Show ROUGH THE WALL CLEVELAND MOFFETT Copyright 1909 by byoR OR n OF THE BATTLE ETC D. D APPLETON AND COMPANY CHAPTER A A Great Criminal camo back to conscious conscious- is tin first st thought wa was waa that tho the adD ad- ad D h bid d brought him no pain he this Ibis arms and I legs gs and discovered i then ho he reached out a u hand wed und that he was lying on a n cold floor with his ht head he-ad ad on a R. rough lOugh hued filled apparently with shavings did riot not open his e eyes u but trl tried d to tow where w ere ho could be bo and to Imagine Shad ht happened It Jt was was not conc con- con ile 1 c that his enemy would let him hime e this delay was merely preliminary ething else and and ho he was certainly moe nor somewhere ol thus thue he caught a u. sound a as Lung ling paper then a faint scratch scratch- eyes still shut he lie turned his ward ard tho the scratching cr sound Bound then U rora It it then toward It ft then awa away lit it Now ho he sniffed the air about now ow he ho rubbed a finger on the floor It now no he lay quiet and d. d He had found round a n fascinating m mand and for a long time he studio studied bo bout t moving and find nd without opening II Cs Jy y h he spoke Oke aloud r In playful reIts reI re- re I Its a pit pity baron to write writt it t wonderful din diary of yours with pencil II there camo came tho the scraping of ofir ir r. r and end quick approaching steps 1 did you OU see mo mot asked a harsh r coil enil smiled ta toward ard a faint tl light pt his eyes closed I didn't I II It t I seen cen you yet et t t. you knew J I was writing In my t I use suise you w were ro PO so o absorbed that Id d not hear mo me stir mph imph And the lead pencil heard you OU sharpen n It lu That was was before 1 you stopped to cat eat the there ire re night flight came near nearer r. r M. M Paul felt t Ih the hp baron was bending over him that's the tho matter Your eyes are arc me to keep them shut Do mind Insular man muttered the other at et att makes you think I ate an angot angot anre t re got gol the tho smell of ot It when you tore oft off and id I heard the tho seeds needs drop ef ba barons baron's ronA voice showed growing Int int in- in t Where do clo you ou think you ou are are ifa deep underground room where etore tore fire re wood nary ot at all nil The Tho floor is covered with withof of lof of It and this bag Is full fun of sha low ow t do you ou know we WC are r under- under the smell of or the floor and because need d a candle caudle when its it's full fun daylight oe hen imen you OU know what hat time It is Is' Is other Ine Incredulously I toll looking lie He Heed lied I hy-er-I er can b by ed ad d his eyes Ah Ah Its It's earlier than night u ht Its It's barely 7 7 devil de do you ou know that thaU did not answer for or a moment was TOB looking about him wonderingly L the damp stone walls and high IN ted ed ceiling of a Jan large e windowless her iber Bj Bv B th the uncertain light of ot the then's theris arched archd n's ns candle canale he ho made out an ig way at one side and around the of ot logs Jogs carefully roped and andi i a d together id lot far ar candle randle hasn't burned more than ur answered tho the det detective e ctt mIght insight be a II second cond candle Paul shook his head Then you youn yount n nt ft have be ben been n eating your our break break- ante ing And you ou wouldn't have ha been B BO patiently two men eyed ed each other keenly said De Do ruck Bruck ct uJ nl give ghe you credit for tor unusual less less- HS c but if you ou tell mo mc you ou havo have kiln what I Rm am waiting ailing for foe foe- or- or more than Inkling an answered the theve ve v c quietly I kno know that you ou are for tho the girl 1 girl 7 The other started e el E girl Alice or Mary or-Mary Mary your our step step- is' is iter edt ad almighty burst out tho the baron it at lU a guess I l Paul shook his head heRd No 0 not a aa a fair deduction My rh ring Is I gone is 18 on m my hand before you OU gave Sil mo me You took It That S YOU vou needed It ii Why To fo get the tho I. I You knew it would bring her h how hot you ou knew It Is more than I II I nd belin heard you ou speak o of the ring that night In the automo- automo ti And how did you ou know where here Irl was wis A le jessed ped it partly and had and had teed ld coming here nodded She ought to be bl shortly Then with Ith a a. quick cruel I 1 suppose suppose- Ose you ou know lenow why I want I do said aId O we come In tn here her suggested Hu ther Im ulm tired holding this can nd you OU dont don't care particularly about Inn Ion that ling of shavings th lb this h. h he led Jed the tho wa way through the thed thed Ml d d passageway Into another stone iber beT very cry much like c the first only Cr er erf and ana lined In tho the same Ramo wa way with up UI logs In the tho middle of or the floor Broush table spread with food and rough chairs On the table lay Jay the thc thet tj t it don down contI continued ud d the baronE baron T. T E r on t you can eat at but hut first t shave n a a. a talk Ive I've for fOI I know all about tied cd you ou years Ill and and Ill I'll fOa say pay this this- our youre ourthe the tile most man I ever met mou Youve You've me me trouble but but that's that's all rl right ht played fair and and I I like you ou I like f are re was was no doubt about the tho gen gen- toss less of ot this and M M. Paul glanced across the tho table hanks banks he said simply spa a pit pity you ou couldn't see things s sIV IV way say a I wanted to bo ho your our friend to help holp you ou Just think how l f r timea Ivo Ive gone one out of or m my way five ve you chances fine fino business ces know rid that night on th Cham Champs s Ely Ely- I warn you DIdn t I al al- plead with you ou to drop this case bou you wouldn't ll listen ten hats hat's true 0 Ow see wh where re you OU are aro See Sec what ret forced P forced mo me to do Its It's a pit pity It me me roe up He ke with sadness understand answered is M. M Paul 1 clate what you OU 60 say a bond ten Cen n a good d detective and and and- t great detective put In the baron tho the greatest detective Paris known In fifty otty years ear or will know In mOre Yes Ye yes cs Its It's a pity was vas saying resumed the other t there t Is a bond between a deve do dove do- do ve ve ye and a criminal I suppose it r between a a a. a great doe dor dove do do- ve e r he smiled d. d and a great Ineat Bruk BrU k looked pl pleased lilegard mo me as a great groat criminal nodded gravely I certainly certainty The he greatest since Ludovico he had your our identical little 4 ebos And your absolute lack of or fo MI- MI l- l bout about ut crime Never a a. tremor Never lever PIm lm of or remorse Just cold Intelli- Intelli y i course ourse The baron held his left leU to the candle arid and looked at It Lily lly Strange about that little fin fin- And pretty the way you caught tho or H tt t o on that photographers photographer's neck little littie tIe devil hat did you do with tho tim boots you l trying to return that night quest ques- ques I V t the tn e detective flied them wa was silent nt a moment And What hat of him now him now be t trIed and and and- Tn The baron g e hl his should shoulders rs jb round found guilty but jealousy V as al an exten- exten Hell He'll do a 0 few rew y five m. m r quite Why you put the thc h Jt r e. e so gO on and he nd he You had nothing against him personally personally per per- Oh no he lie was as a pawn In the game mc A pawn to be sacrificed sacrIficed lIke Martinez Marti MarU- nez Exactly Ah that that- brings 8 m me to tho the main maln point How did did- Martinez did Martinez K got get t possession of your secret Ho He met the girl accidentally and and re re remembered her As UJ the one ono he had rescued from the charity bazar nr fire t Yes les You'd better batter eat at a a. little tl Tr Try some of this cold meat and salad M My Cook makes rather good dressing No No thanks thank Sp Speaking of ot cooks how did you know the name namo of ot that canary bird Ha ha Pete Poto I knew It from the husband of or the woman who opens open tho big bl gato gate of ot the Villa Montmorency H cleans your windows you ou kno know and and and- he was as ul useful rul to me mo He Ho knew you ou as as Groener Groener Of Ot course None of people knew you ou really realy No Not Dubols Ah Alt DuboU Dubols' knew me roe of ot course courM hut Dubois Dubols Is an automaton to cart carr carry out orders He lie never knows knovs what they mean Anything else thought a moment OhI Oh Did you know that private room No 7 would nOt be occupied that night by Wilmott and tho the dancing girl No Th Then n how did you OU dare go 0 In there 7 1 Wilmott and the girl wore not duo until 9 and an I had finished b by 30 How did you know Wilmott would not be 0 there until 9 3 Martinez told me It I was In Anitas Anita's note that Mrs Irs Wilmott showed him hint Had you ou no direct dealings with wih Anita Ania The baron shook shok his hla head hea I never la saw the girl The thing Just happened and and I I took my chance You bought the auger for Martinez and told him hint where to bore the tho holes Yel Yes And tho the kO key koy to t th the tho alleyway door door I got a a duplicate key through key through Du Du- Du- Du bois bols Anything else Its R all al alery very ery clever reflected M. M Paul but but Isn't Isn't It I too clever cle Too complicated com corn Why didn't you OU get rid of this billiard player In some fome simpler way way A natural question Queston agreed d Do lid lid- lel- lel delmann delmann I r could have done it easily pasly In t twenty enty ways ways twenty wAys twenty stupid safe sao ways was Hut But ut dont don't you see lee that Is what I 1 didn't want It I was wa necessary t to suppress suppress suppress sup sup- press Martinez Martnez but In suppressing him hima himas as a I did there was wa also good sport And when a man has everything good sport Is mighty might rare lare I 1 see sec I see ee murmured the detective And let Alice live all these you OU al years ears or the same reason reason Yes Tho The wood carver r game diverted tred dl you ou Pr Precisely It I put a bit bi of ot ginger Into existence He lie pau paused ed and half hal closIng cosIn cos- cos cbs clos- In Ing his lila eyes added musingly Ill Tl miss missI it I now And Ill I'll Il miss tho the zest zet of fighting fight fight- ing log you Ah AhI said By tho the W way how long have ha you OU known that I was working here her In your our stable The baron smiled Since the first da day And you And you knew about aboul the valet Naturally And about abut the safe It Jt was Wa all al arranged Then then Theon then you ou wanted me to read the tho diary Yes answered the other with wih a strange expression I knew that if It you OU read rad my diary I should be protected I 1 dont don't understand Of Or course courso not fiot but but but- Suddenly Sudden his voice grew gow h harsher and M. M Paul thought of the meeting on the tho Champs Do you ou realize sir alf the baron went wenton on on and his voice was almost almot menacing that not once but half hal a a. dozen times since this affair started I have hava been on the point of oC crushing you of ot sweeping you ou out of or 0 my path I r can believe that Wh Why haven't I done dono It Why have I held back the tIme order er-der that was as trembling on my lips Because I admire you ou Im I'm Im Interested In the thc workings of your our mind I I yes yes by hr God In spite spie of or your our stubbornness stubborn stubborn- ness and everything c I like Uko you and I dont don't want to harm you ou You may not believe leve It I it he went ent on on but bul when you sent word to the Brazilian Brazilian Bra Bra- emba embassy sy the other da day that you would accept the Rio Ro Janeiro offer oHer after ater al all I 1 was honestly honesty happ happy for for you OU not for Tor myself What did It matter to me I was aR relieved to know that you were out of danger that you had come to your our senses Then suddenly you ou went mad again and and and-and and did this So I said to myself All right he wants it I hell he'll get It I. I and and l I let you OU read ra the diary diary Wh Why Why hy cried tho the baron hoarsely Dont you ou see why You know everything every evon thing now everything c It I Isn't guesswork guesswork guess guess- work It isn't deduction its it's absolute certainty You have seen m my confession you OU know that thal I killed Martinez that I robbed this girl Irl of ot her fortune that I Iam Iam Iam am going to let an innocent man suffer suffer In my place You know that to be true dont don't you ou Yes I know it to he be true And because Its It's true and because we both know it to be true trite neither one of ofus ofus ofus us C can n draw drw b back ck We 0 cannot draw back backI I If we e would Suppose I say Bay to you I like you ou Im I'm Im going to let you go o free What would you OU reply You would fR say Baron de tie Bruck Im I'm Im much obliged hut but I shall proceed proceed proceed pro pro- to have this enormous fortune you ou have been wickedly enjoying taken from front you ou and given to its It rightful owner Isn't that about what you OU would owner say MY I I suppose It is II Is answered M 1 Paul Paul You know It Is and I you ou would nl also Ilso o osay sa say Baron Barn de H I Ishall Ishall shall not only take this fortune from you OU and make you OU very er poor instead of very rich but I shall shaH denounce you jou ou as a murderer murderer mur mur- ver derer and shall do m my best to have you marched out from a cell cel In tho the prison some seine fine morning about dawn bot between a Jailer and a priest with whim wih your I logs legs gs roped to together ether and your shirt cut cutaway cutaway 3 away at the time back bok of oC the nock neck and then to have ha you jou OU bound against an upright plank and tipped forward sent gently under a pound forty knife you you see nee fee I know the d details details and and and then the the knife falls and behold the head of De Dp H Bruck In one basket and his bOd body in another another another an an- other That would ouid be b your OUT general Idea eh oh Yes it woul would nodded tho the other Ah AhI smiled the tho baron You ae ce e how I have protected myself mYel against my own weakness weakness I mUl must you or be destroyed I I. I Tarn am forced M. M to end my friendly tolerance of or your our ex ex- isten e. e I r see Me murmur murmured d M. M I. I Paul If I hadn't read rend that diary your oUr nervo nerve would I have been u n little dulled for tor this this this-hual- busi ness He lie motioned toward ness the shadows towar it it It Whereas now the thing has to be done and 11 do It and you'll and you I Exactly Exactly replied d the baron with wih tho the Measure one might show at a delicate delicato coi nt For some somA Moments nt the two were ere silent then M. M Paul Paul asked gravely How soon noon will wi tho the girl be he h here reZ undoubtedly here her now She Is 18 g waiting outside He pointed to a a I ily barred Iron door Does Dos she know It I was a trick trick about about the ring Not yet 4 Again there was a silence hesitated before he lie said Raid with an effort cHort Do you think Its It's necessary to to-to to toto to In Include In In- elude clude cude her In this this affair this affair The baron thou thought ht a moment I r think Id I'd Id better bettor make mae a clean cean Job of o It it You mean both Yes Tile TI They seemed to und understand by hy half hai words b by words not spoken b by little 51 signs nB OB as brokers In a great gret stock exchange ex ey chan change o battle hatle dispose of fortunes with wih a n nod no or a lift of tho the eyebrows But she But she doesn't know anything about yoU vou or against you add added d M M. l Paul and he lie seemed Deemed to ho bo almost pleading She Sho has caused canned mo me mr a lot of n or trouble and |