The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-05-21

or hear me, perhaps, one could not get the
barrel Of a pistol properly aligned. If this
had been done yesterday, their effort might
have been successful both III respect to my
removal and the carrying on Of their af-
fair. There was also the matter Of an
.alibi."
What are you going to do about it2" I
asked.
Nothing" he answered calmly. For
one thing, / doubt if we could fasten the
attempt on anybody. I have many differ
ent BOlitical emie The object here was
not revenge but a great deal Of money.
They viii find out tomorrow that their
game is blocked. My representation today
to the ministers Of finance and foreign
affairs have killed it. But il was close
work. They had money enough to carry
on and all they really needed was official
permission to proceed. I'm afraid I have
done your friend a rather bad turn I'm a
financial way, because if this thing had
| gone through those in on the ground floor.
as you say in the States. would have been
sure to make a tremendous pot Of dirty
money. So much that they would have Ov-
erlOOked the dirt, strained it out, made bar
gains with their cOnScienceS, such at least
as possess such incOnvenient things"
But 10 seems to me, Doctor l objected.
that somebody ought to be made to pay
for this attempt"
80 they should, my dear fellow, but how
the deuce are we to go about it? The ras-
cal that put it there is probably some low
Apache, Of which at this moment there are
/ AAAAO tAAAAeNAJ "a EOO4 many AN LME CYL
dence is gone. You just threw it in the
river. A diver couldn't find it. The thing
would be swept along by t he current or
sunk into the OOze. But the service you
EXPRESS my appreciation Of"
ut was sporting Of you to stick close to
me till I'd got rid Of it." 1 said.
well, / couldn't scarcely have done less,
could II"
We talked then until nearly midnight,
and I do not think I have been so fascin-
ated or felt the sam veneratiOn for any
living man. AS my British correspondent
friend has said. it seems as if ever so often,
when human affairs are in a dreadful state,
some such inspired men or man as this are
detailed by divine headquarters to walk
about and straighten out our mess, some
times vaguely recognized for what they are,
sometimes not.
had not told him the identity OF
Jacques, just why ] couldn't say. Perhaps
lit was because I shrank from describing
the part of spy / had played in the studio.
Besides, Z was too enthralled in listening
But about midnight I thought it time to
be getting over to the studio. So I said
good night, making a rendezvous for din
ner with Doctor GOranskO two days later
I wen back on the Metro, Of which there
was a station on the Boulevard RaSpail 4
few doors from Jacques studio.
The door Of the building was on the
latch. somebody having failed to close il
and the concierge too sleepy to get up anC
close it himself. Coming 20 the noisy little
automatic lift, I found on the iron grilleC
door the sign, "Arrete a cause de repair
%atiOns.' About half the time the silly
things are halted for repairs. usually wheI
there is n danger of their sticking between
2 floors after the concierge had gone to bed
and this tyrant too slOthful to get up anC
turn on q little more water pressure.
So l went up the six flights, wondering
e If Jacques would appreciate my sOlicitudI
{ or curse ne for having reused him out Il
Z let me in. / went quietly, because / Wea
1 shoes with sponge rubber sOles to lesser
D the junction of my store leg with the stunt
I and to give added security on greasy Pari
S lpaVements.
Cursing the elevator service Of Pari
buildings, I got narly to the top and STOP
: ped to breathe. Then for the second tim
D that night a keenness Of hearing that hig'
explosives had not impaired repOrteO
u something out Of the ordinary. This was
faint rubbing, slithing sound overhead, tn
slightest of scufflings on the floor Of tn
I%cOulOir.
I As in the case of the clock, would nc
: ordinarily have noticed it. But one
nerves are naturally on edge after such a
p experience as my recent one, so I stOO
. listening on the landing between Jacques
= top floor and the one beneath. SOmebOd
was Just outside Jacques door, mOvin
stealthily about.
At the sam moment, I heard the faint
IS est Of jars, that fine SCUM made even b
n a solid door in good working cOnditiO
when it is softly and stealthily unlatche
q and opened. l waited no longer then, bJ
went up with a rush, as quickly and Quiet
ly as could manage.
But l was heard. A ratty looking scOuI
e. drel of the Aapache order turned with h
hand on the knob Of Jacques studio doc
and then without the slightest h~esitatiO
came at me the way a ferret or weas
ID whisks at the throat Of a rabbit.
But the simile is not entirely exact, fl