The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-08-31
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER I.-DurinE the height OF the
New Orleans carnival season fJachin Fell.
wealthy though somewhat mysterious cit
.erie, Of robberies By an Individual known
Is the Midnight Masquer. who. INVARIABLY
attired AZ an aviator. has long deneo the
police. Joseph Maillard. wealthy banksr.
il irving q ball that night, at which the
Masquars has threatened to appear and
rob the guests. Fell and Ansley. on their
way to the affair, meet . girl dressed as
Coiumbine, seemingly known to Fell. but
masked, who accompanies them to the
bah.
CHAPTER I1.-Lucie Ledanois. recent
ly the ward Of her uncle, Joseph MALI
lard, In the Columbine.
CHAPTER Hin his library Joseph
Maillard and = group Of friends are enc, NED
CHAPTER Iv.-Lucis Ledanois, the last
Of an old family, is in straitened clrcum.
her funds has been unfortunate. Fell IS
an old friend of her parents and deeply
interested in the girl. Henry Gramont:
: French father and an American mother.
but who spurns the title OF prince. u
Snamored OF Lucie and believes himself
Z not unfavored sutton.
CHAPTER v.-Gramonts chauffeur,
Hammond. sergeant in the American
army in France. and there known to
original Midnight Masauer. and Gramont,
for 4 particular purpose, after discover
Ing Hammond's activities, assumes tho
role. Where Hammond had been rob,
course, Is not. He arranges to return
the loot to those whom he has rubbed.
The jewels and money. In individual pack
to their original owners. That night they
are stolen from GramontS auto.
CHAPTER vI-Ben Cacherre. IN in
to be associated with joachim Fell He
has peculiar interview with one Mem,
phis Izzy Gumberts. notorious influential
crook. in which there is significant refer
ence to a mysterious ''boss."
CHAPTER VII.-Lucie summons Ora
mont to her home and shows I2e d MN INC ne
is the Midnight Masquer. but convinces
her that he had no thought OF robbery.
He refuses. however. to explain his pur-
pose.l The packages are returned 70
their owners.
,rIAPTER v1n.!Ene. evening Fell.
Gramont, and DR.. Ansley. at the Krewe
Of Comus ball, are accosted BY an in
.toxicated masked Individual whom they
recognize as Bob Mafllard. He invites
room. They refuse, and Gramont leaves
the building. Joseph Maillard seeks ms
son, fearing public scandal as result OF
Bob's condition. With Fell and Ansley
they find the room where the revels are
going on. Entering they discover an IN
diyidual, attired as an aviator, IN the act
Of robbing, the intoxicated youths. IN
q struggle that ensues Maillard IS shot
and Killed. The "Masquer' escapes.
CHAPTER 1x.-Gramont. with Ham
nond, visits Terrebonne. wtid sectlon
land, which he believes contains oil. He
finds indications of apparently almost IN
believab1e quantities of the stun. While
clearly shows traces of oil on its sur
face Gramonr hears his name spoken.
CHAPTER x.-He cannot see tho
speakers, but the conversation ends sinsu-
larry abruptly. Gramont does not investi-
gate Hammond finds a dead man In
some woods and Is charged ny Ben "a
cherre and two other men with murder
Gfamont can do nothing: The men take
Hammond to the town Of Houma. Later
Gramont finds bloodstained knife where
that Cacherre was one Of the men talk
ing. and IL the murderer.
CHAPTER x1.-Believing himself alone.
Gramont Investigates buildings on the
adioFninz farm, which he knc~s belongs
to Memphis Icy Gumberts. He finds
evidence Of automobile stealing on a
stupendous scale and learns from a man
who discovers him and whom he outWits.
that the place is also the headquarters
Of the underground lottery game and
that joachim Fell Is the mysterious boss"
CHAPTER x1r.-Back IN the city. Ora
mont learns of the killing OF Joseph Mail
lard. He seeks further evidence against
Fell. Gramont. Fell, and Lucie Ledanois
form a company to bore for oil on the Le-
iianois place Fell tells Gramont he plant
ed" the evidence Of oil there and I'M
folds scheme to make a fortune for the
girl. Gramont refuses to be party to
the project Fell threatens to prove him
the murderer Of Maillard, which he seems
able to do, and Gramont reluctantly
ia erees to ioin him