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About The Maupin times. (Maupin, Or.) 1914-1930 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1923)
ardi Gras he Mardi Gras Mystery By H. BEDFORD. JONES By H. BEDFORD-JONES Copyright bf OOUBLEDAV, FACE AND COMPANY . Copyright by DOUSLEDAY, PAGE AND COMPANY TheM Mystery BEN CHACHERRE. SYNOPSIS.-During the height of the New Orleans carnival season Jachln Fell, wealthy though some what mysterious citizen1, and Dr. Ansley, are discussing a series ot robberies by an Individual known as the Midnight MaBquer, who, in variably attired as an aviator, has long defied the police. Joseph Mall lard, wealthy banker, is giving a ball that night, at which the Mas quer has threatened to appear and rob the guests. Fell and Ansley, on their way to the affair, meet a girl dressed as Columbine, seeming ly known to Fell, but masked, who accompanies them to the ball. Lucie Ledanois, recently the ward of her uncle, Joseph Malllard, is the Columbine. At the ball, Bob Malllard, son of the banker, again proposes to her and Is refused. He offers to buy some of her sroperty. A Franciscan monk interests her. He turns out to be Prince Gramont. In his library Joseph Malllard and a group of his friends are held up and robbed by the Midnight Mas quer. Lucie Ledanois, the last ot an old family, is In straitened cir cumstances. Joseph Maillard's han dling of her funds has been unfor tunate. Fell Is an old friend of her parents and deeply Interested In the girl. Henry Gramont, really the Prince de Gramont, Is enamored of Lucie. Lucie talks with Fell about her affairs and the Masked Masquer. Gramont's chauffeur, Hammond, sergeant In the A. E. F., lives with him. He was the original Midnight Masquer, and Gramont had assumed the role. Where Hammond had been a rob ber for financial gain, Gramont, of course, Is not. He arranges to return the "loot" to those whom he has robbed. Gramont and Ham mond put the Jewels and money In Individual packages to be re turned the next day. CHAPTER V Continued. In the garage Hammond switched on the lights of the car. By the glow they disposed their burdens In the lug gage compartment of the tonneau, wh)ch:held them neatly. The com partment closed and locked, they re turned Into the house and dismissed the affair as settled. Upon the following morning Gra mont, who usually breakfasted en pen sion with his hostess, had barely seat ed himself at the tuble when he per ceived the figure of Hammond at the rear entrance of the dining room. The chauffeur, beckoned hira hastily. " "Come out here, cap'n 1" Hammond was breathing heavily, and seemed to be In some agitation. "Want to show you somethln'I" Gramont rose and followed Ham- . mond out to the garage, much to his amazement. The chauffeur halted be- V' side the car and extended him a key, .. pointing to. the luggage compartment "Here's the key you open her I',' "What's the matter, man?" "The stuff's gone I" ! , Gramont seized the key and opened the 'compartment. It proved empty, , ... .Indeed- He stared up Into the face of Hammond, who was watching In dogged silence. "I knew you'd suspect me," broke out the chauffeur, but Gramont Inter rupted liltu purtly. .. .' "Don't he a fool; nothing of the sort. Was the garage locked?" , "Yes, and the compartment, tool. I came out to look over that- cut tire, and thought I'd make sure' the stuff was safe" , - "We're' up against It, that's all. Someone must have been watching ui last night, eh?" "The guy that trailed you yester day, most like," ngreed Hammond, dourly. "You think they got'us, cap'n? What enn we do?" "Do?" Gramont shrugged his ghoul ders and laughed. "Nothing except to wait and see what happens next! Don't touch that compartment door. I want to examine It later." Hammond gazed admiringly after him as he crossed the garden. !'lf you ain't a cool hand, I'm a Dutchmaur he murmured, and followed his master. CHAPTER VI. Chacherre. - At ten o'clock that Monday morn lug Gramont's car approached Canal street, and halted a block distant Gramont left the car, and turned to speak with Hammond. "l'v'e made out at least two finger prints on the luggage compartment," he said, quietly. "Drive around to police headquarters and enter a com plaint In my name to a robbery of the compartment; say that the thief got away with gome valunble packages I had been about to mall. They have a process of transferring fingerprints such as these; get It done. Perhaps they can Identify the tblef, for It must have been some clever picklock to get Into the comparttueut without leaving a scratch. It was someone sent by that devil Jachln Fell, and I'll land him If I can!" "Then Fell will land us If he's got the stuff!" ,, "Let htm! How can he prove any thing, unless he had brought the po lice to open up that compartmeut? Get along with you P Hammond grinned, saluted, and drove away. Slowly Gramont edged Ms way through the eddying crowds to Cauul street, arid presently gained the Impos ing portals of the Exeter National bank. Entering the building, he sent his card to the private ollice of the president; a moment later he was ushered In, and was closeted with Jo seph 'Malllard. The Interior of the Exeter National reflected the stern personality that ruled It. The bank was dark, old fashioned, conservative, guarded with much effrontery of iron grills and bars against the evil doer. The window men greeted their cus tomers with Infrequent smiles, with caution and reserve so great that it was positively chilly. Suspicion seemed In the air. The bank's reputa tion for guarding the sanctity of wealth seemed to rest heavily upon each pair of bowed shoulders. The business customers of this bank found their affairs handled coldly, ef ficiently, with an Inhuman precision that was admirable. It was good for business, and they liked It. There were no mistakes. People who were accustomed to dealing with bankers of cordial smile and courteous word, people who liked to walk Into a bank and to be met with a personal greeting, did not come here, nor ' were they wanted here. Chance customers who entered the sacred portals were duly cowed and put In their proper plaee. Most of them were, that Is. Occasionally some . Intrepid soul appeared who seemed Impervious to the gloomy chill, who seemed even to resent It. One of these persons was now stand ing In the lobby and staring around with a cool Impudence which drew un favorable glances from the clerks. He was a decently dressed fellow, obviously no customer of this sacro sanct place, obviously a stranger to Its Interior. Beneath a raklshly cocked soft hat beamed a countenance that bore a look of self-assured Imper tinent deviltry. After one look at that countenance the assistant cashier crooked a hasty finger at the floor guard, who nodded and walked to the Intruder with a polite query. "Can I help you, sir?" The Intruder turned, favored the guard with a cool stare, then broke Into a luugh and a flood of Creole dia lect. " ' "Why, If It Isn't old Lacrolx from Carencro I And look at the brass but- "Go to tho Devil, Then," Snapped Chacherre, and Turned Away. tons dlablel You must own this place, hetn;? the cat's tall grows In time, I seel You remember me?" "Ben Chacherre I" exclaimed the guard, losing his dignity for an In stant. "Why you vaurien, you I" "So you turn up your sanctitled nose at Hen Chacherre, do you?" exclaimed that person jauntily. "A vaurien, am I? Old peacock 1 Lead me to the man who cashes checks, lackey, brass but tons that you are! Come, obey me, or I'll have you thrown Into the street !" "You you wish to cash a check? But you are not known here" "Bah, Insolent onel Monkey In the calabash that you arel Do you not know me?" "Heaven preserve me! I wilt not answer for your accursed checks." "Go to the devil, then," snapped Chacherre, and turned away. His roving eyes had already found the correct window by means of the other persons seeking It, and now he stepped Into the small queue that had formed. When It came his turn, he Slid his check across the marble slab, tucked Ills thumbs Into the arniholes of his vest, and Impudently stared Into the questioning, coldly repellent eyes of the teller. "Well?" he exclaimed, as the teller. examined the check. "Do you wish to eat It, that you sniff so hard?" The teller gave him a glance. "This Is for a thousand dollars " " "Can I not read?" said Chacherre, with an Impudent gesture. "Am I an ignorant 'Cajun? llave I not eyes In my head? If you wish to start an argument, say that the check Is for a hundred dollars. Then, by heaven,' I will argue something with you !" You are Ben Chacherre, eh? Does anyone here know you?" Chacherre exploded In a violent oath. "Dolt that you are, do I have to be known when the check Is In dorsed under my signature? Who taught yeil business, monkey?" True," answered the teller sulkily. "Yet the amount " "OlC bah !" Chacherre snapped his fingers. "Go and telephone Jachin Fell, you old' woman! Go and tell him you do not know his signature well, who are you looking at? Am I a telephone, then? You nre not hired to look but to act ! Get about It." The enraged and scandalized teller beckoned a confrere. Jachin Fell was telephoned. Presumably his response was reassuring, for Chacherre was presently handed a thousand dollars in small bills, as he requested. He Insisted upon counting over the money at the window with Insolent assiduity, flung a final compliment at the teller, and swaggered across the lobby. He was still standing by the entrance when Henry Gramont left the private office of the president and passed him by without a took. i Toward noon Gramont arrived afoot at his pension. Behind the garage, In") the alley, he discovered Hammond busily at work cleaning and polishing the engine of the car. Hello I" he exclaimed, cheerily. "What luck?" Pretty good, cap'n." Hammond glanced up, then paused. A stranger was strolling toward them along the alleyway, a jaunty In dividual who was guyly whistling and who seemed entirely carefree and happy. He appeared to have no In terest whatever In them, and Ham mond concluded that he was Innocu ous. They got them prints fine, cap'n. What's more, they think they've locat ed the fellow that made 'em." "Ah, good work I" exclaimed Gra mont. "Some criminal? Hammond frowned. The stranger had come to a halt a few feet distant, flung them a jerky, careless nod, and was beginning to roll a cigarette. He surveyed the car with a knowing and appreciative eye. Hammond turned his back on the man disdainfully. "Yep a sneak thief they'd pinched a couple of years hack; aiun t know where ho was, but the prints seemed to fit him. They'll come up and look tilings over sometime today, then go after him and land him." Gramont gave the stranger a glance, but the other was still surveying the car with evident admiration. If he heard their words he gave them no attention. "Who was the man, then?" asked Gramont. "A guy with a queer name Ben Chacherre." Hammond pronounced It as he deemed correct as the name was spelled. "Only they didn't call him that. Here, I wrote It down." He fished In his pocket and pro duced a paper. Gramont glanced at It and laughed. "Oh, Chacherre!" He gave the name the Creole pronunciation. "Yep, Susherry. I expect they'll come any time now suld two bulls would drop In." "All right." Gramont nodded and turned away, with another glance at the stranger. "I'll not want the car today nor tonight that I know of. I'm not going to the Proteus ball. So your time's your own until tomorrow ; mak the most of It I" He disappeared, and Hammond re turned to his work. Then he straight ened up, for the jaunty stranger was bearing down upon htm with evident Intent to speak. "Some car you got there, brother!" Ben Chacherre, who had overheard most of the foregoing conversation, lighted his cigarette and grinned fa miliarly. "Some car, eh? All she needs Is some good tires, a new coat of paint, a good steel chassis, and a new engine '' "Huh?" snorted nammond. "Say, you 'bo, who sold you chips tn this game? Move along!" Ben grinned anew and rested him self against a near-by telephone pole. "Free oovintry, ain't it?" he In quired lazily. "Or have you Invested your winnings and bought this here alley?" Hammond reddened with anger and took a step forward. The next words of Chacherre, however, jerked htm sharply Into self-rontrol. "Seen anything of an aviator's hel met around here?" "Huh?" The chauffeur glared at his tormentor, yet with a sudden sick feeling Inside his bosom. "Who you ktddln' now?" "Nobody. I was asking a question that's all. I was flyln' along here last night In my airplane, and I lost my helmet overboard. Thought maybe. you'd seen It. So long, brother I" ' "Few crooks In the country hid not heard the name of Izxy Gumberts." (TO Bb! CONTINUED.) "A CARNIVAL JOKE" SYNOPSIS.-During the height of the New Orleans carnival season Jachin Fell, wealthy though some what mysterious citizen, and Dr. Ansley, are discussing a series of robberies by an Individual known as the Midnight Masquer, who, In variably attired as an aviator, has long delied the police. Joseph Mail lard, wealthy banker. Is giving a ball that night, at which the Mas quer has threatened to appear and rob the guests. Fell and Ansley, on their way to the affair, meet a girl dressed as Columbine, seeming ly known to Fell, but masked, who accompanies them to the ball. Lucte Ledanois, recently the ward of her uncle, Joseph Malllard, Is the Columbine. At the ball, Bob Malllard, son of the banker, again proposes to her and Is refused. He offers to buy some of her property. A Franciscan monk Interests her. He turns out to be Prince Gramont In his library Joseph Malllard and a group of his friends are held up and robbed by the Midnight Mas quer. Lucie Ledanois, the last of an old family, Is In straitened cir-v cumstances. Joseph Maillard's han dling of her funds has been unfor tunate. Fell is an old friend of her parents and deeply Interested in the girl. Henry Gramont, really the Prince de Gramont, Is enamored of Lucie. Lucte talks with Fell about her affairs and the Masked Masquer. Gramont's chauffeur, Hammond, sergeant In the A. E. F., lives with him. He was the original Midnight Masquer, and Gramont had assumed the role. Where Hammond had been a rob ber for financial gain. Gramont, of course, Is not. He arranges to re turn the "loot" to those whom he has robbed. Gramont and Ham mond put the jewels and money in individual packages to be returned the next day. An explanation is Inclosed in each. CHAPTER VI Continued. 9 Hammond stood staring after the swaggering figure J for once he was speechless. The jaunty words had sent terror thrilling Into him. He started impulsively to pursue that Im pudent accoster then he checked himself. Had the man guessed some thing? Had the man known some thing? Or had those words been only a bit of meaningless Impertinence a chance shaft which had accidentally flown home? The last conjecture Impressed Itself on Hammond as being the truth, and his momentary fright died out. He concluded that the incident was not worth mentioning to Gramont, who surely had troubles enough of his own at this Juncture. As for Ben Chacherre, he sauntered from the alley, a careless whistle upon his lips. Once out of Hammond's sight, however, he quickened his pace. Turning Into a side street, he directed his step toward that part of the old quarter which, In the days before pro hibition, had been given over to low cabarets and dives of various sorts. Coming to one of them, which ap peared more dirty and desolate than the rest, Chacherre opened a side door and vanished. He entered what had once been the Red Cat cabaret. At a table in the half-darkened main room sat two men. One of them, who was the proprietor, jerked his chin in an Invitation to join him. A man famous In the underworld circles, a man whose renown rested on curious feats and facts, this pro prietor ; few crooks tn the country had not heard the name of Memphis Izzy Gumberts. He was a grizzled old bear now, but In times past he had been the head of a far-flung organization which, on each pay day, covered every army post In the country and diverted into Its own pockets about two-thirds of Uncle Sam's payroll a feat still related In criminal circles as the ne plus ultra of success. Those palmy days were gone, but Memphis Izzy, who had never been "mugged" In any gallery, snt In his deserted cabaret and still did not lack for power and Influence. The man at his side was apparently not anxious to linger, for he rose and made hts farewells as Chacherre ap proached. "We have about eighteen cars left," he said to Gumberts. "Charley the Goog can attend to them, and the place Is safe enough. They're up to you. I'm drifting back to Chi. "Drift along," and Gumberts nod- ded, a leer In his eyes. Hts face was broad, heavy-jowled, filled with a keen and forceful craft. "It's a cinch that nobody In this state Is goln' to Inter fere with us. About them cars from Texas any news?" : "I've sept orders to bring 'em In next week." 1 Gumberts nodded again, and the man departed. Into the chair which tie had vacated dropped Ben Cha cherre, and took from his pocket the money he had obtained at the bank. He laid it on the table before Gum berts. "There you are," he said. "Amounts you want and all. The boss says to gimme a receipt." "Wouldn't trust you, eh?" jeered Gumberts. "Why wouldn't the boss leave the money come out of the tak- ln'vhey?" "Wanted to keep separate accounts,'' satd Chacherre. Gumberts nodded and produced two large sealed envelopes, which he pushed across the table. "There's a rakeoff for week before last," be announced. "Last week will be the big business, judgln' from early reports." Chacherre pocketed the envelopes, lighted a cigarette, and leaned for ward. Say, Izzy 1 You got to send a new man down to the Bayou Latouche right away. Lafarge was there, you know; a nigger shot him yesterday. The nigger threatened to squeal unless he got his money bock Lafarge was a foot and didn't know how to handle him. The boss says to shoot a new man down there.. Also, he says, you'd better watch out about spreadln' the lottery Into Texas and Alabama, ac count of the government rules." The heavy features of Gumberts closed In a scowl. "You tell your boss," he said, "that when it comes to steerin' clear of fed eral men, I don't want no Instructions from nobody! We got every man In this state spotted. Every one that can be fixed is fixed and that goes for the legislators and politicians clear up the line! Tell your boss to handle the local gov'ment as well as I handle other things, and he'll do all that's necessary. What he'd ought to attend to, for one thing, is this here guy who calls himself the Midnight Masquer. I've told htm before that this guy was playing h 1 with my sys tem! This Masquer gets no protec tion, Bee? The quicker Fell goes after him the better for all concerned " Chacherre laughed, not without a swagger. 'We've attended to all that, Izzy we've dropped on him and settled We've Attended to All That, Izzy We've Dropped on Him and Settled. Hlml" him ! The guy was dotn' It for a car nival joke, that's all. His loot Is all goln' back to .the owners today. It needn't worry you, anyhow! There was nothln' much to it jewelry that couldn't be disposed of, for the most part. We couldn't take chances on that sort o junk." "I should say not." Gumberts re garded him with a scowl. "You've got the stuff?" "The boss has. Look here, Izzy, I want you to use a little Influence with heaaquarters on this deal the boss doesn't want to show his hand there," and leaning forward, Ben Chacherre spoke In a low tone. Then, Gumberts heard him out, chuckled, and nodded assent,. . - -At two that afternoon Henry Gra mont was summoned to the telephone. He was greeted by a voice which he did not recognize, but which an nounced itself promptly. "This Is Mr. Gramont? Police head quarters speakln'. You laid a charge this morning against a fellow named Chacherre?" "Yes," answered Gramont. "Must ha' been some mistake, then," came the response. "We thought the prints - fitted, but found later they didn't.. We looked up the Chacherre guy and found he was workln' steady and strictly 0. K. What's more to the point, he proved up a dead sure alibi for the other night. "Oh I" said Gramont. "Then there's nothing to be doner , "Not yet. We're workln' on It, and maybe we'll have some news later, Goodby." Gramont hung up the receiver, a puzzled frown creasing his brow. But, after a minute, he laughed softly a trace of anger In the laugh. "Ah I" he murmured. "I congratu late you on your efficiency, Mr. Fell But now wait a little and we'll meet agnln. I think I'm getting somewhere at last, and I'll have a surprise for you one ot these days 1" CHAPTER VII. In the Open, In New Orleans the carnival senson Is always opened by the ball of the Twelfth Night Revelers soon after Christmas, and is closed by that of the - ....... i V. I K 4- Krewe or uomus on aiarui mas mjui, Upon this evening of "Fat Tuesday," Indeed, both Bex and Comus hold forth. Bex Is the popular ball, the affair of the people, and Is held In the Athenaeum. From here, about mid night, the king and queen proceed to Comus ball. Comus Is an assembly of such rigid excluslveness that even the tickets to the gallery are considered social prizes. The personae of the Krewe, on this particular yearas In all previ ous ones, would remain unknown; there, Is no unmasking at Comus. This Institution, a tremendous social power and potentially a financial power also, during decades of the city's life, is held absolutely above any taint of fa voritism or commercialism. Even the families of those concerned might not always be certain whether their sons and brothers belonged to the Jtvrewe of Comus; ;- - ' "'" ' Henry Gramont did hot attend-the ball of Proteus on Monday night. In stead, he' sat in his own rooni, while through the streets of the Trench quarter outside was raging the carnl- val at its height. Before him were maps and reports upon the gas and; ' oil fields about Bayou Terrebonne fields where great domes of natural gas were already located and In use, and where oil was being found in some quantity. Early on Wednesday morn ing Gramont Intended to set forth to his work. He had been engaged to make a report to Bob Maillard's com pany, and he would make It. Then he would resign his advisory job, and be free. A smile curled his lips as he thought of young Malllard and the company. "The young gentleman will be sadly surprised to discover that I've gotten out from under and that his respect ed father holds my stock !" he reflect ed. "That was a good deal; I lost a thousand to old Malllard In order to have the balance of thirty thousand !" A knock at his door Interrupted the thread of his thought. Gramont opened, to find the concierge with a note which had been left at the door below by a masked Harlequin, : who had then disappeared without await ing any reply. Gramont recognized the writing on the envelope, and hastened to the note Inside. His face changed however, as he read it: "Please call promptly at eleven to morrow morning. I wish to see you upon a matter of business. "LUCIE LEDANOIS." Gramont gazed long at this note, his brows drawn down Into a harsh line. It was not like Lucie In Its tone, somehow; he sensed somethlng-amlss, something vaguely but mostly decided ly out of tune. "Eleven tomorrow morning, eh?" he murmured. "That's queer, too, for she's to be at the Pro teus ball tonight. Most girls would not be conducting business affairs at eleven In the morning, after being up all night at Proteus ! It - must be something Important. Besides, she's not In a class with anyone else. She's a rare girl ; no nonsense In her full of a deep, strong sense of things " He forced himself from thoughts of Lucie, forced himself from her per sonality, and returned to his reports with an effort of concentration. . When Gramont went to bed that night It was with a startling and auda cious scheme well defined In his brain ; a scheme whose first conception seemed ludicrous and Impossible, yet which, on second consideration, ap peared In a very different light. It de served serious thought and Gramont had made his decision before he went to sleep. The following day was Tuesday Mardl Gras, Shrove Tuesday, the last day before Lent began, and the dual culminating day of carnival.' Henry Gramont, however, was destined to find little in Its beginning of much personal pleasure. At eleven In the morning Hammond drove him to the Ledanois home, where Gramont was admitted by one of the colored servants and shown Into the parlor. A moment Inter Lucie her self appeared. At first glance her smiling greeting removed the half sensed apprehensions of Gramont. Al most immediately afterward, however, be noted a perceptible change in her manner, as she led him toward the rear of the room, and gestured toward a mahogany tilt-top table which stood In a corner. "Come oer here, please. I have something which I wish to show you." She needed to say no more. Gra mont, following her, found himself staring blankly down at the symbol of consternation which overwhelmed htm. For upon that table lay all those boxes which he himself had packed with the loot of the Midnight Masquer the Identical boxes, apparently nn- opened, which had been stolen from ; his automobile by the supposed thief, Chacherre! "Tell me, Henry Gramont, what mad impulse brought you to all thlr (TO BS CONTINUED.)