The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-04-20
CHAPTER IX-Continued
Er IL

IeHueTeSl spot, was louCueu.
Consider the situation dispassion-
ately, Monsieur, and | am sure you
will change your mind. You loudly
announce your affair with Miss Phelps
You leave your home (which is a
technical desertion of your wife. | may
point out). She demands money from
Miss Phelps as a salve for broken
heart. Now, whether the case Is set
tied in court or out of it. who gets the
money? Your wife-and her lawyer.
Not you. Not a cent goes into your
hands. You have no claim on penny
of it. You must appreciate that point.
And. with the money secured what
happens? The pretty lady moves on to
Reno and another mate. whether Mayer
or Pulaski can matter little to you"
And a pretty figure you'll cut"
Stone assured the artist ironically.
cleft holding the bag"
You do not understand everything,
Monsieur" Mabeuse looked at Stone
from under bent brows. "Once this
is over shall effect a reconciliation
with my WIFE"
when Immediately both Of you
would be arrested for blackmail," Sniff
assured him. (which is a criminal of
tense. Monsieur Mabeuse." ....
Mabeuse for some time had been
growing increasingly unhappy. Many
memories had been awakened that cor,
robOrated what he heard. His temper
which had been sizzling, rose TO a boil
when again Stone added his word.
altogether, Mabeuse, you are elect
ed the goat" ... ...
The room was small but the artist
began to pace rapidly up and down
the contracted space and to mutter
to himself: 81 am to be the goat am
j? am to lose all and gain moth
ing" He paused in front of Sniff
and pointed an accusing finger at her
"But you, Madame. you trifle with me
You know that there will be no suit
The rich father and mother of Made
moiselle. they will never permit that
she should figure in the. nasty little
picture papers"
cant you see that that has nothing
to do with ii so far as your interests
are concerned? I assure you that my
advice to Mr.. and Mrs. Phelps would
be to force the case into the open
give it the widest publicity possible.
Miss Phelps would lose nothing by pub
licity. But you would cut ridiculous
figure. You would be laughed out of
court"
The threat of rdicule was even
more painful to Monsieur Mabeuse
than the threat. of prison
Moreover" Sniff went on pitiles..
ly, II made it plain to you before that
even if money were to be paid against
my advice. you stood no chance of
handling any Of it." .... ....,
"What about my wife's sharer'
"Forget it." said Stone. Just about
that time you wouldn't have any wife.
1t would be Reno for her and then
probably Hollywood"
This struck fire. did he say so?"
Mabeuse blaZed. mo, no, that was for
me. Henri Mayer promised to get me
on the films in Hollywood just so soon
as we got this money. I do not con-
sent for her. will not have my
Trude in pictures. She is too pleased
with herself already"
Smif and Stone exchanged trium-
plant glances.
81 guess that spills the beans, my
good chap" Stone told him. There
are two of us here to swear TO what
you said. It's prison for all of you If
we prosecute"
But Mrs. Mason promised that you
would never do that" the man pro-
tested weakly, sinking into chair.
There was an exchange of glances
between his visitors Sniff drew a
long breath and came to a sudden
resolution.
IF you tell us the whole plan from
the beginning" she said, 81 may find a
way of escape for you. At present
you seem to be in terrible hole"
Apparently Mabeuse reached the
same conclusion Smif had. for he final
ly began to speak in fiat voice.
''The whole thing came about simply
enough. l met Mrs Mason first when
she was working with a charity or
ganization for the aid of my poor ma
ton after the war. She became In
terested in my portraits and yolun-
teered to help me find commissions If |
paid her percentage. AT first I did
well; then hard times struck the coun-
~, I,,v
we were talking about where all the
money had gone. Mrs. Mason said she
had cousins who had millions, and.
quite in jest, we worked out plan to
get from them an amount they would
never miss. Pulaski is sharp law
yer, and at first he refused to have
anything to do with it. Later. Trude
talked to him and he consented"
THAT was when he saw that they'd
be secure if they turned 1t from pure
blackmail into case where the wife
actually believed that she was
wronged and demanded legal release
from her husband as consequence u
cried Stone. Il was right, Mabeuse.
You are elected the goat"
Stone had drawn his chair up to a
little table and. taking fountain pen
from his pocket, was writing busily on
sheet of drawing paper
1.-The thing for you to do" Sniff ad
vised the artist. lis to go back to your
wife at once. Tell her you found out
that she was being headed for prison
not for Hollywood by her friends
Mayer and Pulaski Tell her you've