The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-09-01

the tag-enQS or carnival were running
on swiftly ebbing tide. A single ele-
vator in the building was, however,
in use. A single suite Of offices, with
carefully drawn blinds, was lighted
and occupied.
They were not ornate, these offices.
They consisted of two rooms, small
reception room and large private
Office, both lined to the ceiling with
books, chiefly law books. In the larger
room were sitting three men. One
of the three, Ben Chacherre. sat in
a chair tipped back against the wall,
his eyes closed. From time to time
he opened those sparkling black eyes
of his, and through narrow-slitted lids
directed keen glances at the other
two men.
One Of the men was the chief Of
police. The second was joachim Fell,
whose offices these were.
"Even If things are as you say,
which don't doubt at ALL" said the
chief, slowly, II can't believe the boy
did It'll And darn it all, If pinch
him there's goin' to be h. of a
scandall'
Fell shrugged his shoulders, and
made response in his toneless voice
"Chief, you're up against facts.
Those facts are bound to come out
and the newspapers will nail your
hide to the wall in minute. You've
bare chance to save yourself by tax
ing in young MaiIlard at once"
The chief chewed hard on his cigar.
II don't want to save myself by put
ting the wrong man behind the bars"
he returned. SIT sure looks like he
was the Masquer all the while, but
you say that he wasn't. You say this
was his only job--a joke that turned
out bad"
Those are the facts" said Fell. 81
don't want to accuse a man of crimes
l know he did not commit. We have
the best of evidence that he did COM
NIT this crime. If the newspapers
fasten the entire Midnight Masquer
business on him, as they're sure to
do, we can't very well help him. I
have no sympathy for the boy"
"Of course he did it," put in Ben
Chacherre, sleepily. wasn't he caught
with the goodsy
The others paid no heed. The chief
indicated two early editions Of the
morning papers, which lay on the desk
in front Of Fell. These papers car
ried full accounts of the return Of
the Midnight Masquer's loot, explain
ing his robberies as part Of a carnival
jest.
The later editions, comm out now"
said the chief, will crowd all that
stuff off the front page with the Mail
lard murder. Darn it, Fell! Whether
I believe it or not. I'll have to ar
rest the young fool"
Chacherre chuckled. Jachin Fell
smiled family.
Nothing could be palmer, chief" he
responded. "Filst, Bob Meillard comes
to us in front Of the oper1 house, and
talks about great joke that he's
going to spring on his friends across
the way"
How'd you know who he WASP" in
terjected the chief, shrewdly.
"Gramont recognized him; Ansley
and ! confirmed the recognition. He
was more or less Enthusiastically
more. Now, young Maillard was not
in the room at the moment of the MUIR
der-unless he was the Masquer Five
minutes afterward he was found in a
nearby room, hastily changing out Of
an aviator's uniform into Ais masquer-
ade costume. Obviously, he had as
sumed the guise Of the Masquer as a
joke on his friends, and the joke had
tragic ending, Further, he was in
the aviation service turing the war,
and so had the Uniform ready to hand.
You couldn't make anybody believe
that he hasn't been the Masquer all
the timer
"Of course" and the chief nodded
perplexedly. Std be j clear case
only you call me in and say that he
wasn't the MasquerI On 1t, Fell,
this thing has my goat!'
What's Maillard's story?" struck in
Ben Chacberre.
HE denies the whole thing" said
the worried chief. aAcsording to his
story, which sounded straight the way
he tells it, ne meant ia pull off the
joke on his friends and was dressing
in the Masquer's Costume when he
heard the shots. He claims that the
shots startled him and made him
change back. he swoar4 that he had
not entered the othe. room at all, ex-
cept in his masquerade clothes. He
says the murderer muyt have been the
real Masquer. It's likely enough, be-
cause all young NaiDard's crowd knew
about the party that was to be held
in that room during fhe Camus ball."
mo ratter,av said Fell. coldly.
"Chief, this is au open end shut case !;
the boy was bound to lie. That he
killed his father was an accident, of
course, but none tho lass it did take
place."
"The boys a wreck this minute"
The chief held match to his unlight-
ed cigar. But you say that he amt
the original Masqles?"
"No" Fell spoke quietly. "The
original Masduer VAS another person.