Evening star., 1925-09-06

afternoon toilette, ana a revolver. She
engaged room at a small hotel
took out her tickets for the Salon
Privi and the Sporting Club, and paid
visit TO an official of the place
He received her politely, but without
enthusiasm
you will not know my name" she
said but | am. as q matter of fact
the advance guard of a small COM
mission. who is coming out here to
! try and effect the arrest of a danger
Gus criminal whom we believe To be
living in the place"
Ii was an unfortunate start. Off
Gals at Monte Carlo do not like to he
told that their principality could har-
Dor members of the criminal frater-
nifty.
Indeed, mademoiselle." was the
civil but cold reply. Perhaps you
hers of this commission to which you
allude?"
"One is Sir Francis Worton," she
replied. who is the head of the Home
Branch of the English Secret Service
He is bringing an emissary from
Scotland Yard with him, and there is
also another gentleman, Mr.. Daniel
Rocke. "a friend of Sir Francis"
do you know the name of this
supposed criminal"" the official
asked
HE passes under the name OF
| 'Broadbent, she confided. His
wife's picture was in the Tatler this
week"
Her companion smiled-a little su.
perciliOusly.
1T happens" he remarked. that
we have recently investigated the
Iantecedents of the gentleman in ques
ton. We discovered nothing against
him."
Ann frowned.
That man who calls himself
Broadbent Is a murderer and a luna =
| tic" she declared. He was respon :
sible for the death of one young man
here few months ago. We came
over then directly we read about the
case, but both Mr.. and Mrs. Broad
bent had disappeared"
"Mademoisene," the official said
patiently. the circumstances con- :
| cerning the death of that young man
have been fully inquired into. There
is not the slightest foundation for
the statement which you have just
made"
why did they leave the place
then, the day after the young mans
suicide" she demanded.
Their leaving the place was a per-
fectly natural happening" was the
civil but cold rejoinder. Mrs
Broadbent was naturally very much
upset and the doctor ordered an i'm
mediate change. They have come
back here quite openly. and until Of.
fetal representations are made to me
} shall do nothing to interfere with
their comfort
Ann was repulsed. For the firs,
time she doubted the wisdom of the
| impulse which had made her lea We
London at moments notice, upon
seeing the picture. Daniel as II
| chanced, had been away in Somerset
shire, Sir Francis was in Ireland. and
| no one at Scotland Yard was willing
TO move without more definite i'm :
| formation than she was able TO give
She had sent off desperate telegra ms
and herself caught the first possible
train. Now that she was here II
seemed that there was nothing she
could do.
She had some idea of going back
| to her hotel Then a seat outside the
Cafe de Paris, her favorite air from
| That's" played by the red Goa ed
| band. decided her fsee. She sat down
and ordered Dubonnet And, at the
next table sat Londe
He was seated sidewise to her. a
little turned away, and she realized
from the first the futflity of any at
tempt at escape. She was content to
study him for few minutes. He was
perfectly dressed. in the negligent
fashion of the place, in well-fitting
gray tweeds. His beard was careful
ly trimmed, his complexion and alert
manner showed no signs of decad
nf
talking eagerly and forcefully to his
two companions. men of middle age
and professional appearance. who
seemed to listen to him with the ut
most respect. Then suddenly, with
out any warning, he turned round In
his chair. and looked her full i'm the
face. He rose at once to his feet and
bowed courteously.
My dear young LADY," he ex.
claimed. This is most delightful-a
charming surprise. Permit me tc
present Monsieur le professeur
Trenchard of Paris. Docteur Coppet
the resident physician here: Miss Anr
Lancaster"
X 4
I ONDE'S manner was perfect
There was no escape. scarcely an
alternative. In less than a minute
Ann fopnd herself seated between the
two other men, her glass of Dubonnet
replenished. the guest Of the man who
had killed her father, the man whom
she knew to be lunatic. with dea h
almost at his fingertips-the man
whom she had come to destroy.
Are your Enthusiastically YOU.
Miss Lancaster" Londe inquired.
Not yet she answered. They
are following-perhaps tomorrow"
Il see" he murmured. You are
here for the purpose of making pre-
liminary investiga tions."
Precisely"
And in the meantime you are
alone?'
II am alone" Ann admitted.
You must dine with us tonight at
the villa Londe suggested court.
eously. II am sure my wife will be
charmed"
The sound of music and the CAV
voices around seemed suddenly to die
away. She felt herself struggling in
the throes of horrible nightmare. II