The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-05-08

~ GlAlc4A L AdSlACu OAAOOA my
breath.
Madame shrugged her shoulders.
Her glance was eloquent.
What can one do?' she muir
INJURED. only I hope that Monsieur
will never discover. He has a VIC
ems! 1t is Monsieur himself who re-
turns! Now, there has tragedy ar
rived indeed"
Into the hotel, with his coat tails
flying behind him, came a man whom
at first L did not recognize. I my
self had stepped back out of sight,
and I watched the scene The new
conner acted his part we'll
My key, madame" he shouted,
banging his fist against the counter.
Madame pretended to search for it
She, too, had been schooled in her
part. So had the guests, who. with
little crowd of reporters. came
closing around.
But have It not. monsieur" the
woman faltered. Madame herself
The newcomer strobe toward the
lift, which 1 imagine was wilfully
delayed. lie shook the gates aud
pressed the bell furiously. Madame
leaned over the counter.
But what ails monsieur" she
demanded.
what ails me"' he replied at the
top OF his voice, speaking now in
broken French, now in English with
an American accent. L tell you that
not three minutes ago I saw
my wife enter this hotel with a man
she who saw me off, as she thought.
at the Care du Nord. not an hour ago.
A curse upon your lift, madame! This
is a plot"'
He turned. and ran for the stairs,
followed by a little crowd among
whom 1 easily escaped direction We
reached the second floor Tho man.
who now, to my amazement. I re-
allied must be Stanfeld, was banging
at the panels of n closed door. and
shouting.
1T is locked he cried. 81 knew
it. Locked. Open. Suzanne! You
gain nothing by this. 7 come II I
blow the hotel about your ears"
The door opened. a few Of us were
almost pushed IN. Janet, with her
face buried in her hands, turned away
Monsieur Lutarde, not wholly at his
ease, stood there with folded arms.
who are you. sir, and what are
you doing in my SALON." Stanfleld
demanded f1ercely.
81 am here a your wife's bidding
to receive a message which she as
sures me that her husband has
brought from London" Lutarde re.
piled.
eft Is a lie" Stanfeld shouted 81
am her husba nd and I know nothing
OF you. 1t is years since my wife
was in London. These are subter-
fuges. Tell the truth, woman"
Janet threw herself on the couch
and hid her face.
He is your Iover?" stanneld in
sisted.
Il could pot help IT," Janet sobbed.
You have been so cruel lately. Why
did YOU come back?"
There was a little murmur amongst
the curious crowd in the back ground.
A thin. dark man with eyeglasses.
obviously a journalist, was on the
point Of stealing away. The time had
come for action. I disentangled my.
self from the group. Stanfield looked
into the muzzle of my automatic.
Hands up. Stanfeld." I ordered.
"Close in behind. Ennison. Pass the
word down to bolt the doors Of the
hotel"
7 had onca come IN tho co,,ct,,eio,
that, no matter how long our duel
might continue, I should never see a
sign of feeling I'm my enemy's face.
Through his wonderful disguise. how
ever, the real man at this moment
leaped out. He stood staring at me.
viciously yet with the half-fascinated
amazement of one who looks upon a
new thing in life Janet was crouch
ing back upon the couch. shrinking
away from me as far as possible, her
fingers tearing to pieces some shred
Of antimacassar. Suddenly she sprang
like a cat between her husband and
me. He saw his chance and leaped
for the door TIE crowd of stupefied
people opened as though by magic to
lei him pass. I lowered my pistol
and shouted warning at the top of
nv voice. There was the sound of
shot below, and the trampling of
many feet A gray-haired, we'll
dressed man with a red ribbon in HIS
buttonhole, whom I afterward discov-
cred to be the editor of a leading
journal, pushed his way through.
Monsieur" he said to me. us there
any answer to this riddle?'
You will find it below" an
swered shortly. There has been a
plot to compromise the personal
honor of Monsieur Lutarde here,
which you have seen frustrated. The
injured husband is an English crimi-
nal. His wife, hesitated-"is his
accomplish. Monsieur Lutarde has
never seen either of them before in
his life"
Ennison entered, accompanied by
Monsieur Lutarde's private secretary
and a parsonage whom l recognized
as a high officialNof the French court.
There was a great deal of rapid con-
versation between the four, a min
gled outpouring of congratulations
and wonder, Then we all moved to-
ward the door. 1 touched Ennison
on the arm.
What about Stanfeld?" I inquired
eagerly. I
Escaped for the moment" was the
reluctant admission. He got through
the back premises of the hotel, some
how"
They were filing out Of the room.
was the last. Janet rose to her feet.