may appear, he was
one of the guests. This Mr.. y. came
10 the dance wearing the aviator's cos
tune, or most of IL, underneath his
masquerade costume. When he was
ready to act. he doffed his outer cos
tune, appeared as the Midnight
Masquer. effected his purpose, then
calmly donned his outer costume
again and resumed his place among
the guests. You understand?
"Well, then! Maillard yesterday re.
ceived a note from the Masquer, bra
xenly stating that he intended to call
during the evening. have that note.
II was written with an extremely
hard pencil. such as few men carry,
because il does not easily make very
Mr.. X. for pencil. and he produced
one with an extra hard lead-men.
tioning that he had borrowed il from
Bob Maillard, as indeed he had"
what! Surely YOU don't mean"
"Of course I don't. Mr.. Y. is very
place last night. Mr.. y. brought us
another note from the Masquer. say
ing that he had found il pinned to the
library door. As a matter of fact,
he had written II on leaf torn from
his notebook. i took the note from
him, observing at the time that the
paper had no pin holes. Probably
Mr.. Y. saw that there was something
amiss; he presently went back down
stairs, took the remainder of the torn
leaf from his notebook, and pinned II
To the door. A little later I met him
and mentioned the lack of pin holes
he calmly referred me to the piece on
the door, saying that he had merely
torn off the note without removing
the pins You follow me?"
"Of course" murmured the girl, her
eyes wide in fascinated interest. "And
he knew that you guessed him to be
the Masquer?"
He suspected me, think" said
Fell. mildly. at Is understood that
you will not go about tracing these
little clues?"
"DOn't be silly. Uncle Jachin!" she
broke In. You know I'll do nothing
of the sort. Go on. please, Did you
find the airplane?"
"Yes." Jachin Fell smiled dryly. 81
was thinking of that as / left the
house and came to the line Of waiting
automobiles. A word with one of the
outside detectives showed me that one
of the cars in the street had been test
ing its engine about midnight. I found
that the car belonged to Mr.. "
"HOw simple, Lucie. and how very
clever! The chauffeur worked a pow
erful motor with muffier cutOut al
about the time Mr.. ", inside the
house, was making his appearance. II
scarcely sounded like an airplane mo
tor, yet frightened and startled. people
would imagine that 1t did. Thus arose
the legend that the Midnight MasqueI
came and departed by means of air
plane-a theory aided ingeniously by
his costume. Well. that is all I know
or suspect, my dear Lucie! And
now"
Now. I suppose" said the girl
thoughtfully. you'll put that awfu
Creole Of yours on the track Of Mr.. X.
Ben Chacherre is good cha Iffeur
and he's amusing enough-but he's !
bloodhound! don't wonder thHt HI
used to be criminal. Even If you have
rescued him from life of crime, yor
haven't improved his looks"
"Exactly-Ben is at work." ASSERTED
Jachin Fell. "The gentleman under
suspicion is very prominent. To &C
cuse him without proof would b,
utter folly. To catch him In fragrant,
delicto will be difficult. So I am II
no haste. Besides, l can as yet dis
cover no motive for his crimes, sine,
he is quite well off financially. Well
no matterl Now that / have full!
unbosomed myself, my dear, it is you
turn"
"All right, Uncle Jachin." Luci,
took large morocco case from tn,
| chair beside her. and extended II