Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25

him you'd be pleaSsd-isnt that right?"
IT am very glad that he should think so"
came a hoarse, cultural voice. 1T is my bust
ness to go everywhere, and. although you may
not believe it, my facial peculiarities make
it easy for me to alter my appearance"
I was about to reply when there came a
sudden, angry outcry from the other end of
the restaurant, where the girl who had so
impressed me was dining. I saw a stout, mid
dle-aged man, evidently her father, in argu-
ment with a young officer who had just en-
tered. The latter appeared to be making ex-
cuses, and was endeavoring to pacify the older
man.
The angry voices suddenly ceased as both
men realized that every one was standing up
and looking at them. Selling his cap and
gloves, the officer bowed and withdrew by
the door opposite.
THAT was NJ. de Keradec," I heard Laugh
ton growl. Poor fellow. he evidently hoped
to speak to his fiancee, but the father Is de-
termined to prevent it. There Is going to be
trouble there some day. With your permis-
sion we will leave at once. I should like to
have a word with one Of my men outside: We
will then go on to the Surete and change our
clothes"
THE remainder of the evening and half the
night were spent visiting various dens of
v ACROIC, but bkACoC u0 1lO LC "
much as I had hoped. My thoughts strsyed
constantly to the scene I had witnessed at
the Petit Richie.
I remembered the pathetic look in the girls
eyes, the violence of the father and the humble
apologize air of the young Officer, and won
dered what the outcome of this claShing of
passions would be.
The telephone beside my bed buzzed angrily,
insistently. I started up and looked at my
- wrA- O Nl~AI .~l Y L@l 4aaI- nn-
joyed four hours rest. With a yawn I lifted
the receiver.
"Hello-yes-who is it," I inquired rather
irritably. The well known voice of the Surete
chief brought me sharply to attention.
Tired, eh?" he said with his usual sar-
castle manner. Take a cold shower and
come at once to my office. The girl you
admired so much last night has been muir
dered! No. can tell you nothing over the
phone. Don't stop for coffee. LaughtOn will
be there to fetch you, with q car, in 10
minutes. VIII that suit your"
eyes, yes, at once-IM be ready" I cried.
Mortified at the news. Truly there had been
tragedy in the air on the preceding evening
I had felt it-but I had not expected murder
Laughton met me on the stairs. His face
was a mask. absolutely expressionless, but his
blue eyes held q CLINT Of excitement in their
depths that he could not entirely veil. I
attempted to question him on the way to the
Surete Office, but he vas silent and glum.
I'VE don't even know that she was muir
dered yet" was all he would say. THE police
are there, and the investigating magistrate
telephoned to the chief at his home. They
are waiting until we come before touching
anything. 1t may be just suicide"
When we arrived in the dark street at the
back of the Palace Of Justice where the Surete
Offices are installed, a police van was already
backed into the evil court, and from it were
emerging an unsavory crew, handcuffed, foul
and bedraggled, after q night in the cells.
Slipping quickly past them, I climbed stail
after stair, lighted by narrow, heavily barred
windows, until I reached the laboratories OF
the criminal investigation headquarters. In
the outer rooms, through which I had to pass
men and women dressed in long. white gar
ments, like surgeons before an operation, were
already busy with strange appliances-ar
electric furnace gave out a wave of heat ano
light, and the pungent odor of chemica
vapors made me cough.
IT was with a sigh of relief that I entered
the comfortable Office of the chief. HI
greeted me with a tight-lipped smile ant
pointed to a chair.
Don't take your coat of-we must leav'