Evening star., 1922-03-26


pany In many continental cities.
Because of my prediction In this
direction found myself one day seat
ed in the bureau of NJ. CASTOR Ducellier.
chief Of the Surete Generate in Paris.
had known Ducelier long ago.
when he was assistant to my friend
Goron-the world famous Goron-in
the days of President Felix Faure.
II must apologize. NJ. lie Queux.
for having troubled yoN.' said the
prefsct of police. but by the report
of Vial, whom you saw a couple OF
hours ago, at once realized that you
knew something of this strange in
dividual and of his friends"
"All l know l have already told
you" was my reply. Il am as much
puzzled as yourself"
True. there is deep mystery
somewhere, m'sieur," he said. between
the puffs of his eternal cigarette, as
he cast his gray eyes wearily around
his dark-g green painted, somber room
that room in which many criminal
had been interrogated hour after
hour, until he had collapsed and con-
fessed
= x X
THE room-it is the same today
has two long windows looking
out upon the Seine and the traftc
along the QUA. a grim. repellent
apartment with its great writing ta-
BILE, it's deep window seat and its
great escutcheon with ''R- F.. upon
the wall. The chair in which l sat
that same wooden armchair in which
so many criminals have sat. and still
Sits so placed that full gray light
from the high windows falls straight
upon the face Of the visitor, while
monsieur the chief remains in the
shadow, every line of the visitors face
revealed to him.
We'll" said the little bristly-
haired man. "it appears to me that
you have quite unintentionally been
drawn into some very deep and des-
perate plot But what it's nature is
/ cannot at present determine. We
may find him among the records. so
we will watch. will give the case
to lamont. and if necessary I hope
you will act together"
Then, having touched an electric
button, he told the messenger who
answered to call Inspector lamont.
The latter proved to be a pleasant.
round-faced. dark-haired man of
forty, we'll dressed. with the air of
noceur. He was typical lounger of
the boulevards and surely none would
suspect him to be one of the most eX-
pert members of the Paris detective
force
He bowed with usual Gallo ele-
gance as we shook hands. and then
sat down and listened to his chief,
who briefly related what I had said.
This Englishman Evans must be
kept under observation" the director
ordered
"And NJ. Rowe. the American" asked
lamont.
"He is friend of NJ. lie Quex. There
Is no necessity"
''Of course not" ! declared resent
fully. Rowe is an old friend of mine.
I've known him up and down Europe
for years. l can vouch for his hon.
esty.'
"Ah, my dear friend" said the chief
of the suret, never vouch for any
mans honesty. That is far too dan
gerous. A man is honest only as far
as it is in his interest to be So" And
he laughed grimly.
We'll. shall ! say that I've known
Arthur Rowe for ten years, and have
been with him in every capital in
Europe?' ! laughed.
"Yes. That is better-much bet
ter" old Duceiiier declared.
RI tina
Rowe rather annoyed me. AS a con-
slant traveller in the dusty sleeping
cars of the wagon-lits l had met the
burly, round-faced American in many
cities and we had spent many merry
days together in those places to which
moneyed idlers migrate. both in win
ter and in summer. Through the long
years of our friendship we had basked
on that long sunlit terrace of the
Hotel Stefanie at Abizzia. We had
idled beside the Adriatic in silent
old-world Ragusa, we had whiled
away glorious days by the blue sea
at Corfu. and also in Athens. while
We had met in hotels, often quite un-
expectedly. in Madrid. Berlin. Brus-
sells, Petrograd and Rome. And we
had always been close friends. :.
i !: i: =
AT that moment we were both stay
~ ing at our favorite hotel in
Paris, the Chatham, where Johnnie.
beloved of all cosmopolitans-a genial
soul, now, alas! no more-presided
over the grillroom.
What Arthur Rowe's profession was
] could never fathom. Indeed, never
troubled to inquire. In his bluff,
whole hearted way. full of quiet hu-
NOR. and possessing a huge body and
a clean-shaven face which exuded
good fellowship, he knew everybody
worth knowing. Indeed once, when
we were staying in Copenhagen. he
went out on private visit to the
King rof Denmark, while another
time, when we were in Bucharest, he
received a command from Carmen
sylvia" to attend musical evening
at the Royal Palace.
That lamont should have suggested
that watch should be kept upon Ar
thurs movements was particularly
Irritating to me. He certainly was
not q criminal. That he was a man
of many adventures. and extremely
popular with the ladies, I knew quite
we'll; and I also knew that he had
huge interest in a drygoods store in
Detroit, left him by his father.
I am afraid 1 was rather too en-
phatic. before Ducellier, for he said:
NO, my dear friend. Pardon me!