The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-16

Blu ~ Wa8tn0t silent. a vague
music. lie some weird concsp-
tlon o. Tactaikossky, seemed to
feel about the room, extending IT.
SELF thing that crept biindiy
and disturbed as though 1t would
escape from something that fol-
lowed y tirelesslyland invisibly.
1t required the fingers Of a
master on the board OF a keyed
Instrument. to produce these
sounds They came from the room
beyond, asecond drawing-room
Ionking out on the Bots de Boulo-
sue
Monsieur Jonquelle had not al
lowed the servant to announce
him
~one d. not permitted to dis
ttirb Lord Valleys at this hour"
the servant had said.
Monsieur Jonquelle's card had
added 70 the mans perplexity.
One was also not permitted to
deny an entrance, anywhere, at
any hour, to the Project Of Police
Of Paris The man had made a
hopeless gesture, like one resign
ing himself to the Inevitable.
Monsiur Jopquelle after tue
door had closed behind him, rG-
NAMED for some moments quito
notionIess In the eddy, as one
might write 1t, Of this strange,
weird music, In which there was
always ainote Of ruthless vigor-
o note of barbaric vigor, harsh
and determined.
Monsttir Jopquelle could not
place the music in any remember
ed competition. II was NOT the
work Of any master that he knew.
II was an improvisation OF tile
fingers that produced 1t.
Presently he advanced into tue
room from which the music issu-
ed. he paused a moment in the
doorway watching the figure
with white, nimble fingers hard as
steel Then he spoke.
Your pardon, Monsieur" said
the Pretect OF Police, 81 am desc
late to disturb you"
The man at the piano sprang up
and turned swiftly as though nis
body accomplished the act with a
single motion.
To the eye, the man Sns
strange. His shoulders were very
broad aud stopped; his facp was
wide. niassiye-the face Of SlaY.
His hair was thick, close and
heavy but II wasNnot long. and
affected no mannerisms.
The man was very carefully
dressed after the English fashion,
aud with Its well-bred restraint.
But the Impression he gave oAe
Was decidedly not English. It wGs
sfFat OF a siav adapted to an Eng
lish aspest
The eyes one did not see. one
rarely saw them. They seemed to
be hidden by heavy lids like cur,
tanned windows. And there was no
expression in the face. The face
was q mask. 1t seemed always Ia
repose. The big nose, the square,
brutal jaw, and the wide planes
of the face, were white as with a
sort Of pallor. Monsiur Jonquelie
nadia sudden, swift impression.
The man before him was either
the greatest criminal or the great
est genius that he had ever seer.
Jonuuelle had also a further
Impression OF failure. He had
meant to startle this man, and oh
serve what followed. And he had
startled him; but untrue to every
experience, there was nothing to
observe. The mans face remained
without an expression; he was be-
hind It hidden from every eye. 1t
was q mask that could not be
changed by the will Of another.
Monsieur Jonquelle wondered in
what manner It would change at
the will Of the man that 1t SO adj
nitrably obscured. It was a thing
he was not interested to discover.
TWAS only for an instant that
the man was without expression.
Then he smiled and came forward
INTO the room. The smile began
wttha queer lifting Of the lip aud
extended vaguely with but slight
changing Of the mans features.
HIS voice, when he spoke, was
iowsswel1 modulated and com
posed, His manner was easy and
gfacious.
tsAhi. he said. sit Is Monsieur
JoncEss,s, the Project Of Police of
Paris; am honored.
Monsieur Jonquelle removed
his gloves; he sat moment twist
ing them in his fingers like one in
certain embarrassment. His
host also seated, regarded him
with the vague smile which ap-
peared now as a sort Of black
round on the mask OF his face.
The Project Of Police hesitated.
Monsieur. he said. az have
called upon you for an opinion DIP
on 4 problem which has always
perpIe xed me. It Is a problem up
on which the opinions OF persons
without experience are wholly
without value, and unfortunately,
IA those who have had experience
and were therefore, about to give
mo an opinion, have been always
persons lacking in a certain ele-
ment Of Intelligence. I have not
had the opinion Of a man OF In
telligence, who was also a man OF
experlence, upon this problem.
Hepaused, The man before him
did not reply. He waited as in a
profound courtesy. for Monsieur
Ionqrelle to complete the subject