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Show Hi IEa J: mamdi gras II 'V KliftilfflfH'Bedford"Jone5 BB; i2' CopjriqW by DoubWau,5og ond Company f QRAMONT AND LUCIE j , f Sl'NOI'SIS.-Durlntf tt6 helgbt of ' H I the New Orleans carnival teuton H ' Jncliln Fell, wealthy though some- I IH ' what mysterious citizen, and Dr. IH Analey, nre discussing a aeries of BH roMjorlos by an Individual known SH ) ( s the Midnight Masquer, who, In- H variably attired as an aviator, baa IH Ions dolled the police, Joinph Mall- H t lard, wealthy banker, la Klvlnjr a jt, ball that night, at which the Mas- B j quer has threatened to apptar and ' v rob the guests. Fell and Analey, m $ on their way to the alTalr, meet a H , slrl dressed ai Columbine, seeming- jH I ,t ly known to Foil, but masked, who H -, '; accompanies them to the ball B : Lucie Ledanols. recently the ward H of her uncle, Joseph Halliard, li H ' $ lh Columbine. At the ball, Bob B I ' Mnlllard, ton of the banker, again h f proposes to her and I rofused. He BV J ) . often to buy some of her property. V , A Franciscan monk Interest! her. H I He turna out to be Prince Oramont. 1 i A In hta library Joseph Malllard and j I a Broun cf hi frlendi are held up Hjf and robbed by the Midnight Mas- K ,, qur. Lucie Ledanola, the latt of K ' an old family, 1 In atralttned clr- f cumstances. Joseph Malllard'a han- W ff dllng of her funda has been unfor- bbbbbbI !h "tunate. Fell la an old friend of her jSf parents and deeply Interested In ' It the (clrL Henry Oramont, really H t the Prince de Oramont, la enamored H ,j , of Lucia. I.ucl tallta with Fell H i '2fc about her affairs and the Masked H ;jP I Masquer. Hi ' -s l Hj ;J- CHAPTER IV Continued. H V -- H ill, "Some of them, yes and nil that H I prince stufT with tliom." Smiling os B Jet. In (trapped Into Kngllsh, Grntnont W J glanced about the room, nnd his ryes Bf 'if softened. W lef "Tlls In n loyely nnd lovable home m 'M of yours, I.uclo I" lie exclaimed, grave- H ilf ly. "So few homes nro worthy tho H Cf nmne; to few have In them the Intl- H 'yjr tnaio nlr of use nnd frlendllncss-why y pro go ninny furnlahed from hnrpnln H Q- enlca? Thin place In touched with re- B. si poe nnd swomnpRs ; to come nnd Vt - V hero r n privilege, it Is like helns H yi in anotlier world, nfter all the money H. m RtrlvliiK' nnd the dollnr madness ot tho cj city." I "Ohl" The Blri's gnxo searched I lilm curiously, "I hope you're not coll co-ll ! 1 lnK ,0 tnko tIQ llne nrt,stlc Pau tllllt li t It In n crlmo to innke money?" D Orninont InUBhcd. f "Ki mtlch I I wnnt to mnko money ; I injiself; that's one. renson I'm In New I Orlenna. Still, yod-cannot deny that 1 there la tt crnzo about tho eternal j- clutching after dollars. I enn't innlto 1 the dollar slpl the big thing In life. I I.ucle, Vou couldn't, rlthcV." 1 Hho frowned n little. I "I'ou seem to lmvo the, European 4 I. )('Uw that nil Americans nro dollar chatters I" I Ito ahniKRed his shoulders MtKhtly. I "In n sense, yes; why not?" ho nn- I Hwercd. "I am nn American. I am ; m H dollar clinaer, and not ashamed of It flj, I am Molng Into buxlncss here. Once M R Is a success, I shall go on; I shall ' vvWfcHAmorlen, shall como to know 5 I '$ titA WH4ountry jrtf mine, all of Itl I 'Mihvo been nllroitirrTipv Orleans If W -x. fe yoi know, n MrStSv tlilnp; hap- ;" W1' peifed'to nio only n few days ufter I 1 Arrived here J" ,' )Vlth her eyes sho ursed him on, I nnd ho continued Bravely: ' p-, "In Frwhce I wA'n man, an Amcr! E can sorKennt named Ilnniinond. It f I '' W Juct tit the close of things. Wo f . .1 ,. ' uhd itdjiiinlnj? cots nt Nlco " f fo v "AhV" she exclnlmod. quickly. "I '"-oxrV remttmber, you w,rotu about lilm tbe I "?' 1nnn who had letm wounded In both I Jv ll8r Dl ,,c sot well? Vou never f n"i 'i never knew until I cume here," ! 9jt 'Aj-iu'Winvvered (Irnmont. "One night, not t fvfa&SlfiMw nner ' nn,1'ot established In my lflntluslbn on Uurgundy street, a man fp fStrtJd to roh me. It tvus tills samo Fn Wl imili. Hnnnimnd s we recosnlzed each iff' other almost nt once, p" ! took him home with mo nnd V learned IiIh tory. He had conio" back , , Itj to America only to rind his wife dead wca4 from InJIucusn, his home broken up. '..arc m ,) futuio destroyed. Ue drifted to jopenj, bW Orleans, cattiless of what hap- 'jlloufj nuneil to him. Ho Hung himself des- aostft' pcrntely Into n career of buiBlory nnd yaenn(Jflk- pllhiKe. Well, ! fc'nve Hammond u i revlwjf j0j,. , 8 my chauffeur. 'ou woull mooiC twver recojfnlxo lilm ns the same ninn jlu U8$ now j i nm very proud of his friend- hW ehlp," W'A That W'hs well said." .Lucie nodded t w ",!r ,,ena iu,c,,y "l t1,,ul't can ou lltlBgB jj ia priCe nny uioro uideas you flowiSV; ' ofr(tia nBn.- fionMK He 'smiled, reading her thought "I W-,ihlk'' try not to bo n snob, eh? Well, what stlte Vm driving nt Is this t I wnnt to know t0''!,,'i' llls country of mine, to see It with lectedjk cjMrt ,ul,rt,judlted eyei, Wo hide our 'illiW rfnl shames nnd oxnlt our false ones. 18 8 ' ' Why should vr he ashamed of elms- vIiUoip- "ing'the dollnrt So long na that Is n "V means p the end of happiness, It's all s right, ; Hut thera Ve sotno luenho "i jug ft a Up nd aloue, who con;set no ''I flnls to their work except the dollar dropping into their pouch. Such n nB 18 your relative, Joseph Mnlllard. I do not wish to offend you, and I shall therefore refrnln from saying nil that Is In my mind, nut you hnvo not hesitated hesi-tated to Intimate very frankly that you aro not wealthy. Somo tlmo ngo, If you recall, you wroto mo how you had Just missed wealth through having sold some land, I havo taken the liberty lib-erty of looking up that deal to Bomo extent, and I hnvo suspected that your uncle had somo Interest In putting tho 8alo through " The gray eyes of tho girl ftashod suddenly. VHenry Gramontl Are my family affairs to be an open book to tho world? Do you ronltzo that you nro Intruding most unwarrantably Into my private matters?" "Unwarrantably?" prnmont's eyed held her gaze steadily. ''Do you real ly mean to use that word?" "I do. most certainly " answered Lucie with sfvlrlt. "I don't think you realize Just what tho wholo thing tends townrd " "Oh, yes I dol Quito clearly." Grn-mont's Grn-mont's cool, lovol tono conquered nor Indignation. "I seo that you aro orphaned, or-phaned, and that your undo was your guardian, and executed questionable deals which lost money for you. Come, that's brutully frank but It's truol I came here to Now Orleans and became be-came Involved In somo dealings with your cousin, Hob Mnlllard. I believed, and I believe now, thnt In your henrt you have some suspicion of your uncle In regard to thoso transactions In land. Therefore, I took the trouble to look Into tho thing to a' slight extent. Slmll -I tell yod what I have discovered?'' discov-ered?'' Lucie I.cdanols gazed nt him, her lips compressed. Sho liked this new ' . i "Hml Memphis ay Qumberts, Eh? What Kind of a Crook Is He. Sergeant?" Ser-geant?" manner of his. this firm nrtfl resolute gravity, this harshness. It brought out his underlying character very well. "If you pleaso. Henry,4' she mutj. mured very meekly. v "Well, then, I h;ive dlscovred that your 'uncle appears to bo luinestly nt fault In the mutter" "ThankR for this nppnwul of my family" she murmured. "And," continued Grumont, Impor-turhnbly, Impor-turhnbly, "that your suspicions of hltn were groundless. Hut, on the other hand, something now has turned up about which I wish to speak but ( about which I must speak delicately. Has nol Malllurd olfered to buy your remaining land on the Uuyou Torre-houiie?" Torre-houiie?" Sho started slightly. So It was to . this that" lie had been tending up all . the while I I "Ho broached tho subject Inst , night," slut answered. "I dismissed It I for thultTinp." i "Ooqdi" ho exclaimed with boyish . vlgur. ;'0ood! I warned you In time, then I It you wit! poruilt mo. ,1 muSlJ I advise you' not to' part with that luha i not ,cve for a good orrer. This" i week, Immediately Mnrdl Grns Is over, I am going to Inspect that land for, J tho company; It U Hob Malllard's cone t puny, you know. Is my unwarrantable v Intrusion forgiven?" k, li She nodded brightly. "You aro pfit r on probation,, ' lr. You're In Hob' i. company?'' V i- "ye." Grumont frowned. . r',1 lu'-a lu'-a vested perhaps,--too Hastily but no II matter nmv.( I hnyo tlie car outside o Lucie f ntuy I have tha pleasure of o"! tnumg'fdu driving?" 'MOn....iL-. w,. ... "Did you bring Shut cbnuffotjrT,.- ' "Yes." nnd ho leughed ot her eaa? crness. "Good I I accept because I rnust eco that famous soldler-bandlt-chauf-feur. If you'll vnlt,ril be ready in a minute " She hurried from tho room, a snatch of song on her lips. Oramont smiled us he waited. CHAPTER V The Masquer Unmasks. In New Orleans ono may rind pensions pen-sions In tho old qunrter thoquiirir which Is still Instinct with the pnle of old-world life. Thcso pension do not ndvcrtlse. Tho average tourist knows nothing of them, tiien If he know, Indeed, ho might have some 'difficulty In obtaining accommodation!, for 'It Is not pearly enough to have tho money; ono must also havo tho Introductions, In-troductions, como well recommunded, and be under the tongue of good repute. re-pute. Oramont had obtained a small nr-nrl-ment en pension n quiet and severely retired house In Uurgundy street, maintained by a very proud old lady whoso ancestors- had como out of Canada with the Slour d'lhcrvllle. Here Gramont lived with Hammond, quite on n basis of equality, and they were very comfortnblo. . J The two men snt smoking their pipes bcfoio the fireplace. In which blazed a small Are more for good cheer than through necessity. It was Sunday evening. Oramont stared Into tho flickering fire nnd sucked nt his pipe. Suddenly ho roused himself nnd shot a glance at Hammond. "Sergeant I You seem to have a pretty good recollection of that night at the Lnvcrgno house, when I found you entering nnd Jumped on you." "You bet I havel" Hammond chuckled. "When you'd knocked tho goggles off mo nnd we recognized each other h 1 1 I felt llko n boob." Oramont smiled. "How mnny places hud you robbed up to thon? Three, wasn't It?" "Three Is right enp'n," was tho unashamed un-ashamed response. "Wo haven't referred to it very often, of-ten, but now things havo happened." Orumont's face took on harsh lines of determination. "Do you know, It was a lucky thing that you had no chunco to dispose of tho Jewels nnd money you obtained?" "Js'o ehnnco?" snorted the other. "No chanco Is right, cnp'nl And I wns sore, too. Say, they got a ring ot crooks around this town you couldn't bust Into with grenades! Listen here, and I'll tell you something big." Hammond leaned forwnrd, lowered his voice, nnd tamped nt his pipe. "When I wns n young fellow I lived In n little town up north I nliVt say' In where. My old man hnd n'yiverj stable there, see? Well, ono night a guy come nlong and got the old man out oi neu, nnu sups mm nrteer) Hundred Hun-dred for a rig and a tenia, seo? I drove the guy ten miles through the hills, nnd set him on n road ho wanted to find. "Now, thnt guy wns tho biggest crook In the country In them days still Is. I guess. Ho wns on the dead run thnt night, to keep out o' Leavenworth. Leaven-worth. Ho kep' out, all right, and he's settlu' In the game to this minute. Nobody No-body never pinched him yet, nnd never' will." ' ' "Why?" "Hecntiso his gnng runs back to politicians and rich guys all over tho ountry. You ask anybody on the In-' ldo If ihey ever heurd of MumphU t.zy Humberts! Well, enp'n, I seen that very Identical guy on the street' the other day I never could forget hhrt ugly mug I And where ho Is. no out-? side crooks can get In, you bclUvo' me I" ( "Unit Memphis Ixzy Gumhcrts. eh? What kind of a crook Is hu. sergeant?" "Tho big kind. You remember them Chicago lotteries? Hut you don't, o course. Well, that's his game lotteries lot-teries and such like." Oramnnt's lips clenched for a minute, min-ute, then ho spoke with slow distinctness: distinct-ness: "Sergeant, I'd have given five hundred hun-dred dollars for that Information a 'week ago!" " "Why'V.. Grumont shook his bond. , "Nvvetrmlnit::Forget It! Now, tills stunt of yours wa";lever;, Yoq gh,owI brains when you. got .vourjteimp'iis nn aviator and pulled tlw't stuff, sergeant. ser-geant. Hut you handled It brutally terribly brutnlly." "It was h little raw, I guess," conceded con-ceded Hammond. "I wns up against It. that's all. When you took over tho costume and began to get across with the Unfiles stuff why It wns a pipe for you, cnp'nl Look what we've done In a month. Six Jobs, every ono running run-ning off smooth as glass! Your no tlon of going to parties ready dressed with some kind of loose robo over the flyln' duds wns a scream I And then me running that motor with the cutout cut-out on all them birds that never heard nn airplane think you como and go 'by nlr. for certain I Nobody will "(Over And us out." 4 Grntnont nodded thoughtfully, , - '"Yes? Hut. sergeant, how about the quiet little man who eamo along Inst nluht nt the Malllard house and asked about the cor? I'erhups he hnd discovered dis-covered you had ylieon running the engine." "Him?" Hammond sniffed lu scorn. "Ho wasn't, no dick." '; . "I .dnr.' not risk It. That man Fej, It too smurt" ' (TO nE CONTINUED.! |