White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-04

taken care OF her finances to an ap-
preciable extent. Between thesn lay
an affection that was very real. Lucie,
better than most. knew the extraordi-
nary capabilities of this little gray
man; yet not even Lucie guessed a
tenth of the character that lay be-
meath his surface. To her he was
never reserved or secretive. Nonethe-
less, she touched sometimes an i'm
penetrable wall that seemed ever
present within him.
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 heI"
Softly, softly, young lady. | Know
him. hut even to you / dare not
breathe his name until | obtain some
direct evidence. Let us call him Mr..
n after the approved methods of ro-
nance, and | shall expound what I
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 ms II may appear. he was
n of the guests. This Mr.. Y. came
10 the dance wearing the a%viator's cos
tune. or most of il. underneath his
masquerade costume. When he was
ready to act. he dotted his outer cos
tune. appeared as the Midnight
M%asquer. effected his purpose. then
calmly donned his outer costume
again and resumed his place among
the guests. You understand?
"Well, then, Malllard yesterday re-
ceiyed Il note from the Masquer, bra
zenly stating that he intended 10 call
during the evening. I have that note.
II was written with an extremely
hard pencil. such as few men carry,
because II does not easily make very
legihle writing. Last night | asked
Mr.. y. for n pencil. and he produced
n with an extra hard lead-men-
tioning that he Ind borrowed IL from
Bob Maillard. as indeed he had"
What Surely you don't mean"
"Of course | don't. Mr.. y. is very
clever. that's all. Here is what took
place last night. Mr.. y. brought Us
another note from the Masquer. say
Ing that he had found II pinned To the
library door. As n matter of fact,
he had written II on n leaf torn from
his notebook. | took the note from
him. observing at the time TINT the
paper had nj pin holes. Probably
Mr.. y. saw hat there was something
amiss; he presently went back down
stairs. took the remainder of the torn
leaf from his notebook. and pinned II
10 the door. \ little later | met him
and mentioned the lack of pin holes /:
he calmly referred me 10 the piece on
the door, saying that he had merely
torn on the note without removing
the pins. You follow meg
"Of course murmured the girl. her
eyes wide in fascinated interest. And
he knew that you guessed him to he
the M%asquer?'
"lIe suspected me, think" said
Fell. mildly. 1T is understood that
you will moi 40 about tracing these
| little cluesf'
Don't he silly, Uncle joachim :" she
broke in. You know IN do nothing
If the sort. TO on, please, Did you
find the alrplane?'
Yes" joachim Fell smiled dryiy. 81
was thinking of that ms | left the
house and came To the line of waiting
automobiles. A word with one Of the
outside detectives showed me that one
ing its engine about midnight. ! found
that the ear belonged to Mr.. y.
allow simple, LucIe, and how very
clever, The chauffeur worked "A pow
erful motor with n mutiier cutout Mt
about the time Mr.. ". inside the
scarcely sounded like IN airplane mo-
tor. yet frightened and startled, people
would imagine that Ii did. Thus arose
the legend that the Midnight Masquer
anne and departed by mea of air.
plane-a theory aided lngenlously by
his costume. Well, that is all | know
or suspect, my dear Lucie. And
now"
"Now, | suppose said the girl.
ll~oughtfuily. you'll put that awful
Creole OF yours on the track of Mr.. ny
Ben Clacherre Is n good chauffeur.
and he's amusing enough-but he's n
b~loodhound' | don't wonder that he
used to be criminal. Even IL You have
rescued him from n life Of crime, You
haven't improved his looks"
"Exactly-Ben Is at work" asserted
,Jachin Fell. 1.-The gentleman under
suspicion Il very prominent. To ac-
cuse him without proof would be
utter folly. TO catch him in t~lagrante
delicto will be difficult. So | am In
no haste. Besides. ! RAJ rs yet dis
cover no motive for his crimes. since
he Is quite well off financially. Well,
no matterl Now that ! have fully
unbosomed myself. my dear, Ii is your
turn
"All right. Uncle joachim" IAucie