The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-05-28

IA inc LLSucueE Dy MI. clarke was IOELun-
ateiy his salvation, as the ferret's knife
mad struck against the artificial leg"
Jacques rose, gave me a warm look that
was charged also with amazement, then
glanced around to the others.
Considering the nature of NJ. Clarke's
errand to France, / can scarcely blame him
for not mentioning to me what happened.
No doubt he desired to put my powers tC a
crucial test, but it is certain that he de-
sired also to spare a man as Ill as / ap-
peared to be the shock and excitement of
knowing that this attack on my life had
Just been made. If you will look at III.
Clarke's right leg you will see two rents
In the material carefully pinned together,
and you will probably find some unhealed
scars on the artificial leg beneath
In a buzz of excitement 1 submitted to a
physical examination, very red Of face, ]
am afraid. The ferret appeared, like
jacques other subjects, to be in a state of
detected collapse. His narrow face had a
sort of 80, what's the use?" expression.
jacques turned then as if to leave. He
never fingered after an examination to dis
cuss the details. The police had learned
that his findings were not to be questioned.
But now the presiding officer said apollo
getically, I'VE have another subject for
examination, monsieur, if that will not too
greatly tax your strength. An admission
made by this miserable after Pervier was
sent to request your presence has led TO
another arrest"
Jacques made a Gallo gesture Of cOmpli-
ance, then said briefly, $50 you have arrest
ed BOgOrOff? Well, bring him in
BOgOrOff was led into the room. And BO-
gOrOff, while attempting a sneering and de-
state of funk. But, like all of Jacques
subjects or victims, he betrayed the same
curiOusly passive submission to the ordeal
that l had noticed in th5 others, whether
| guilty or not, and which I had been at
some loss to account for. 1t was as if men
who had no lack Of resistance when con-
frOnted with hostile influences they under
stood admitted themselves beaten at the
] CEnRf Uhnn nnnnnnh q n n EmhENn Enmnn
against which they were at a loss to know
what sort Of defense might be arrayed.
"WelI, monsieur said Jacques pleasant
ly and with no trace of irony or triumph in
his voice, 1T appears that you are to keep
your promise a little sooner than you bad
anticipated. You told me yesterday that
you would consent to my examination Of
your mind as soon as there should be no
longer any danger of your catching the
flu. Today 1 can assure you you run no
risk at all"
BOgorOff shot a look at him that was
part wondering, part resigned. He voiced
then a suspicion that had in the last hour
been forming vaguely in my own mind.
81 do not believe, monsieur, that there
was ever any danger Of that at all. Garlic
in a spray may serve a double burpOse To
cure a cold or to produce all the symptoms
of one"
Here, I thought, was a shot at Jacques
which if I understood by those present
might strike a damaging blow at his pre-
sumable ignorance of the case in hand. But
his invariable quick Wittedness that I re-
membered so we'll as a little boy, DETECTED
the shot from striking home
even if your insinuatiOn we're correct,
monsieur, you must admit that the usage
of polite society allows the pleading of a
cold as an excuse for the fulfi!ling OF a
service, whether social or professional, that
one does not feel quite up to undertaking,
You must cOncede also that 1 did my best
to avoid the painting Of your portrait at
this moment. l felt a rheum to be cOmtng
on, and if I went a little far in my effort
to convince you that it was not entirely a
LreteXt, then under the present circum-
stances you at least should be the last to
complain" and with this rather ambigu-
Gus remark he seated himself opposite BO-
gOrOff and with a murmur Of apology
reached out to take the mans head be-
tween his hands.
: BOgOrOff. as we could all see, braced him.
self as might a man who, although verbally
protesting his disbelief, yet breads the
gaze Of the hypnotic eye.
But there was nothing Of this quality II
? the serenity of Jacques regard. On tn
contrary, he merely glanced to BOgOroffi
! tOrmented eyes, then looked up at the dis
cOlOred ceiling of the room.
"The mind of this mar is in such a tur
mOil, messieurs, that it is a little difficult
: to filter the essential from the nOnessentia
q facts. OF the latter, / may say merely tina
his business manipulatiOns are as homes
y as most Of their sort, though plunder1nI
n the countries ne CAdALlS " UCuNAALs
: / shall, therefore, cOnffne myself strict,
Z to the recent relations between MOnSieu
BOgOrOff and myself. He came to my stu
, diO and insisted that I postpone other or
= ders in his favor, not because he was 8
anxious to present this portrait to his in
amOrata, nor, as 1 cOnfided to Mr.. Clarke
because he was urgently in need or u
and hoped to interest me in his scheme. II
, came, monsieurs, for the purpose Of find
I ing some comparatively safe means for m
destruction, for my assassination. III
fact of my illness speedily suggested sucI
and he laid his plans accordingly.
"At the first sitting he had observed tina
\ had placed upon the tabOret beside tn
easel an atOmizer, some medicine TO (
taken internally, and my watch ana email
The watch was attached to one end Of tn
platinum chain and at the other my latcf
y key. -
dThese three articles, the spray, the med
= cine in its one hundred cubic centlmeUe
y bottle. and the latchkey at the end OF m
watch chain, were enough to suggest II
means towards his end NJ. BOgOrOm can
to his second sitting prepared TO avail MN
self Of the expedients which he reasone
would probably be still open TO his hand
He had observed on his former visit tn,
1 had excused myself and left the room
so to my bathroom at the far end OF II
corridor and gargle my throat.
Therefore, on his second sitting, NJ. b
gOrOff came prepared. When I began pain
ing he talked about his affair. At the en-
Of twenty minutes, I went out as before
gargle my throat. M. BOgOfOIL TOOK az
vantage Of this chance to get up and step
the tabOret. He first sprayed his mOut
- with the atOmizer. No doubt he was a
is tually in some fear OF catching the II
u Then he leaned down and compressed Il
n latehkey with a piece Of lOcksmith's wa
and almost with the same gesture licked I
% the medicine bottle, placed it to his iii
f and drank about half the contents, whit
were getting low. taking what would
the equivalent Of a double dose. The
y slipping a vial from mis- pocket, he repa
ID ed, this amount with the equivalent in vC
n ume Of a tasteless, OdOrless and pOwerf
NJ solution Of Opiate.
- "Au Of this time he could hear me gar
ling in the bathroom, so that he had not
M ing to fear from my unexpected entr
- When I returned to the studio, he "
seated in the chair smoking his cigaret.
Sc And that, monsieur, is. all that it seer
ic necessary to me to read at this nome
- from the mind Of M. BOgorOff. ! ha
VI something to add to what I have said al
a I prefer to do so not in M. BOgOrOffs pI
Of sence, lest what I have to say suggest
him some line Of defense"
He rose. BOgOrOff, weak in the kneI
OF Eallid and prespiring prOfusely, was co
Quoted out by two agents. When the do
&, had closed behind him. JACQUES turned