Evening star., 1925-04-13

The concierge turned at this.
'zut," he said. IN. Iavelle has zone
away. locking the door and leaving
the light on. I'm afraid 1 shall have
10 report this to the establishment
officer. It's against the regulations"
He moved away, apparently pro-
posing TO leave the light burn
ing all night rather than effect
forcible or unauthorized en-
trance to the room. 1t was a char.
acteristic official decision. A reguIA-
tion had been broken, he had dMly
noted the fact and suita BILE action
would be taken on the morrow
Apart from my irritation with the
concierge for his senseIess sArvtIitv
10 the routine Of his Office, nothing
would have induced me to lgaLye that
locked and lighted room u1investj-
gated was about to suggest fore
ing the lock or breaking down the
door and preparing to encounter a
Mortified protest from Ehe concierge.
when ! remembered tAst in the. aft
ernoon I had noticed. a balcony run
ming past the win.Eow in LavelIe's
room and commuIicat with the
rooms on either side. Despite the
remonstranoes OF the concierge, who
highly doubtful one, we decided to
make use of this balcony to look
into Lavelie'Sl room and see whether
1t was possible to enter by the win
dow.
We all -four went into the room
next doo,a
Once ia the balcony, two steps took
me 20 Aavelle's window, and l looked
into tHe room.
LaTelle was seated at his desk, his
heaK bowed over a pile Of documents
~ looked as though he had fallen
sleep over his work / tapped on
Ahe window, but he did not move
a sense of uneasiness came over me-
i tapped again louder Still there
was no movement. Uneasiness deep
'ened to fear.
Snatching at Rehmy's stick l drove
1t with all my force against the win
dow. The panes shattered, with a
crash, but the figure at the desk
remained motionless.
L put my hand through the hole
IN the glass, lifted the catch and a
second later was in the room. / went
straight TO my friend and laid a hand
on his shoulder. He slipped side
ways, inert, like a dummy figure. The
wooden handle of a knife was stick
ing out of his ribs.
Good God?' said family. Hes
been murdered"
With the assistance of the con-
cierge, I laid him gently on the floor
He was quite dead. stabbed to the
heart, the body still warm.
The fends"' L muttered; "'the
fiends!"
De Blanchegarde was instantly be-
side me-
He was your friend?" he said, his
eyes shining with sympathy.
"One of the best men 1 ever met"
I replied.
That makes two" said De Blanche
Earde, elenching his fists The first
was Raoul Duplessy. TWO gallant
gentlemen foully murdered by these
ruffians"
pers beside US, and, turning, / saw
that Rehmy was already searching
through the litter on the desk.
Everything was in utter confusion.
Lavelle's papers were heIter- skelter
on the floor and on the desk itself
The drawers had been forced open
and their contents scattered about
the room. but there was no sign of
the document anywhere.
'One thing seems pretty clear" I
pointed out. "Layelle can't have been
working on the document when he
was killed. Otherwise they would
. have found it at once"
All this while the concierge was
standing wide-eyed and trembling.
must LelepnOne 1or Inc police
he said at last.
would you gentlemen please stay
here while I do SOY"
nodded, and he left the room
De BIanchegarde stopped over the
body OF my friend, folded his arms
over his breast and closed the eyes.
He died for France" he said, SIM
ply.
Rehmy was still looking through
tho litter on the desk and in the
drawers
'Tavelle could not, as you say, have
been working on the document when
he was surprised. Perhaps he had
finished deciphering IL before dinner
End concealed 1t pending our arrival
Probably 1t has been found and taken
by the men who murdered him. On
the other hand. he may have hidden
it too well. Perhaps his secretary
ann tell US something about it
There's Just a chance" l replied.
But it's unlikely"
Perhaps you could ring her up
and inquire" suggested Rehmy.
L went to the telephone, only 70 re-
member that 1 should have to go into
the hall to get into communication
with the town..