Show fa wa T f 4 afar ys ofa THE achievements or M f ti afi OF A of folice BUSING OF THE SCARLET ARROW IN aff OF NAPOLEON M NOW PUBLISHED FOR TH FIRST copyright by W G CHAPMAN CLAUDE seated at a desk alone in his private sane turn looked up in response to a soft knock on the door and bade the applicant en ter A petite woman ot slender figure appeared and throwing back a heavy veil that en shrouded her tea L tures greeted the redoubtable chief of police with a gracious smile the visitor was ame mme jeanne HI bault an acknowledged belle 0 the court of napoleon III high in favor t with the emperor and a beauty whose capricious ways wrought devastation in the hearts of a legion of admirers there were however a favored few among whom was numbered M claude aware that under the butter fly existence affected by this spoiled child of fortune there lurked a talent for intrigue and a deeper purpose than appeared on the surface the olive loveliness of her perfect face did not conceal the determined outlines of an obstinate little chin and the languorous glances of her dark brown eyes often served to conceal the subtle light of penetration that shone behind their long eilken lashes for aime rigault s skill as a chateau spy was second to none in the realm and there were few secrets of the prefecture unknown to the wonderfully resolute and radiantly beautiful coquette of the imperial court 1 I accept your cheerfulness as a good omen ame mme rigault Rl gault said the chief when the sounds of her merrl anent bad tiled away into silence at all events I 1 may inter that it portends success in your mission success repeated ame mme rigault well yes it claude and a goodly omen as far as we are concerned but one of evil import for other people among whom may be mentioned our cunning and sanguine compatriot M landre I 1 am well aware of the dislike entertained by M landre for your humble servant he remarked confident of bis with the emperor he has repeatedly endeavored to bring about my dismissal fortunately his 4 imperial majesty having no reason to doubt my fidelity resisted the arcs sure brought to bear upon him in the matter louis napoleon would indeed be ungrateful responded ame mme rigault Rl gault were he to forget the services you have rendered the empire the chief smiled slightly at the compliment but made no comment and ame mme rigault continued dut a person of M landre s caliber la not to be easily dissuaded from the execution of any project he conceives other means having failed him he has arranged a plot whereby he hopes to silence forever your voice that has told him unpalatable truths on more than one occasion 1 I expected as much returned the chief and it will be strange if the final attempt to remove me from his path does not result in a complete S casi t his play all I 1 require Is ab i te proof of jils connection with the land 0 known as the society of avengers Av engers that has en deavo red to establish a reign of terror in paris during the past year and that evidence interrupted ame mme rigault Rl gault I 1 have secured thanks to y maid louise autran louises beocity aa long attracted the amorous of M landre whom you know li iw w i aa sweat admirer of our aex last li feu night she attended a masked ball given by landre in hla mansion at autell to the creatures of the underworld with whom he la affiliated he paid her the most flattering attentions and when the night was far advanced and he and bis associates were well under the influence of wine she managed to explore the upper portion of the house in a desk in bis library opened by the aid of one of the skeleton keys you provided she discovered a paper con the minutes of the last meet ing held by the society here it Is you will perceive that M claude la named as the next victim to be marked by the scarlet arrow she tossed a folded paper on the chiefs desk and M claude spreading it out perused the contents with eager eyes at the conclusion of his atlon he said this document establishes beyond a doubt the complicity of M landre in the series of mysterious murders nine in all that have taken place re bently in each case one of these tokens was attached to the victims clothing opening a drawer he produced a miniature metal arrow painted a bright scarlet with a pin attachment apparently intended for the purpose of allowing it to be worn as an ornament what possible advantage can M landre hope to derive through bis association with a band of depraved criminals inquired ame mme rigault Rl gault curiously the advantage of having dangerous instruments at his command replied the chief the society s avowed object Is to avenge the betrayal of any criminal to the law on those who have either unwittingly or by design as alsted in his capture each of the nine victims so far sacrificed was a man who bad supplied information to the police that resulted in the apprehension and punishment of some malefactor but II 11 landre Is clever enough to know that with such evil forces under his direction he could also employ them to serve his person al ends the scarlet symbol was un chosen for the purpose of impressing the public with the exist ence of a mysterious and power in its midst which it would be fatal the creation of a state of chaos that to offend M landre looks forward to would materially assist the designs of prussia upon this country with an archy rampant in the principal city of france our government would be put to serious straits in the event of aggression by a foreign power these proofs should be submitted to the emperor at once exclaimed ame mme rigault in agitated tones my dear lady rejoined the chief placidly the fruit Is not yet ripe tor plucking something more Is needed ere loula napoleon can be convinced that the man whom he has loaded with benefits Is a traitor most foul M landre although possibly the most dangerous is not the only prussian spy in the chateau as you are well aware ame mme rigault nodded dejectedly 1 I have marveled she said slowly that the emperor remains blind to the dangers that surround him not altogether blind ame mme rigault Rl gault dissented the chief there are tain things that tor reasons of state bis majesty does not wish to see therefore as I 1 said before we must proceed cautiously tonight by clr tue of the information you have fur nashed I 1 will talt a part of the city where some disreputable allies of M landre make their headquarters then I 1 will bid you adieu for the present M claude said ame mme rl gault rising with the copies ot M landre a prussian correspondence that I 1 obtained safe in your bands my task Is finished accept my eternal gratitude ame mme rigault Rl gault returned the chief with a polite bow as the little lady emeled brightly handmade and made her exit from the room in those days the quarter known as the cite waa the rendezvous of all the scum of paris the hour of midnight was close at hand when M claude cunningly als guised and assuming the reckless air of a halt drunken loafer entered the wine shop of the lapan blanc one of the most notorious lairs of the cite and situated in the center of the rue aux devea the tavern consisted of a large low room furnished with eight broad tables secured by chains to the whitewashed walls these tables were lined before a bar upon which stood a number of juga and drinking vessels bound with iron at the back of the room a door opened upon a long alley which stretched as tar as the eye could penetrate into the darkness the three tables nearest the en trance were occupied by several noisy ruffians engaged in playing cards and drinking from the pewter measures that stood before them at the baat table in the rear of the room a young girl sat alone with her head burled in her bands it was toward this solitary female that M claude s eye wandered instantly crossing the floor with swagger ang strides he seated himself beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder she started and looked up revealing a face that had onca been beautiful but whose features were now indelibly stamped with the coarse lines of dissipation although the own er could scarcely have passed her sev entee nth year what do you want she queried in a hoarse cracked voice as she gazed sullenly at the disturber of her reverie dont be afraid responded M claude jovially drink with me my beauty and forget your troubles im not a bad sort nina fleurette as you 11 find out when youve known me a while I 1 don t know you returned the girl suspiciously who are you and where do you come from all in good time replied the chief here comes the wet for our throttles drink and then we can talk better that s the stuff that makes us all happy she cried in discordant accents as M claude grasped the jug and carried it to his mouth ive something important to tell you nina fleurette said the chief replacing the jug on the table bond your head over till I 1 whisper my news wo want no spies to hear us the girl leaned toward him and M claude muttered something in an un bertone she started back and stared at him curiously i you say you come from M lan she whispered hoarsely how do J know you are speaking the truth look down and behold the sign replied M claude in the same cautious tone very well monsieur she said see ou are one of us what la sour message you are to come with me to a house in the rue du temple where your lovei ehll chatelain Chatel aln awaits us returned M claude there Is work OB bad and your help to bwll fol low me quietly and at once for the traps are abroad and tor aught we know may be watching ua here nina fleurette made a gesture ot assent and M claude with a quick glance around to assure himself that their movements were not observed arose and passed swiftly through the rear door the girl following at bis heels on the afternoon of the second day after his visit to the lapan blanc M claude entered a police station in the rue de jerusalem and bowed formally in response to the salutation of the inspector in charge good day M blauvett Bl auvert said the chief have you taken ehll chatelain according to my instructions your orders were carried out promptly M claude replied the in chatelain Chatel aln was decayed decoyed by a message to a quiet spot where he was seized forced into a cab and brought here without the knowledge of any of his pals e gathered him in only three hours ago so that he Is not likely to be missed from ats regu lar haunts until tonight to night you have done well commented the chief in what condition Is the prisoner nina fleurette whom I 1 de levered to you last tuesday night she suffers terribly returned Dl auvert the supply of morphine she carried was taken away from her As she is a habitual user of the drug she has raged and wept alternately beseeching us to give her a few grains of the stutt but acting under your in dr marline not only refused but declined to administer any medicines that might alleviate her als tell dr martane I 1 wish to see him said the chief curtly la a few moments the police surgeon a tall well built man of 60 with iron gray hair and beard made bis appearance I 1 sent for you to make some in quarles as to the condition of nina fleurette inmate of cell 15 M mar tine said the chief ah yes responded the surgeon number 15 a bad case M claude she is partly delirious and unless re alet of some kind is given her death can only be a question of hours how long can she live in her pres ent stated demanded the chief the surgeon pureed his lips and meditated 1 I would like to visit her again before answering he said come then inspector Bl auvert and I 1 will accompany you said the chief that la no 15 remarked the sur geon an hour ago she waa shriek ing violently but I 1 the Is almost exhausted now reaching the cell in which the girl was confined they beheld a figure lying prostrate upon the stone floor and twitching convulsively the girl of the lapan blanc presented truly ghastly and terrifying appearance her eyes bloodshot and hollow with pupils con until they bad become mere pin points glared horribly from out the sunken pallid face her tangled black hair hung in unkempt masses over her slender shoulders and shreds of cloth torn from her garments lay scattered around at the sound of the officials foot steps she turned and struggled to her knees holding out imploring hands the palma of which were lacerated and bleeding from the furious attacks of her nails on the agonized flesh mercy messieurs she moaned despairingly mercy for the love of the don aleu only a little just a little morphine holy mother what pain what torture the fiends are running red hot knives through my body give me help or death death do not let me live thus her voice died away into a hoarse gurgle and falling back into her form er posture she sobbed and chattered incoherently M claude looked upon the sufferer with an impassive coun cenance how long may she exist so M he demanded of the ghyst clan she might linger on tor ten hours but no longer in her present exhaust ed condition he declared with protes coolness that Is long enough to serve my purpose returned the chief M Bl auvert bring hither ehll chate laan the inspector made a sign to one of his subordinates and two stalwart guards appeared la charge of an ath letic young man whose wrists were heavily ironed at sight of the wretch ed figure lying in cell 15 the newcomer uttered a terrible cry of anguish and M claude pointing to the girl said with dellb erite earnestness your liberty and the life of nina fleurette depends upon you chate laan she Is already suffering horrible agony and will die miserably within the next ten hours unless you inter vene to save her what do you require of me asked the prisoner feverishly simply this replied the chief grimly you were selected to tare me to a certain spot tonight to night and slay me it Is unnecessary to enumerate the details of the scheme as you are thor coughl familiar with them now in a few hours you will be set at liberty and I 1 intend you to visit M landre president of the society of avengers Av engers tor the purpose 0 informing him that you have executed your commission and thrown my body into the seine you will present my signet ring to him as a token ot success return here and report to me at the mention of M landrea name the prisoner turned pale then he spoke in defiant accents I 1 refuse he said sullenly M claude shrugged his shoulders A foolish choice be said coolly by complying with my request you would have won freedom for yon wretched creature and yourself with the stipulation that you must both leave paris As it la I 1 repeat that she will linger on in hellish torment tor ten hours without medical aid and perish horribly and for you there remains the galleys or scaffold as a reward for some of the crimes you have committed do it Chalela ln said savagely tor her sake not tor my own curse you before leaving the station the chief held a short conference with M mar tine and the inspector you will release chatelain Chatel aln at ten 0 clock M blauvett Bl auvert said his super or he will return in an hour or so and you will detain him until you receive furter orders from me how la your patient now M martine resting quietly replied the sur geon 1 I administered a dose of morphine sufficiently large to satisfy her craving and she will receive a quantity at stated periods while un der my care on the day following all paris was thrown into commotion by the an no in the newspapers that M claude head of the prefecture had disappeared and that the finding of bis coat on the banks of the seine gave grounds tor suspicion that the famous chief of police had met with foul play A miniature metal arrow scarlet in color and pinned to the gar ment recalled the fact of a similar token having figured in several mys gerlous murders during the past year and left small room for doubt that M claude was the victim of a secret band of assassins meanwhile the missing man preserving hla identity in a cleverly designed disguise |