Evening star., 1933-07-31
CHAPTER XXXVII.
ACK TO JAIL. 3"
BACK TO JAIL.
NUMBER of policemen accom-
panied us, and our passage
] through the streets caused quite

"A through the streets caused quite
4 n stir in the town. though
noted it only absent -mindedly
and that because so many chndren
and so many dogs seemed to spring up
beside U.s.
I did not, or course, understand
much of the interview with the COM
miSsionaire and the judge; that Is. l
did not understand French, and nell
ther. it developed did Francis Tally;
Lorp and Sue translated swiftly Tor us,
bur sometimes forgot momentarily to
translate, which was maddening.
They told the whole story of the in
heritance, of the abduction. of the
token. of the reasons we had for be-
lieving the murder centered about 1t.
They we're constantly interrupted and
questioned 1t was a difficult hour, and
the conclusion was what should have
expected but somehow had not.
The police did not believe their story.
They listened, they questioned. they
even grew excited and. I thought, sent
a telegram or two; but they did not
wholly credit it.
Well, of course, 1t was extraordinary.
Still it had happened.
At any rate they politely forbade the
plan Francis Tally advanced to leave
with his sister the coming morning.
Even when his fine featured face flushed
and became angry and he shouted
bit, they still refused. They were po-
lite: they were regretful; but monsieur
must see that it could not be.
They could only assure dis that the
detectives from Paris would arrive to-
morrow and then, we gathered, it would
Immediately be over, the murderer in
Jail, and everything settled And as
far as that goes they may have been
speaking the truth; we were never to
know as to that.
In the end our progress back to the
hotel was in the nature OF retreat
to Jail.
1t happened that Sue walked beside
me. She said nothing on the way back
through white, Wind-sWept, cobble-
stoned streets winding narrowly be-
tween shuttered stone houses with tall
peaked roofs In the court yard once
more, a chance movement brought her
momentarily very near me with the
others-Francs and Lorn. that is
ahead a policeman was at her other
elbow, but she took the chance OF the
mans not being able to understand
English.
She whispered, her eyes on Francis
Tallys sloping shoulders:
I've lost the token: can't show 1t
to Francis. It's gone"
Have you told him?"
mo. no-he must not know. What
shall I do?"
Lorn turned to hold open the door to
the lobby, and Sue was obliged to pass
ahead of me and ahead OF Francis into
the lobby. Lovschiem was waiting.
rubbing his hands on which the jewels
sparkled. The cockatoo chuckled.
1t was in all likelihood that curious
and distaSteful gesture of Lovschiem'S
that suddenly convinced me that he
was again in the saddle, so to speak.
He'd been ever since StravSkyS un-
solved murder vaguely uncertain. det-
nitely perplexed. He'd had. like Grethe.
an air of waiting, but in his case it had
been anxious waiting. Uncertain walt
ing.
Where she had been poised and alert
in her secretive patience, he had been,
somehow. worried, inept. hesitant. 1t
was as if his course of action were not
definitely mapped; or as If he thought
more of its possible failure than OF Its
possible success.
His eyes had been yelled. darting,
nervous. His face had glistened and
had had bad color. His f1abby hands
had hovered irreSolutely, as II they
could not decide upon any certain ac-
ton but must hesitate over the ledger
and over the ink-well. His continual
smile had been no longer bland.
But now all at once there was about
him a perceptible air of decision. 1t
was as if he knew now eXa' tly what he
was going to do. There was br1sknesS
in his bulky shoulders; briSkness in his
fat rubbing hands; confidence in MS
bland smile and decision in his DART
ing eyes.
Even the dirty jewels seemed to wink
and glimmer with a sudden access OF
evil and knowing energy.
so" he said in congratulatory way.
$50 you have gone to the police. You
have arranged things. You may now
leave nv poor hotel. That is good.
That is good Not that I want my
guests to leave me, but it has been
He advanced in an ingratiating way
toward Sue.
Il am SO glad. Miss Tally, that your
brother has finally arrived. Sorry you
are to leave us. But glad he has ar
rived. We have tried to make you
happy here in our poor way. But it has
been sad time for this young miss,
he added. turning sympathetlcally 10
Francis Tally, though, oddly, he
avoided meeting his eyes.
But it appears that we are not leaV-
ing" said Francis Tally.
Govschiem's gesticulating hands ar
rested themselves in the air He looked
so suddenly and completely at loss
that it was almost ludicrouS. In an in
slant the new decision was wiped out OF
his glistening fat face.
"But%but Why?"
At once I knew that whatever this
new course of Lovschiem's had been 1t
must have included Sues immediate