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Show THE RICH COUNTY NEWS, RANDOLPH, UTAH The MARDI GRAS MYSTERY btj EBedford-Jone- s Illustrations by Irwin Myers Copijriqht by BouHediy . Page and Company CHAPTER V1H Continued. 12 Ah, here are Fell and Ansley! ex- -' claimed Malllard, almost with Tellef. I ah my friends, 1 don't suppose youve seen Bob recently? Ansley was silent. Jachin Fell, however, responded with a cold nod of assent. Yes, he said in his peculiarly 'toneless manner. Yes, we have. At least, I e " it was he Im worried, said Malllard, anxiously, hurriedly. He made an expressive gesture of despair. Hes in costume, of course. Ive been given to understand that well, that he has been well, drinking. He has, said Jachin Fell, without A number any trace of compassion. of the Krewe are occupying one of the rooms in the building, and they must have been visiting it frequently. I trust for your sake that the fact hasnt become generally known inside? Maillard nodded. Shame and anger lay heavily in his eyes. Judge Forester, in his kindly way, laid his hand on the bankers arm. Tut, tut. Joseph, he said, gently, a fund of sympathy in his voice. Boys will be boys, you know; really, this is no great matter! Dont let it hit you so hard. Ill go with you to find the room, of course. Where is I It, Jachin? Well all go, put in Ansley. Well have a little party of our own, gentlemen. Come on, I believe well be able to discover the place. The four men left the foyer and started through the corridors. I hear, said Judge Forester to Doctor Ansley, as they followed the other two, that there has been astonishing news today from the Midnight Masquer. It seems that a number of people have received back property this afternoon loot the bandit had taken. It appears to have been gome sort of a carnival joke, after all." A poor one, then," responded AnsIve ley, and in doubtful taste. heard nothing of It. I wouldnt mind getting back the little cash I lost, though I must say I'll believe the story when I see the money He broke off quickly. As they turned a corner of the corridor to the four men came realization that they had attained their goal. From one of the rooms ahead there sounded snatches of a boisterous chorus being roared forth lustily. As they halted, to distinguish from which door the singing proceeded, the chorus was broken off by an abrupt and sudden silence. This silence was accentuated by the preceding noise, as though the singers had checked their maudlin song in D n It! muttered Maillard. Did they hear us coming? No, that wouldnt matter a hang to them but what checked them so quickly? This door, said Fell, indicating one to their right. He paused at it, listening, and over his features came a singular expression. As the others joined him, they caught a low murmur of voices, a hushed sound of talk, a rattle as a number of chips fell from a table. observed Jachin Cursed queer! I wonder what hapFell, frowning. pened to them so abruptly? Perhaps the deal Was finished theyre having a game. Well, go ahead, Joseph ! Well back you up as a deputation from the blackcoats, and if you need any moral support, call on Judge For- , Perhaps because the Masquer did not fire instantly, and perhaps because MatllaTd's mad action shamed them, the nearer members of the drinking party hurled themselves at the bandit. The threat of the weapon was forgotten, unheeded in the sweeping lust of t. the It seemed that the fellow feared to fire; and about him closed the party Id a surging mass, with a burst of sudden shouts, striking and clutching to pull him down and put him under foot. Then, when it seemed that they had him without a struggle, the Masquer broke from them, swept them apart and threw them off, hurled them clear away. He moved as though to leap through the side doorway whence he had come. With an oath, Maillard hurled himself forward, struck blindly and furiously at the bandit, and fastened upon him about the waist. There was a surge forward of bodies as the others crowded in to pull down the Masquer before, he could escape. It looked then as though he were indeed lost until the automatic flamed and roared in his hand, its choking fumes bursting at them. The report thundered in the room ; a second report thundered, deafeningly, as a second bul let. sought its mark. Like a faint echo to those shots came the slam of a door. The Masquer was gone! ' After him, into the farther room, rushed some of the party ; but he had vanished utterly. There was no trace of him. His complete disappearance man-hun- r. 1 The Threat of the Weapon Wae Forgotten, Unheeded in the Sweeping Lust of the Man-Hun- t. confused the searchers. After a moment, however, they returned to the lighted room. The Masquer had gone, but behind him had remained a more grim and terrible masquer. In the room which he had just left, however, there had fallen a dread silence and consternation. One of the masqued drinkers held an arm that hung helpless, dripping blood; but his hurt passed unseen and uncared for, even by himself. Doctor Ansley was kneeling above a motionless figure, prone on the dirty floor; and It was the figure of The physician Joseph Maillard. ester." That gentleman flung open the door, glanced up, then rose slowly to his and Malllard entered at his side. They feet. He made a terribly significant then came to a startled halt, at view gesture, and his crisp voice broke in upon the appalled silence. of the scene which greeted them. he said, curtly. Dead, "Shot The room was large and well lighted, windows and transom darkened twice each bullet through the heart. Tobacco smoke Judge Forester, Im afraid there is for the occasion. made a bluish haze in the air. In no alternative but to (Sill in the police. the center of the room stood a large Gentlemen, you will kindly unmask table, littered w(jh glasses and bot- which one of you is Robert Maillard? Amid a stunned and horrified silence tles, with scattered cards, with chips the members of the Krewe one by one and money. About this table had been sitting removed their grotesque headgear, half a dozen members of the Krewe staring at the dead man whose white of Comus.' Now. however, they were face looked up at them with an air grim accusationrBut none of them standing, their various identities com- of came forward to claim kinship with pletely concealed by the grotesque cosTheir the dead man. Bob Maillard was not tumes which cloaked them. in the room. hands were in the air. I think, said the toneless, even ' midanother at doorway, Standing way between their group and that of voice of Jachin Fell, that all of you the four unexpected intruders, was the gentlemen had better be very careful Midnight Masquer holding them up at to say only what you have seen find know. You will kindly remain the point of his automatic! Maillard was the first to break the here until I have summoned the police. silence of stupefaction. He left the room, and if there were he cried, furiously. By heavens! Heres that d d villain again hold any dark Implication hidden in his words, no one seemed to observe it. him, you ! at him. everybody ! In a blind rage, transported out of CHAPTER IX. himself by his sudden access of passion, the banker hurled himself forOn the Bayou. ward. From the bandit burst a cry At three oclock on the morning of of futile warning; the pistol in his Ash Wednesday the great white Mal-so- n hand veered toward his assailant. Blanche building was deserted and This aetion precipitated the event. desolate, so far as Ita offices were concerned. The cleaners and scrubwomen had long since finished their tasks and departed. Out in the streets s of carnival were running the on a swiftly ebbing tide. A single elevator in the building was, however, in use. A single suite of offices, witlu carefully drawn blinds, was lighted and occupied. They were not ornate, these offices. They consisted of two rooms, a small reception room and a large private office, both lined to the ceiling with books, chiefly law books. In the larger One room were sitting three men. of the three, Ben Chacherre, sat in a chair tipped back against the wall, his eyes closed. From time to time he opened those sparkling black eyes lids of his. and through narrow-slittedirected keen glances at the other Children Cry For tag-end- ALGOHOL-- 3 m t I scandal lindtheStomadis and Bowels tteerfulnessandResttarta neither Opinm.Morphlnenor Mineral. Not Narcotic ISK Stma JkxUUSOt SA ! , IduilbdSifa Jiwinyw fbtvr Diarrh Constipation and Feverishness and and Loss of Sleep resulting thetefrorMnlmaOvFac Simile id m on Forever. Was Boresom still ta'klng Goe Netley when you left the club? Miller Really, I don't know, flis conversation Is so unimportant that when he stops talking I always fail to notice Answers, it prepared for li $5 ' rs THE CENTAUR COMPANY. ALWAYS NEW YORK CITY. mBSSB SB Gives Cheerful Mew Color Tone ta Old Curtains Gaits OS CASTORIA Bears the Signature of Ezssa LANDLORD PUTNAK1 FADELESS DYES WANTED TOO MUCH Under the Circumstances, Few Could Have Been Expected Men to Carry Out Threat. Sir, said a colored man who entered a police station, I came here to tell you dat I w as gw ine to suicide. For what reason? asked the sergeant at the desk. Beka.se dar was no mo joys at my house. Am it agin de law to jump into de river? No, not exactly, was the reply. "But if you get out again that is against the law, and you also get very wet, ftnd apt to catch cold over it. You had best find some empty old house and shoot yourself. Yes, sir, dat am de way, answered the colored man. lie went out to return in an hour say: You see, I didnt suicide arter all. I found de empty house and also found de landlord dar, and lie wanted $75 a month rent an $10 extra fur boldin an Inquest." Young Mart of Discrimination. My finest compliment was given me by a little newsboy. He was telling me about bis school teacher and said: You know, this is the kind of a wom- an she is." Doui CASTORIA jae NEWYQgKi Exact Copy of Wrapper. to grown-up- s. MOTHERS SHOULD READ THE BOOKLET THAT IS AROUND EVERY BOTTLE OF FLETCHER'S Compas you mean lady? rupted. I inter- No; I mean woman, he answered, and then, with all the philosophy of eleven years old, added : Now, you are a lady; shes a woman. Anyone can be a woman, but not everyone can be a lady, and thats what you are. Exchange. dyes or tints as you wish HER MIND SUDDENLY SIMPLE MATTER TO ARRANGE Sma'I Runaway Probably Had Good Reasons for Withdrawing Objections to Going Home.. All Colored Woman Had to Do Was o Go Home and Wait for Her Geneva, age three, had run away to visit her aunt, who lived across the street. The aunt visualizing accidents, in which figured little children and automobiles, lectured the little girl. Then the aunt announced her Intention of taking the runaway home at once as a punishment, All entreaties were in vain, the little guest was going to stay, and finally her aunt picked her up, her burden strenuously objecting, and started to the door. There the little girl saw her father, just leaving his home, on the trail of the fu- A colored woman entered a police station and asked the sergeant at tbs desk : Does you gin any advice here? "Sometimes we do, was the reply. Den I want you to gin me some. I bas got a husband, but he dont amount to much. He has got it In his head dat he wants to go up In de air wid one of dose flyin machines. If he goes up am he liable to fall? "Yes, he is sure to, replied the sergeant. An will be killed? Yes, certainly he will be killed. An den I will be a widow? CHANGED gitive. Genevas strident cries of objection as she stammered, I I must hurry back. Exchange. died away Gold Production In Russia. The Russian trade delegation reports that Siberia produced during the first four months of the present year over 16 poods (36.1 pound per pood) of gold according to the Engineering and Minof New York. This ing Journal-Pres- s quantity is five times greater than the total output for 1921. Gold is worth approximately $10,800 per pood so that the total v alue is $172,800 or at an annual rate of only a little more than Tills compares with a pro$500,000. duction of $22,000,000 iu 1016 since which time the output lias fallen steadily until tills slight revival. The gold syndicate lias succeeded iu restarting the gold mines at Elisatevinsk. Alevan-drovsIvanovsk and Youthnotaiginsk, which will insure an output of not less than three poods monthly. In the flat there is no place to put The Arabs of southern Egjpt traded things away that you dont want, so with India 1000 B. C. you get rid of them. Next Husband. Yes." some smart culld An arter a man will want to marry me. Now, den, would you encourage my husband to fly? Yes, I think so. All right, den," said the colored lady as she made for the door. I will d go right home an encourage my to go up among de clouds an den I will sit down and wait fur mjr jar bus-ban- next husband. Exchange. I These Days Are All Alike. On the Pacific Island of Nauru the sun rises at 6 and sets at 6 the year around ; there is no daylight-savinthere. The only change of seasons in when the westerlies come In the rainy g season. These tropical rains descend with great violence, la the year following the three years drought, there was a rainfall of 150 inches. 10 Inches falling in one night. A merry heart goes all the day, sad tires in a miie. The Cap that neverfits can come to me from coffee or tea, is NO harmso many people say. Yet those same people are often quick to note the signs of coffee harm in others. How familiar the danger signals are upset digestion, sleepless nights and irritability all warnings of the nervous breakdown that lurks just a little way ahead. How easy and how delightful the escape by drinking delicious Instant Postum instead of the beverages that contain the irritant caffeine. Tle boys a wreck this minute." ' That Baby should have a bed of its own all are agreed. Yet it is more reasonable for an infant to sleep with grown-up- s than to use a mans medicine in an attempt to regulate the delicate organism of that same infant. Either practice is to be shunned. Neither would be tolerated by specialists in childrens diseases. Your Physician will tell you that Babys medicine must be prepared with even greater care than Babys food. A Babys stomach when in good health is tco often disarranged by improper food. Could you for a moment, then, think of giving to your ailing child anything but a medicine especially prepared for Infants and Children ? Dont be deceived. Make a mental note of this: It is important, Mothers, that you should remember that to function well, the digestive organsof your Baby must receive special care. No Baby is so abnormal that the desired results may be had from the use of medicines primarily GENUINE Centaur The chief held a match to his unlightBut you say that he aint ed cigar. crime on anybody t (TO BE CONTINUED.) - Signatore1 place. the original Masquer? The No! Fell spoke quietly. original Masquer was another person, and had nothing to do with the present case. Tills information is confidential and between ourselves. Oh, of course," assented the chief. Well, I suppose I got to pull Maillard, but I hate to do it. I got a bunch that he aint the right party." Virtuous man! Fell smiled thinly. According to all the books, the chief of police is only too glad to fasten the Special Care of Baby. Digests? Thereby Promoting Jji Fell shrugged his shoulders, and made response in his toneless voice: Chief, youre up against facts. Those facts are bound to come out and the newspapers will nail your hide to the wall in a minute. Youve a bare chance to save yourself by tak' ing in young Maillard at once. The chief chewed hard on his cigar. I don't want to save myself by putting the wrong man behind the bars, he returned. It sure looks like he was the Masquer all the while, but you say that he wasnt. You say this was his only job a joke that turned out bad." Those are the facts, said Fell. I don't want to accuse a man of crimes I know he did not commit. We have the best of evidence that he did commit this crime. If the newspapers fasten the entire Midnight Masquer business on him, as theyre sure to do, we cant very well help him. I have no sympathy for the boy. Of course he. did it, put in Ben Chacherre, sleepily. Wasnt lie caught with the goods?"' The others paid no heed. The chief indicated two early editions of the morning papers, which lay on the desk in front of Fell. These papers carried full accounts of the return of the Midnight Masquers loot, explaining his robberies as part of a carnival jest. The later editions, cornin out pow, said the chief, will crowd all that stuff off the front page with the Maillard murder. Darn It, Fell! Whethee I believe It or not, Ill have to arrest the young fool. Chacherre chuckled. Jachin Fell smiled faintly. Nothing could be plainer, chief, he responded. First, Bob Maillard comes to us in front of the opera house, and talks about a great joke that hes going to spring on his friends across the way Howd you know who he was? in terjected the chief, shrewdly. Gramont recognized him; Ansley and I confirmed the recognition. He was more or less intoxicated chiefly more. Now, young Maillard was not in the room at the moment of the murder unless he was the Masquer. Five minutes afterward he was found in a nearby room, hastily changing out of an aviator's uniform into his masquerade costume. Obviously, he had assumed the guise of the Masquer as a joke on his friends, and the joke had a tragic ending. Further, he was in: the aviation service during the war, and so had the uniform ready to band. You couldnt make anybody believe that he hasnt been the Masquer all the time ! . Of course, and the chief nodded Itd be a clear case-o- nly perplexedly. you call me in and say that he wasn't the Masquer! D n it. Fell, this thing has my goat ! Whats Malllards story?" struck in Ben Chacherre. He denies the whole thing, said the worried chief. "According to his story, which sounded straight the way fte tells it, he meant to pull off the joke on his friends and was dressing in the Masquers costume when he heard the shots. He claims that the shots startled him and made him change back. He swears that he had not entered the other room at ail, except in his masquerade clothes. He says the murderer must have been the real Masquer. It's likely enough, because all young Mailiards crowd knew about the party that was to be held in that room during the Comus ball No matter, said Fell, coldly, Chief, this is an open and shut case ; the boy was bound to lie. That he killed his father was an accident, of course, but none the less it did take cf; tlNFANTSTOULDRENl d two men. One of the men was the chief of police. The second was Jachin Fell, whose offices these were. Even if things are as you say, which I dont doubt at' ail, said the chief, slowly, I cant believe the boy did it! And darn it ail, if I pinch him theres goin to be a h of a GENX. PER I AVcelablePrcpafationfirAs- I s imitating thelbod by Reguta" Theres a Reason Instant Postum is the tempting cereal drink made from roasted wheat. It is prepared instantly in the cup by the addition cf boiling water. Its snappy flavor is not unlike that of coffee. It is safe for everybody In your household including the children, and theres nothing in Postum to keep you awake even if you drink it at midnight. Postum FOR SATISFACTION Postum Cereal Company, Inc. Battle Creek, Mich. SSTAHJ Tostumm BEVERAGE pans of WKe glass' niira |