Lincoln County leader., March 20, 1908, Image 3

The Roupell Mystery
By Austyn
CHAPTER XXI.
"Madame and Monsieur Colbert-Remplin,
you say, are constant visitors at
the house of the VLcomte de Valair,"
remarked M. Cassagne, on the morning
" following his adventure In the garden.
"Tea," replied D'Auburon. "They are
' both there nearly every night."
"Now la the time you must introduce
me as the rich BwUs gentleman, prepar-
- ed to take shares In the Consolidated
Dock Company, or whatever you call It"
"I am prepared to do that," answered
D'Auburon, "whenever you are ready to
- assume the part. Of course I cannot an
. ewer that the mere establishment of busi
ness relations with the vicomte will lead
' to an invitation to bis house."
"Yon need not frighten yourself about
that. Any one who has any money to
drop on bis card tables need not remain
long uninvited. I have seen enough of
bim to know that. You bad better see
T him this evening and say that you erpect
: me from Berne shortly. Meantime, you
must post me thoroughly on the Dock
Company scheme, and when I meet the
vicomte I must be prepared to endorse
It."
"What is your particular object in
' watching Madame Colbert-Remplin
through the de Valair lens? There are
other houses which she visits more fre-
- fluently where perhaps you would have
better opportunities of watching her."
"Iso, not accoruiug lo your accuuuia
of the de Valair entertainments. You
aay that tbey are extended until a late
hour, and that Madame Colbert-Remplin
herself has become a confirmed gambler.
What better opportunity could 'you wish
for than to study a person under such
circumstances? Give me the atmosphere
of the gambling table to show up the
points in a person's character.
"Aa you will," assented D'Auburon. "I
- should have thought, though, it would
have been an easy matter for yon to have
; attached yourself to the household of
madame In some capacity; where your
opportunities of studying her, and not
ing with whom she la in touch, would be
far greater."
"You are mistaken, my friend, I assure
. you," replied the detective, "In your esti
mate of the opportunities such a course
-would afford. Suppose I did bribe the
footman to leave, and took his place,
which could, I admit, be easily done ; the
-opportunities which would be afforded of
watching Madame Remplin would not be
In any measure increased. Worse, in
the presence of servants she would be
doubly cautious ; and she could, in the
capacity of mistress, impose such tasks
upon members of her household aa would
-effectually compel their absence when she
wished to be entirely free from espionage.
Besides, a mere servant has no opportu
nity to follow her and watch her in so
clety; to note her actions when mingling
with the world, to listen to her as she
converses with her equals, and to read
between the lines of her general conduct
and behavior.
On the morning following this dialogue
M. Cassagne,. having met D'Auburon by
appointment at his club, the two gentle
men proceeded to the office of the Mu
tual Credit and Trust Company, where
Cassagne was formally Introduced to the
Vicomte de Valair, Jules Chabot M.
Colbert-Remplin and others interested in
the dock enterprise.
During the conversation which ensued
the 'broker Herr Goldstein called and
brought the intelligence that such stock
-as be had been authorised to place upon
the Bourse had found ready takers.
"It is always the way wltb a really
sound thing," he remarked, "with good
names behind it. An enterprise of that
character always goes." Then herhis
pered in de Vallar's ear :
"Who is the new man? The one in
" the white vest, who wears a pale green
ribbon as a watch guard."
"That is Monsieur Frederic Lazare,
a rich manufacturer of Berne, Switzer
land. I suppose he eschews watch chains
because be gets enough of them In his
business. I have just put bis nan-l down
for a large block of shares. Be sure and
v. ,t;inriv rvl to him. He Is com-
. ... . tU. Will aii Inin
ing to me uuum wmm..
n -nr. -n vnr. a varv miter time.
US I vt e nunii mw j .-
Positively no cards, will be the order of
the evening."
Thus early In the day fortune had
favored M. Frederic Lazare. Almost a
tranger in Paris, the vicomte had gra
ciously Invited him to meet the vlcom
tesse at their house in the Avenue Wag
ram. '
"With much pleasure," had been the
formal phrase with which the wealthy
Swiss had accepted the invitation. But
be uttered the words from the bottom of
bis heart.
"I am delighted to meet any friend of
Monsieur D'Auburon's," was the expres
sion with which the VIcomtesse de Valiar
welcomed the manufacturer of Berne. "I
. spent a few weeks some years ago among
jour beautiful mountains, and I assure
you I have never forgotten them. Ah
me, but It does not really pay to sigh
for vanished days; they can never come
again," and a reflective look came Into
her fine eyes, as If some tender recollec
tion, connected with her early trip to
the land of her guest's birth, had recur
red to. her mind.
He recalled the sunny smile habitual
with her when before her world, by say
ing ;
"When a more advanced age .brings
with It such opportunities as have fallen
- to your lot, madame, you should not re
gret the flight of years ; and are yoa to
be pitied, who know seemingly how to
make such good use of the world's best
Q r a n v i I 1 e
things?"
It was a very small party which sit
down to dinner. There were eight per
sons in all. Herr Goldstein, the broker,
was one. Jules Chabot was also there.
The banker, Colbert' Remplin and Mad
ame Colbert-Remplin came in at the last
moment. The Swiss gentleman was duly
Introduced to all In turn; but the for
tunes of the evening placed falm by the
side of the vlcomtease and, remote from
that portion of the table where Madame
Colbert-Remplin was seated.
He found In his hostess a woman of
unusual conversational attainments. She
was equally happy with the chat and
gossip of society, or prepared to talk
cleverly on deeper topics. The dinner
was irreproachable. Had Cassagne's mind
not been so preoccupied he would doubt
less have enjoyed it. There are some
dinners money will not purchase.
"We are to have no cards, I believe,"
said the broker; "that is the edict to
night, Is it not?"
"Yes," replied the vicomtesse, "we are
to have for once a quiet evening. I hope
you will manage to amuse yourself.
There is Madame Froixart; she will sing
you something, doubtless, if you ask."
"And you, madame?"
"Oh I for me, I have reserved a special
treat for myself. I am going to show
Monsieur La tare my conservatories,
while be tells me something-" about peas
ant life In the Swiss mountains."
M. Lasare wandered under the palms
In the conservatory. It was but dimly
lighted. A few colored lamps alone were
suspended from the glass roof of the spa
clous building, so spacious indeed that In
winter it appeared as a garden, covered
with glass and so heated as to protect
the rare collection of plants and flowers
from the killing frosts.
' There were little paths running here
and there. The vlcomtease led ber guest
along one which took them to the very
center of the building, where some lofty
palms reared their beads under the great
glass dome. There was a rustic bench
facing the plashing waters of the foun
tain and sheltered from- observation by a
thick growth.
She began by a defense of the vicomte.
Her manner was the well-bred one of a
woman thoroughly accustomed to meet
men of all ages and dispositions, of all
minds and temperaments.
"Monsieur de Valiar has gone to play
cards, I feel convinced," she said, look
ing at Cassagne with her soft, liquid
eyes, "let us sit here and talk, you and
I. Do you know, it is a rare thing for
me to have a quiet evening. Don't think
my husband discourteous. He has some
peculiar ways. He thinks he has dis
charged much of his duty as host when
he has given his guests a good dinner,
and then everybody in this house feels
so much at hvme. The world has treated
you very nicely," she continued, "has it
not? My husband tells me you have
done wonderfully well, and you are not
yet forty, I should judge. Why -don't
you go into politics and make a great
name? I think if I had been a man I
should have done so. You should have
me talk to your friend Monsieur D'Au
buron." "You think Monsieur D'Auburon has a
career before him?"
The vicomtesse laughed very merrily
indeed. ,
"A career your friend Monsieur
D'Auburon. Why, no, he ia far too Iaiy.
That is why we have had such interest
ing conversations. I have kept, urging
upon him the necessity for exertion. He
maintains that work of any kind will'
kill him."
"And yet when he visited me in Swit
zerland he was the most Indefatigable
of climbers. I bad hard work to keep
up with him, I can tell you."
"I thought Monsieur D'Auburon had
never been in Switzerland. At any rate
I know he says be detests mountains."
"Our friend possesses the rare" merit
of being modest. Ask bim about Chamou
nlx and the Matterhorn when you next
see him. He can tell you a few stories
which would surprise you. But let us
talk of more Immediate things, madame.
Monsieur D'Auburon is not in Parisian
society, and just now I am particularly
interested in Parisian society. Your own
circle, for Instance. You seem to have
drawn around you some charming people
the Colbert-Remplins, for Instance."
"You like them?"
"Yes; the husband is so well Inform
ed I don't mean merely on matters of
finance, but on all topics. I was greatly
interested in what he was talking about
during dinner the dissolution of your
second empire. By the way, what an
ideal lady of the court bis wife with her
white hair and aristocratic features,
would have made under the-aThlrd Napo
leon." "Do you admire her?"
"Greatly in a way.. Is she not a
woman with a history? She looks like
it."
The words were spoken so quietly and
naturally, that though she started with
surprise at the directness of the ques
tion, the vicomtesse could not possibly
doubt her guest's' good faith In putting It.
"Yes," she replied, "she has a his
tory." "I thought I was right. "I am a read
er of human faces in a way. If I had
been asked, I should have said, looking
at her, There Is one who has suffered for
ambition's sake."
The vicomtesse turned around on the
bench, with a half smile parting her
lovely Hps, and said: .
"Really, Monsieur Lazare, In addition
to your attainments as mountaineers, you
Swiss gentlemen seem to count that l I
mlnd-rekding. Do you know what you
say comes remarkably near the truth?"
Then lowering her voice, and first look
ing cautiously around, she added : "It is
not generally known, but it can do no
harm to tell you, who have guessed so
near the mark but Madame Remplin
sacrificed her heart to her ambitions.
Y'ou know what I mean ; you are a man
of the world, monsieur. There was a
young man, with nothing but his profes
sion, whom she adored, of course. There
was a middle-aged man with a fortune,
whom she tolerated at first, for the sake
of the position be gave her and learned
to like afterward, as all we poor crea
tures do."
"I understand. What became of the
young man?"
"He was foolish. He became dissipat
ed. He drifted away, and went to the
dogs. He fell so low, that I understand
he wrote to his former fiancee for money
did it frequently. A woman would not
have stooped to that."
"But you have not known Madame Colbert-Remplin
long?"
Something induced him to say the
words and risk what followed. The effect
upon the vicomtesse, Indeed, seemed elec
trical. She regarded bim for a moment
with undisguised astonishment.
"How did you know that my acquaint
ance with Madame Remplin was a re
cent one?"
"Why," be answered, boldly, "you told
me so yourself. You look surprised.
Don't give me credit for being too great
a seer. Rather impute to me an excel
lent memory."
"It is a great gift," said the vicom
tesse, laughing. "Do you know, an idea
occurred to me as you spoke just now,
1 nd it was such a funny one, that you
might be someone I had known once, and
were masquerading in disguise."
"What a funny Idea, to be sure," re
plied M. Lazare, also laughing. "It
would not be a bad one, would It? Ha,
madame, you should try your hand at a
romance. Something from your pen, I
am convinced, would make a sensation."
They went In together, laughing mer
rily. The first person they encountered
was D'Auburon.
"Ha, Monsieur D'Auburon," cried the
vicomtesse, "here is your friend saying
I might write a boow. Let me give him
some coffee. If we can fiuci some."
Half an hour later D'Auburon and his
friend M. Lazare took their leave. On
their way home to the Hotel de 1'Athene,
where D'Auburon, in order to keep up
appearances, had engaged apartments for
his friend M. Lazare, the - latter re
marked :
"Quite a deal of progress for the first
evening. Several things are quite clear in'
my mind.'.'
"What are they, pray?" inquired
D'Auburon.
"Beyond a doubt Madame Helene Col-bert-Ueinplin
is the llelene who married
Henry Graham, and who consequently Is
the mother of Philip Graham, alias
Philip La Seur."1 -
"How do you know that?"
"Well, we have followed the track
too closely to be mistaken, haven't we?
But, in addition, there are family traits
in which I cannot be deceived. The high
forehead, the peculiar expression of the
mouth, the general configuration, all
point irresistibly to the same conclusion."
"And when we have found Philip Gra
ham's mother, where shall we look for
rhillp Graham himself? I tell you you
are wrong now In not doing as I said.
Your wisest course would have been to
have Installed yourself In the household
of Madame Colbert-Hemplin. You will
not learn of her son's whereabouts until
yon do."
"You seem persistant on that point,"
replied Cassagne, somewhat testily. "If
you are so anxious that someone should
go and play footman to Madame Colbert
Remplin, go and do it yourself. I tell
you I shall remain where I am. I prefer
to study the situation as the guest of.
Madame la Vicomtesse de Valiar."
. "And mark my words, nothing will
jonie of It," retorted D'Auburon. "For
ouce you are on the wrong track."
The detective smiled broadly.
"Don't gel so excited, Charles," he
said. "Before a week Is over, you will
be kicking yourself to find how greatly
you have been mistaken."
CHAPTER XXII. r
Two weeks passed, during which time
M. Cassague, in the character of the
Bernese manufacturer, continued his vis
its to the d Valiars. He was now but
rarely accompanied by D'Auburon, who
adhered so closely to his contention that
the detective was simply wasting his
time, that, as he put It, be considered it
altogether wrong to encourage him in his
obstinacy. ,
"These detectives, after all," thought
D'Auburon, "are only human. He is fas
cinated by the vicomtesse. Every one
falls-into that net. I suppose one can't
blame him she handsome."
M. Cassagne had apparently made great
strides In the good books of de Valiar.
He spent his mornings in the office of the
Mutual Credit and Loan Company, where
he gave really valuable advice concern
ing the floating of tlm Consolidated Dock
enterprise.
He passed his afternoons seelag Paris
with the vicomte and Chabot; and his
evenings be divided between the -vicomtesse
and the card table. In a house
where high play was the principal event
of the evening, it was impossible not lo
come more or less within its Influence.
Certain It is that the vicomtesse had
taken a more than ordinary interest In
her foreign guest. Perhaps he was a
good listener, which is the sincerest flat
tery to your brilllmit conversationalist.
Anyhow she Insisted upon accompanying
M. Lazare to the table upon the first
night, and by her presence prevented the
stakes running unduly high.
She need not have been so solicitous oo
tie Swiss gentleman's account. The
first night Or two he lnt nnlf. nn.
siderable sum, to be sure; but they had
uaraiy oeen playing a week before de
Valiar and his friends discovered that M.
Lazare knew as much as they did.
De Valiar particularly was" nettled to
see this quiet, unostentatious foreigner
come in and walk away with his money.
To tell the truth, pending the floating of
the Consolidated Dock Company, that
article was rather scarce with him.
A boom In some of his Argentine Re
public securities on the Bourse had given
him. however, a welcome lift It waa
quite a sum. Three hundred and fifty
thousand francs had been placed to his
account with-the Credit Fonder. That
very evening he drew half of it In cash,
and came prepared to pit his fortune
against that of M. Frederic Lasare.
. But M. Lazare would not play. From
an early hour In the evening It was ob
served that he kept In the outer salon.
He was unusually thoughtful and re
served. He paused by the side of Mme.
Colbert-Remplin. An expression of pity
hovered on his features as be stooped
and said:
"Will you do me a favor? I ask It for
the last time. Will you go quietly home?
I am willing to save you all I can."
Mme. Colbert-Remplln's white band,
glittering with jewels, trembled as It lay
upon the arm of her easy chair. But her
face was adamant and ber voice without
a tremor, as she replied:
"No, I will not stir from here. I will
stay and save him. It would kill me to
see him go back to the galleys."
The defective looked upon the frail,
white-faced woman sitting before him,
and an Indescribable something flashed
across his features. It was the tender
ness of a supreme pity, blended with ad
miration. "You can do nothing," he urged. "Yon
had better leave him to his fate. I can
feel for you, but he richly deserves It."
To CODtlDUd-)
PIRATE LAFITFE'S TREASURE.
Its Hldlnar Plaea Has Been Folates
Oat la Dreams by Ghosts.
Since the French privateer and
smuggler, Jean Lafltte, sailed the high
seas and bought bis treasures to the
gulf coast and burled them, now and
then It happens that some sensation
arises as to their Immediate where
abouts, gays the Houston Post.
Thirty-four years ago the pirate ot
the gulf, as Lafltte waa called, ap
peared In a dream to Dr. Beazly and,
rather roughly taking him by the col
lar, told him to come wltb him and
he would show hlra where there were
gold and sliver and dlamopda burled.
The doctor In bis dream followed his
midnight visitor and he directed him
to a certain place In the cottage, which
was then the Beazly home and occu
pied by the family, and designated the
spot under which lies the much-talked-f
wealth of the prlrarcer.
The doctor, having the same dream
repented twice In the same night, be
came wide awnke after Lafltte's third
visit and much Interested, the result
being that he did, and perhaps, too,
very shortly afterward, begin digging
under the house In pursuit of the treas
ure. After getting to the depth of fout
or five feet he found nothing of any
moment except a very unusual stone in
this part of the world, where nothing
of Its kind was ever seen here.
Had he kept on possibly the treasure
might have been found and the restless
spirit of Lafltte, wherever It may be,
might have been released from this
burden, of secrecy, a burden from
which, seemingly,, he wished to be re
lieved, as another visit has been made
In the same house, and this time In a
drenm Lafltte appears lu the presence
of a lady, urging her to get the lost
Jewels, gold and silver.
. After all these years Dr. Beazly has
at last consented to have Borne one else
who believes In the undertaking Join
him to find the treasures, and they
have made arrangements satisfactory
to nil parties concerned, nnd now In a
short time Mr. McKny, a bnnkex at La
Porte, being the nssoclnte mentioned,
will begin nperntlons to find the treas
ures stowed deep down under the old
house.
Unchanged,
"You nsed to say I hnd a voice like
a bird."
"So you hnd."
"Well,' my voice hasn't changed that
I can see."
"Nope, yon still have a voice like a
bird; a parrot's a bird." Houston
Post ,
Too I.ate.
Friend (wnrnlngly) You bad better
keep away from thnt frlsty young
widow, Green, my boy. She'll have ber
finger In your affairs the first chance
she gets.
Victim (despondently) She's got her
finger In my engagement ring already.
Baltimore American.
No Reveraes la ITU.
"Young man," said the stern parent,
fixing the trembling suitor with a glare,
"do you know enough to support your
self under reverses?"
"No, slrce!" cried the youth, em
phatically. "I ain't no hnrd-Iuck acro
bat 1" Baltimore American.
According to the most reliable re
ports, there are 2(12,000 Sunday school!
In the world, wltb a total enrollment of
20,000,000 pupils.
UARnra dhteb's queer job.
Stopped aa Ammonia Leak that Ea
dana-ered Ufa aad Property.
That "necessity is the mother of In
dention" was never more forcibly madt
true thnn recently, when a submarlns
diver, clad In his under-water garb,
was sent Into the store of Hollis & Rich
to put a stop to the leak of overpower
ing fumes of ammonia which were fill
ing the place, says the Boston Adver
tiser. Shortly after 3 o'clock In the after
noon the cap of the big tank which la
filled with the ammonia used In mak
ing the freezing mixture connected
with the cold-storage plant blew off
aud the deadly fumes filled the cold
itorage plant and gradually made their
way through the walls of the store It
self and up through the elevator well
so that the entire building was filled
with them.
The proprietors of the place were at
their wits' end as to how to put a stop
to the leak before their stock was dam
aged. Somebody In the crowd that
gathered suggested a deep-sea diving
outfit and Mr. Hoills jumped at the
uggestlon, and, running to a telephone,
got a diving concern to send a man up
at once prepared to make the most cu
rious diving feat ever accomplished by
any diver.
Putting on his garb, the man entered
the building where It seemed that no
man could live. His assistant pumped
fresh air to him and the diver worked
away without great discomfort, fitting
a new cap on the tank.
He was Inside the bulldlntr less than
half an hour before he returned and
told the people who waited for him
outside that the task was accomplished
and that In a few moments the build
ing would be free of the fumes.
WORLD'S GREATEST SHIPOWNER.
Charles Wllsan, First Lord Nunburn
bolme, who died recently at Hull. Eng
land, was the senior partner In the
largest private shipping company In
the world. A native of Klngston-upon-,
Hull, he was born In 1833. His father.
Thomas, started with one ship at ths
AT
4&
mm
wi'.Wf!j
MiV
LOBD NUNBLBNUOLMt..
time when steam was coming Into
vogue. . Today the Wilson fleet num
bers eighty-nine stenmers with a ton
nage of 100,431), and a capital of
2,500,000. He sut Is Parliament for
thirty years, and was raised to tlie
peerage In 1005. He Is succeeded by
his only son, the Hon. diaries Henry
Wellesley Wilson. Ills daughters In
clude Lady Cowley and Lady Chester
Held.
Owl Forecast Weather.
Hancock, Just over tbo Lebanon
Mountains, west of I'lttKticM, on the
Now York State boundary, depends
upon a hoot owl for its weatiier re
ports. Every night the villagers listen
for the owl, which roosts In the forests
of John Taylor's farm. If the owl gives
a scries of long, mournful boots, rnln
Is expected the next day ; If slnirp und
clear are the hoots, the weather will be
clear. The owl's forecast has never
failed yet.
The owl rs called Big Beu. Its mate
was slut 15 years ago and now adorns
the show window of FruiiK lladwell's
store. Robert J. Gillespie of New York,
touring through Hancock the other
night, listened to the owl lor naif an
hour. He says all Waslilngtou weather
forecasts have been thrust aside In
Hancock. Plttsfield (Mass.) Cor. New
York Herald.
Literary Kxerclsea,
Wife (scornfully) Oh, I've no doubt
you were at the literary club reciting
poetry till this hour of the night. And,
pray, what wee. you reciting?
Husband (lemlnlsceiitly) I think
wnsh something 'bout "Chips That
Pash in the Night" Baltimore Ameri
can. Most of a man's friends are hla
friends because of what tuay don't
know about him.
A
r.
I r -, I J ,
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